Yes, if you don't have ample gas supply you multiply your symptoms with the "running out of gas" symptoms.

PUT SOME GAS IN YOUR GAS TANK

So far you have put on a fuel filter, put on Raptor petcock, cleaned the carb, replaced the needle seat.

Next, go to the bottom of the carb float bowl to the drain nipple and its controlling screw.   Put a piece of clear tubing on it and run the clear tubing up beside the carb body (use some tape to hold it steady in place) and do not cap it off.   Unscrew the controlling screw by the bowl nipple some and fuel should rise up in the clear tube to match exactly the fuel level that is inside the bowl.

Now you have a readily visible means of checking your fuel level in your float bowl.   If it rises above the bowl joint, you have a float needle seating issue.

When the bowl is first put back on empty, turn the petcock on and the fuel in the clear tube will quickly rise to the correct needle seating point.  Mark this on your carb.  

Then, if you have a slow leak, it will slowly rise more until it gets way up over the bowl/body junction.  The leak starts running gas to the airbox when it gets venturi high ....

The spring wire is intended to provide the positive RETRACTION of the needle away from the seat to make sure the fuel valve opens correctly each and every time when the float goes towards the "down" side of its life.

Will it work without it?   Yes, until the first time the needle sticks in the seat and doesn't follow the float tab on down .....



Actually, the words we get back from the poster about what they actually did reflect their understanding of what's going on and what our words meant to them.

Lots of times I suspect they don't even read all the way through the links we provide and they either do not do the tests correctly or misunderstand what we are suggesting that they do.

When one gets stuck, I go back up and read the entire thread and note the places there was not response to a suggested step or test -- to your point it isn't logical that he has done all that he has done and still has the problem.

Okay. Cleaned the needle. Filled the tank with 100% pure gas.
*Controversial move* Put 1oz of Seafoam in the gas.

Started up well and I let it run for a really long time on idle. It did not die. After a while, I gave it some throttle. No leak. AWESOME.

Took it for a spin. Died. Pushed back to the garage.

Poked around and noticed the previous owner had jacked the idle settings and basically set it where gas was just pouring in (this is the idle screw that you have to remove the cap to adjust). Made some adjustments thanks to handy threads on this site.

Long story short, I am going easy and only riding it a couple miles at a time just to make sure any "gunk" is gone. I've gotten it up to 50mph with ease. Acceleration is fantastic. The bike doesn't die at all. It does occasionally make a pop when I turn it off. I think that means it is a bit lean, right?

Also, the bike has a Jardine exhaust and it looked like the carb was totally stock in terms of jets. Not really wanting to change them.

Thanks for such an amazing site. The info here is incredible.