74 850 very hard starting

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Just got a long put off '74 850 running. Don't know the bikes history or even if it was newly rebuilt and not run in. That info is not available. It is pretty hard to kick over though. Once running it idles ok on a single Mikuni with lever down when cold, then ok on lever up when warm. And it will start within a kick or two when warm. But starting from cold takes a long time with breathers in between. Used ether. Nothing at first, then, finally it goes. The first three starts were very normal. Used ether, but it settled into a nice idle, lever down, right away. Then last two cold starts seemed very hard starting with a run away at first. Had to shut it off with the key. After that it was warm and started in two kicks and was ok. I assume my use of ether was the culprit for the run aways which closing the throttle didn't stop. The issue is the hard starting, but decent idle and everything normal after that. Gel battery fully charged by the way.
 
Don't forget don't touch the throttle when you use the choke on a mikuni
 
For most of the (many) kicks throttle was closed. Want to add ignition is Boyer Mark III and, once running both exhausts seem equal1 . Also, can you flood it with the Mikuni, lever down after about five kicks? Tonight when I get home from work I'm going to check the plugs.
 
Okay, once I found out you can flood a Mikuni, it's been easy starting. One kick with the lever up, throttle open to clear it, then throttle closed, lever down and it starts on the next kick. There's a learning curve that's for sure.
 
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