Okay, I just want to make sure I have all of the easy stuff done.
I got it to start once - it seemed to idle okay, so I decided to take it to the gas station four blocks away for a full tank of gas. As soon as I rolled in, the bike died. I filled up the tank and added half a can of Seafoam, but then the bike wouldn't start back up. I flooded it trying to start it normally, then finally ended up push starting it, and after a few tries I got it running, but I had to keep it above 3000 RPM or it would die. The ride home was a steady 25mph zone, and the bike was constantly surging - it seemed like one or two cylinders didn't want to fire consistently. After I nursed it home, I changed the oil and filter and ran out and grabbed some new plugs and got those installed, but it seems that the bike flood pretty easily - 5-10 seconds of cranking will leave me with gas dripping out of the overflow tubes.
I discovered that pulling the carbs off of an I-4 bike is a PITA and I'd like to avoid it if at all possible. What's the best way to attempt to start the bike without flooding it? What's the best way to clear a flooded bike? What can I do to help it run better besides an oil change, fresh gas w/ Seafoam, and new plugs?