trouble running

[96 virago]

I have a 96 virago 750.  The bike wouldn't start after winter in the shed so I bought a new battery and I cleaned the carbs.  Now that the carbs are clean the bike starts but won't stay idling.  If I keep the bike on choke it will idle until riding then it stops.  I changed the spark plugs one was fouled with black stuff.  Now there are two new spark plugs, two clean carbs and a new battery.  What do I do next so then it could be riden so I could sell it??

[yamaguzzi]

the pilot circuit which controls the idle circuit is located between the carb body and the cylinder..it may be covered by a soft metal plug....beneath the plug is the pilot air screw a spring a washer and an o-ring..this is set at 2 and 1/2 turns out from soft seat..then start,,and adjustout till it starts to miss then turn it back in 1/2 turn...the sooty plugs mean its running a little rich...better rich than too lean as a too lean setting can lead to a hole in the piston..check your idle thumbscrew..note there is a separate adjusting screw with a locknut on the left side carb too,that may need a slight tweeking...take care good luck yg

[535rider]

Since you have to choke it to get enough gas in to run, odds are when you cleaned the carbs you didn't get right into the smallest parts of the needle valves. Check a microfiche diagram or consult someone familiar with carbs and be sure you got it all. there is likely a smaller peice, behind a peice that got missed.