Sorry about the ADHD nature of this post, I'm exhausted and probably rambling too much info.  I have two questions posted toward the end of the post.  Thanks in advance for any help.  I have a bone stock 2002 with a K&N air filter.  I've already read the carb tuning info.  The reason I'm reluctantly messing with the carb is because it was so gunked up with corrosion and gunk from sitting for so long that the bike would not run.  I replaced the float needle cleaned all the passages and replaced all the jets with new except the larger air jet on top.  I have gone up one step on the main (147.5), .066" Ace shim on the needle and one step up on the pilot jet(55).  I chose these jets because when I rode the bike home a year and a half ago it felt/sounded a bit lean on idle and full throttle.  In hindsight it may have just been gunked up then too.
I was trying to tune the idle and am not real sure I've got this right.  I went back and forth with the idle adjustment screw and idle jet screw.  In order to get what I arrived at as the best idle with this setup, I'm about 1.25-1.5 turns out on the idle jet and I have about 3-3.5 threads exposed on idle screw (side of the screw that acts as the stop for throttle).  My highly calibrated ear says I'm idling at 1000-1100 rpm

I feel like I may need to go back to stock (52.5 pilot jet).  If I turn in the idle adjust screw much more (raising the rpm to 1500-1600ish) I can close the the idle jet screw completely with no effect.  Also not sure if it's related but full choke just kills the engine.

I've tuned carbs in other bikes so at least I have an idea of what I am doing.  I think I'm going to put the pilot jet and main back at stock sizes. Get the idle set up and then worry about tweaking mid to full throttle.  My objective in tuning is to maximize fuel economy and get it tuned right so I don't end up with a blue pipe.  Does anyone have any suggestions from experience getting the idle right with the above objectives in mind?

This bike has 8700 miles and to my surprise the chrome only had a little yellowing to it near the cylinder head when I got it.  I did go 70-75mph for about 20 min on the expressway on the way home and I swear the pipe has more yellow on it from the ride home.  I don't think the original owner ever rode it on the expressway.  I get the feeling the pipe won't stay pretty if I ride it much at high speed.  Am I correct in thinking this?

As long as your not using a k&n cone filter, Try a 52.5 and a 150, youll be goldent at about 2.5 turns out.
If you using a cone filter then a 55 and a 150 should be good.

My stock '09, except for the K&N cone filter & the dyna muffler is running a 52.5 pilot jet, with the screw @ 2.5 turns out, and a 152.5 main and the needle with the 3 washers (2.5-3mm total...about 0.1") in place of the white spacer.  
If you are stock except for a K&N I think you should be good with a 52.5/150.
You could reduce the needle space by 1 washer, or 1mm, to a total of 1.5-2mm.
It's just a starting point for you.
Machines are a little different and you need to tune it to what IT needs.
However, the steps to get there are still the same.

You have a tach ?  
Yes, hook it up and use it.
Set the idle at 1100 and then adjust the pilot screw.
Then, after you are satisfied that it is correct reset the idle screw.
BE SURE  that you have ridden it for several miles before starting any of this so it will be completely warmed up.

Quimrider wrote on 05/06/15 at 17:56:36:

I have a bone stock 2002 with a K&N air filter.

Then it's not bone stock, is it.

Quimrider wrote on 05/06/15 at 17:56:36:

I chose these jets because when I rode the bike home a year and a half ago it felt/sounded a bit lean on idle and full throttle.  

What does a lean idle sound like? For the life of me I can't figure this one out.

Quimrider wrote on 05/06/15 at 17:56:36:

Does anyone have any suggestions from experience getting the idle right with the above objectives in mind?

Good suggestions above regarding stock pilot and 150 main.

Here's the problem, you've messed with too many things at once to know the outcome of any single change. Carb tuning is done via incremental changes, not wholesale change. But before we fix that, did you do the simple things first...

1. Start with fresh fuel.
2. Check the fuel line for any restrictions
3. Check for any air/vacuum leaks in the front boot
4. Is your fuel shutoff valve leaking?
5. Is the air filter clean and installed properly?
6. What is the condition of the spark plug?

My suggestion, go back to stock and change one thing at a time. The needle height has overlap with both the pilot and the main. We ride the needle, the main is used at mostly WOT. The way to determine if the pilot is lean is to conduct a few stationary throttle roll-ons. If the engine seems to gasp for air before you get an increase in rpm, then you're lean. A tach will be VERY helpful, but not for the reasons you think. If you get your idle below 1,000 rpm your engine will not have adequate oil pressure. I set my idle at 1,200 rpm.

Let us know how you make out.

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 05/07/15 at 05:24:30:


It does have some effect, as it allows more (too much) fuel to flow when you are at idle, when you close the throttle and are slowing down or coasting down a hill, and when you close the throttle between shifts.

While I have not experienced this personally - we have had several forum members report how much their mpg dropped noticeably when they installed a "too big" pilot jet.  Some have installed the larger pilot jet in an attempt to tame the noise out the muffler when the throttle is closed....and then noticed the drop in mpg after the change.

Thank you all for the suggestions!

Quimrider wrote on 05/06/15 at 17:56:36:

I have a bone stock 2002 with a K&N air filter.

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 05/07/15 at 05:19:52:

Then it's not bone stock, is it.

 
I would still consider it stock.  A drop in aftermarket air filter doesn't constitute a mod to me.  Apparently we have a difference of opinion here.

Quimrider wrote on 05/06/15 at 17:56:36:

I chose these jets because when I rode the bike home a year and a half ago it felt/sounded a bit lean on idle and full throttle.  

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 05/07/15 at 05:19:52:

What does a lean idle sound like? For the life of me I can't figure this one out.

Ok reading what I wrote doesn't make sense to me either. What I meant was that I had to use almost the full idle adjustment to get it to idle properly.  In hindsight the idle circuit was probably mostly plugged.  I also forgot to mention that the choke didn't function as I would expect it to. ie. full choke idle speed decreases compared to part choke.  I'd expect full choke to cause the idle to go up 2-3k rpm.  Maybe that's not how the choke works on this bike?

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 05/07/15 at 05:19:52:

Here's the problem, you've messed with too many things at once to know the outcome of any single change. Carb tuning is done via incremental changes, not wholesale change.

I'm well aware of that.  Unfortunately I went from a bad running carb that was then parked for a year and a half to a now non-running carb.  The original jets were corroded beyond belief.  After thoroughly cleaning the carb and replacing the rotten bits and jets.  I don't have the luxury of starting with changing one thing at a time unless you were referring to the arbitrary starting point I chose.  With the pure stab in the dark I took it actually runs really well.  I wanted to start on the slightly rich side and lean it out until it is just right.  At the moment I am only concerned with getting the idle right, since that's the hard part.  If this is like any of the other bikes I've had to do carb work on, getting the needle shim and main jet tuned should be a piece of cake.

Currently I'm waiting on a new battery since jumpstarting it is getting old... I'm going to go back to stock 52.5 idle jet and see how that works.