Balance then mixture or vice versa?

[mortation]

Should I set my mixture screw then balance my carbs or the other way around?

And does anyone in CT happen to have a colortune I could borrow for a 1/2 hour or so tonight? Would appreciate it

[Nessism]

I don't think the mixture screws effect sync unless you are way off. Set the screws to 2.5 or 3 turns and do the sync. Come back and try tweaking the screws while the sync gauges are still on the bike and see if the readings change. I've never used a colortune but you should be fine at the screw settings shown above.

[mortation]

I don't think the mixture screws effect sync unless you are way off. Set the screws to 2.5 or 3 turns and do the sync. Come back and try tweaking the screws while the sync gauges are still on the bike and see if the readings change. I've never used a colortune but you should be fine at the screw settings shown above.

I didnt think so either. So I will probably balance first. I hat to roll it out to 2.5 - 3 turns as I don't want it to be to rich. If I can't come up with a color tune tonight I probably will though.

[Nessism]

GS bikes are extremely lean with the stock jetting and benefit from a little richening of the mixture. Three turns out is not going to cause problems but start at 2.5 turns if your mechanical sensibility is offended. The pilot mixture does have an effect at low throttle settings; the screw setting is not 100% about the idle. On my bikes with CV carbs I shimmed the needles a little as well which makes a noticeable improvement in drivability.

Good luck.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

If the bike is ready for the synch, valve clearances set, ignition timing, etc, then you should fully warm up the bike and then set to factory recommended idle and then adjust mixture screws for best idle (highest rpm method). After screws are set and you've re-set idle to factory rec' idle using the idle adjuster knob, then synch.
I've heard some guys get anal and check the mixture screw adjustment again after synch but I've found there generally isn't any significant effect if you did it right the first time. Doesn't take much time if you want to re-check anyway.