Runs great - but slow!

[FSRMATT]

Little history first: The machine in question is an '83 1100E. Bike ran strong 2 years ago before being stored. If I remember correctly 2nd and possibly even 3rd gear wheelies were easy with just a twist of the wrist - mind you I'm not a long wheelie guy, I'm just using this as a frame of reference.
The bike has a V&H 4 into 1 pipe and a K&N single pod filter in it. As far as I know the jetting is stock. After I cleaned the carbs, the bike once warm runs great with no hesitation and pulls from idle to 7K + which is as far as I got. The weather is in the 30's so I'm sure it's running a bit lean as is evidenced by a back fire upon decel. I warmed the bike up with a propane heater and it ran and started great except for the above. The bike also revs really slow. I felt for pressure out of the exhaust to see if it was plugged and it "seemed" fine. I don't think the air filter is plugged but will check that too.
Yesterday upon starting it cold it backfired and popped quite a bit like the timing was off. Is there any way to check the timing on this bike?
There is fresh fuel in the tank and I am not running a fuel filter at the moment - it better not have clogged a pilot again!
Enough rambling for now - any ideas on what might be the problem?

[doctorgonzo]

Pretty good odds the two years in storage left you with gummed up carbs.

[tone]

After 2 years of storage any fuel left in the carbs has varnished so you are right in your assumption of blocked jets

Time to do a thorough carb strip & clean mate

[bonanzadave]

it better not have clogged a pilot again!
any ideas on what might be the problem?

Ding ! Ding ! You probably answered your own question. Todays oxygenated fuels can start to go bad in a couple months. Time to clean the carbs. Again.

[doctorgonzo]

My carbs survived 8 months of storage while I did a frame up restore ONLY by totally pulling them off the bike, removing the float bowls and getting all the gas out of there, then spraying all the internals with a whole can of carb cleaner before I put them on the shelf.

[FSRMATT]

OK - now I feel stupid. All that rambling and I forgot to mention the carbs were just thoroughly cleaned.

[TheCafeKid]

Sounds like it's sucking air maybe?? How did you clean the carbs?? After two years, they need torn down completely and dipped, and new rings IMO...

[FSRMATT]

Sounds like it's sucking air maybe?? How did you clean the carbs?? After two years, they need torn down completely and dipped, and new rings IMO...

I took them off the bike and cleaned them very well. I am also going to check and see if I possibly have an air leak at the carb boots (on engine side). Is there a procedure to align them properly after they have been removed from the bike or is it just a visual alignment?

[TheCafeKid]

I took them off the bike and cleaned them very well. I am also going to check and see if I possibly have an air leak at the carb boots (on engine side). Is there a procedure to align them properly after they have been removed from the bike or is it just a visual alignment?

Yanno I've been fighting with that myself. On my 1100ES the numbers on the boots (there are left and right indicators on them) I thought are supposed to be facing straight up. That works on my bike but right now I had pods on it. I'm working on another members 1100 as well and it seems to me that doesn't work because the carbs don't line up so well with the airbox. Maybe one of the guys who run an airbox will chime in here and clear us up.

[TheCafeKid]

Oh another thing too. If you haven't replaced your airbox boots I would as they shrink and will pull away from the carbs leaving an airgap that you won't see with them on the bike. I am fighting with that too.