stringbeanbowler

There could be a lot going on here. Start with a fresh fuel mix. Old fuel sucks. Pull off the air filter unit and look into the carbs and make sure when you hit the throttle that they both go up at the same time. There is also a sight glass in the upper portion of the right hand side of the carbs that is used for this purpose also. If it still doesn't run well, the carbs will need to be cleaned. Completely cleaned. Start with these first cause they are free, then take it to a shop if you can't figure it out here, but definitely don't ride it like that. Good Luck!

Good call on the choke tip. From what I understand the choke either cuts the air in half or dumps a lot of fuel to the engine, or both. Either way, it'll tell you if you need more fuel if it runs better with the choke on. : ]

I heard it's from excessive heat which is most likely from a lean setting or fuel ratio, or low on engine coolant. Definitely check your plugs and google the result to see pics of lean plugs and compare yours. Go full throttle on a warm engine in 3rd gear and hit the kill switch, come to a stop, and then check the plugs. That is the proper way to check if the main (important) jet is the correct size. What oil to fuel ratio are you running? A lot of people think it's ok to run a higher fuel ratio and it creates a lean setting and causes more heat which will damage your motor. Stick to 24:1 and you will not starve your engine of much needed oil. Water has better cooling properties than antifreeze. Antifreeze is designed not to let it freeze in cold weather. If you don't store it in below freezing temps, does any one know if you can just run water in the radiator? I live in Illinois, so I run antifreeze, but am very curious!

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Reading the plugs is a very good way to see how the engine is acting. There is a right way and a wrong way to check them. You have to warm it up, then accelerate to 3rd gear full speed and kill the spark plug by the kill switch and immediately come to a stop and pull out a plug. See what it looks like and white is definitely bad. Google: how to read a spark plug and you will see pics of what good and bad plugs look like. Generally speaking, if it bogs then speeds up, it's running rich, if it's bogging late in the rpm's, you have done engine damage by running it too lean. Now that you have removed the air filter sock from the intake, the jetting it had may be fine. If it seems real fast, stop. It is running too lean and that is how you blow it up. Smoke coming from the exhaust is a good thing. It means it has oil protecting it.