Cleaning Carb's, how long?

[Az]

I'm having a mechanic that my brother knows clean out my carbs and he's saying 3hours to take them off the bike (Bandit 600), take them apart, clean them and refit them at £25/hour.

Does that sound about right? I've never had carb's cleaned out before so unsure if he's trying to charge me more or if 3hours is about right.
Also is £25/hour reasonable considering i'm taking it to his house and he's doing it in his garden

Another question I had is, is it actually worth getting my carb's cleaned out...
I've owned the bike for a year and its idle isn't as smooth as it was a few months ago and the bike in general isn't as smooth but it's not being problamatic and runs good on the whole. I just felt like it may benefit from a carb clean as they probably haven't been cleaned out in years.

[c_dug]

Sounds more like a balancing issue than a cleaning issue.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Bezzer]

If it's used fairly regularly and running O.K. generally then don't bother paying £75 to have them cleaned. Proper cleaning would mean using an ultrasonic bath to make sure all internal passages and drillings are clear has he got one in his back garden? Regular use keeps them clean.
Just freshen it up with a service, valve clearances, carb balance and new plugs and it should be as good as "new"
____________________
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[Copycat73]

I would try this first

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Choke-Carb-Cleaner-care-300ml/dp/B0032XHNTI

spray some down the fuel line after you drained wots already in the carbs: by runnin it till it stops: and leave it over night.
____________________
Whatever I post I have no citation and no intention of providing one..
caveat emptor

[Aff]

Do it yourself?

Even if it somehow takes you 7 hours you would still be paying yourself £10 an hour, which isn't bad for a learning experience.
____________________
Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[Robby]

Petrol cleans carbs. Using the bike regularly keeps them clean.

[smegballs]

I'd say it's usually a lack of use that gums up carbs, altho I have had float valve issues before after dropping a bike. My guess is that the shock scabs of rust from the inside of the tank that then gets stuck on the float valve seats.

My sisters zzr has a tendency to fill the carbs with water, over the space of about a year or so, so every spring it needs the float bowls draining but that is about it.

[Az]

Ahh, I didn't realise running your bike regularly/petrol cleaned the carb's.. that's very self effecient!

And what C_dug mentioned about the carb's being out of balance may be right. After some thread crawling, I think I may need a carb balance rather than a clean.

[stinkwheel]

By the time you've got at them to remove them then got the airbox rubbers back on again after, three hours seems reasonable.

£25/hour is very cheap for a motorcycle mechanic.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[chickenstrip]

[Casper]