Okay, super happy that my carb cleaning efforts over the winter went great!  I just put it back on after the weather warmed up, a little fresh gas, and it's running great!  At least as far as idling, and with the choke in/out, and various speeds while stationary.  Have yet to get it on the road.  Oil/filter was changed as well now that it runs properly.

Next up, another question for the experts--

The front forks seem way too soft, I suspect water has entered and contaminated the fluid, or the level is now off, or the insides are toast (one of the dust cover seals has rust) but the stanchions are very clean.

Anyway, to remove the front fork tubes, Clymers says the handlebars must come off, is that true?  It seems like I can just jack up the front, remove wheel/caliper/fender, and the tubes should just slide down after loosening the appropriate bolts.  Is there anything else to it?  I was planning on just emptying and filling the tubes with the correct amount of fluid.  If they need to be rebuilt, well that may be beyond me but first steps first.

Thanks for the help again!

I double checked the tech section.  It appears I can remove the tubes without removing handlebars.  The bike sat outside, so rust is literally eating the dust cover, likely the circlip(?) underneath.  Will I need to disassemble to replace the dust seals?

One other thing.  I have been reading about the special tool required to disassemble and loosen the allen on the bottom.  I don’t understand the trick in the clymers--that bolt can be loosened before the top cap is removed?  It only needs to be loosened if rebuilding correct?  Not just adding oil?

Pro tip: crack the top cap a 1/2 turn before you loosen the lower triple clamp pinch bolt.