Picked up a new used bike.

This bike has been sitting a long time. Check that the carb rubbers are not cracked and that the clamps are snug so that you have no intake leaks. (Start the bike, and use an un-lit propane plumbers torch, valve open, put by each rubber; if the engine changes speed you have a leak.) If this doesn't help, your idle/slow speed issue is probably fuel varnish in the low speed and idle circuits. Try running a bottle of Techron fuel injector cleaner through the bike. Although the bottle recommends a bottle to a full auto tank, I have used a full bottle in my Thunderbird mixed in a tank of gas, just don't go full throttle as the octane goes to the grapper with this in the fuel. If this doesn't solve the problem, you will need to pull the carbs, remove the float bowls and diaphragms and clean the carb bodies with carb cleaner and compressed air. The filter checks are a good idea, one inline at entrance tee betweeen carbs and one in tank, though if plugged they usually lead to a lean bog on opening the throttle and not at idle or slow speed. As to the vacuum fuel valve, my Thunderbird and all that I have seen or worked on had manual valves.

PM me if you want to modify the airbox as I know how to do this effectively (cutting holes in it is a waste of time and costs you power) and pods cost you torque.

You will enjoy this bike as it sits, rides and handles well. Enjoy!
 
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