71 triumph tiger won’t start

[Dirtbiscuit]

Hi there, I have a 71 tiger that has been sitting for many years, about 5, and is finally ready to be awaken. She’s wired right and has spark. Amal gets primed with fuel and I kick her over and nothing. After kicking for a while I check to see if I can smell gas on the plugs and I can’t. It seems like it isn’t sucking fuel into the combustion chamber. I sprayed starting fluid and it fired and reeeeeeeeved without me giving anything on the throttle. I immediately shut it off but that eliminated the electrical question. Do you guys have any ideas of what might be going on? Thank you for your time.

[WillSCB]

First thing that comes to my mind is was the fuel drained from the carb and tank or a GOOD fuel stabilizer used? Today's shitty ethanol fuel doesn't last even five months, let alone five years. Also, make sure you are getting fuel to the carb. Pull the fuel line and turn the petcock on with the line going to some kind of container. Also, if you have an in tank and external fuel filter, get rid of one of them.

[datadavid]

Plus dirt in the low speed jets.

[JBinNC]

Clean the carbs good. The horizontal passage to the low speed outlet is particularly problematic on concentrics. And that's where the fuel to start the motor comes from. Use spray carb cleaner to assure passages are open and WEAR GOOD EYE PROTECTION while doing it.

Jim

[TriNortchopz]

Which Amal carb is on it? Got a manual for that bike?
Here is some info that could help:

BUSHMAN'S CARB TUNING SECRETS

http://www.jba.bc.ca/Bushmans%20Carb%20Tuning.html

and
Tuning Your Carburetor
Amal —The Basics

https://www.princeton.edu/ssp/65-cub-data/library/amalbritbike.pdf

[farmall]

Sitting after what circumstance? Was it a good runner before parking? Was it parked in nice dry storage?

Clean carbs, if fuel tank is nasty I run 'em off a dummy tank (plastic riding mower tanks work well).

I check compression on long term sitters or any unknown machine. Unmeasured means unknown.

[Dirtbiscuit]

Thank you. I had cleaned the carb 5 years ago, ran the bike for a little, drained it and then it sat. So I’m going to clean it and see where that gets me.

[Tattooo]

Thank you. I had cleaned the carb 5 years ago,

LOL Well there's your problem right there...........