i drained the tank yesturday and removed the fuel guage for inspection...all looked bright and shiney,i dont think the fuel filter will be blocked its just that its been on there since the bike was new,14yrs old now with nearly 40,000 miles on the clock so must be due renewal.....agree with you on the pump...think i need to do one thing at a time now to pin point the problem,90% sure its a fuel problem......thanks for your comments,most helpful