GS500e - Need help to get it running again please.

Heya all.

My stepdad has a 1996 GS500e that he got from a guy in Germany a good 10 or more years ago and had it sat in his garage. It was started and run a few years ago when my friend was going to buy it as his first big bike but he ended up getting something else instead.

So it's been sat again for a few years and now my stepdad want to get use of it again. At first it wouldn't start at all and that was because it had a dead battery. He'es bought a new battery and then it wouldn't turn over. I said to him it's probably the carbs where it's been sat for a long time. So today we took the tank off and had a look around. He thought the carbs weren't perhaps getting fuel but turns out they were, no problem. The petcock thingy - he blew down the tube and if you have the arrow so it's slighty off central facing downwards (Like south west position) then the air goes all the way through, but in other positions you couldn't hear the air getting through, so we left it in the south-west position, put it all back together and tank on and it started up but the choke fully all the way on and lots of revs. We got it idling without the use for throttle but with the choke fully on still but it was only at just over 1k revs which didn't seem right to me.

As soon as you start to close the choke off it just cuts out. Tried it again afterward a few times and wouldn't even start again.

We called it a night and I said I'll see if I can find any help online, so if anyone has any advice that would be most appreciated

Actually remove the carbs, strip them and clean them properly. The jets will be blocked up after that amount of time.

as above you will need to remove the carbs and take the float bowls off the bottoms of them and strip and clean all the jets outs,if you and any helpers are unsure give me a shout im only in chatteris

Thanks guys. Was hoping we wouldn't have to do that, but I thought it would be them that are the problem. I'm sure my stepdad wont be best impressed with that as it took him ages to put it back together last night as he'd forgot with hose goes where lol!

P.S.

..bought a new battery and then it wouldn't turn over.

I meant would turn over but wouldn't fire hehe, was late when I typed it XD

it will definatly need the carbs cleaning out as the perol will of gone into a gel like state or even dried out and blocked the internal holes up in the jets

Thanks guys. Was hoping we wouldn't have to do that, but I thought it would be them that are the problem. I'm sure my stepdad wont be best impressed with that as it took him ages to put it back together last night as he'd forgot with hose goes where lol!

P.S.

..bought a new battery and then it wouldn't turn over.

I meant would turn over but wouldn't fire hehe, was late when I typed it XD

Either camera phone and take pictures before disassembling or sketch out where everything goes on a blank piece of paper.

Look at the positives of the situation. There's only 2 carbs. For the price, I would be inclined to just purchase a carb refurb kit, you don't know if any of the rubber o-rings or gaskets will have dried out and cracked. Plus it will mean you don't have to clean the jets out as you'll just be able to put new ones straight in.

Starting the bike after it being off for so long can be damaging to the rings and the top end as it dries out over time, I'd be making sure the valves are all the right clearance now as an old SV of mine was sat for 6 years and after a dry start and run, I could only deduce it came from the factory that way OR the valve clearances had gone out a fair bit!

But have the carbs sat in a bowl of petrol and carb cleaner for a day, then dry them out before you attempt to dismantle them as an old suzuki will be more than certainly rusted tight.