Need Zen for Motorcycle Maintenance

I have been trying to trouble shoot my own bike and I am in need of some zen. I thought after all how hard could it be, no computers and an engine that's a giant lawnmower motor. I have a fuel problem. I have been checking the fuel system one step at a time and taking the bike apart as I go. Disconnect the fuel line into the pump (gas all over the place) so that's not the problem. Disconnected the out feed line and turn on the bike and it pumps. Put the line back on and it don't pump. Guess I will sleep on this one its a puzzle I do not understand.

This will be a post of ongoing notes. Maybe I will see the problem in the notes I have taken. Maybe some kind soul who knows more then I do will stop bye and tell me the solution.

Well the solution was fouled spark plugs. Of course to get to them I had to remove the seats, the gas tank, the purge tank, some covers and other things. According to my shop book the carb needed to come off but that was not necessary. It took much longer to get all of the parts off then it did to get them all back on and I had no left over parts. It has been a dandy day. Now the weather will get nasty and I still won't be able to ride. Ain't life grand sometimes?

I now know more about my bike and won't be spending the ridiculous prices the shops have been hitting me with to tune and change the oil every year. Life is sometimes a wonderful teacher and necessity is a great helper.

Finally got a chance to go out and test the job I did on the bike. It runs better now then any time I ever took it in to the shop. I am not sure what I may have done different but you can be sure I will be doing this work myself from now on. I will also be looking for a copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance. I spoke with someone who knew the author and now that I know the point of the book I really must read it.