Would cleaning the carbs be a good place to start?
No. First thing, check that all your head pipes are getting hot. If so...
Then, do a complete and thorough tuneup that it's supposed to get every 3000 miles or 3 months anyway.
A compression test will give you knowledge about the cylinder mechanicals. You can rebuild the carbs several times and it won't help a dodgy cylinder.
Do learn to read spark plugs. Important clues can be found on them.
http://www.dansmc.com/Spark_Plugs/Spark_Plugs_catalog.htmlCount the number of teeth on your front and rear sprocket S/B 17/37. Do you have standard size diameter tires? 19 F, 18 R
If you just got the bike, check the tank for rust. Drain and catch each carb's contents from the bottom drain screw. Try to measure the volume and note anything found in there besides gas. If you found crud in there, find out where, will clean carbs won't remain clean with a dirty supply.
By this point, carbs might need to be rebuilt if your issues aren't addressed.
Cheers,