so a few months back my 76 750f was hit by a dummy. i warngled with the insurance for about 6 months and the bike just sat there.
What was the extent of the damage to your bike, specifically the engine/cases. Did it lay in a ditch while you were in the hospital?
I've picked up a bike that got knocked over and lay there for an hour and it was a real #$%* to get started even though there was no damage. Also had a bike sit for nine months and it would not do anything but shoot booming clouds of smoke until I thoroughly cleaned the guts of each carb.
Install new plugs. Check that you are getting spark to each. If not then I'd check for damage to the points plate or timing shaft, coil damage or disconnected wires(hard to guess what may have been damaged so let us know). Remove the airbox and spray carb cleaner directly into air intake of each carb then try to start the bike. If it runs good for 2-3 seconds then I'd pull the carbs and clean'em and check float heights.Fuel, air, and spark in the right amounts and at the right time. Check'em all. Hopefully it's one, or a combination, that needs attention and not something serious requiring an engine teardown.
a friend suggested the backfiring meant that an exhaust valve was sticking open
Bad timing, fouled/improperly set carbs, rats in the airbox are but a few causes of backfiring.
strange "woomp" noise from one of the cylinders as she tried to start,
Alright now, which is it, a "woomp" or a "womp"? Makes all the difference ya know
Seriously though, could be compression escaping or it could be just the sound of a non-firing cylinder going up and down and you never heard it before 'cause the bike usually started right up.
