As to the carbon, my SYM dealer gave me a great method..
Go to Home Depot and buy a spray can of "lawnmower power" or something such, it is a green spray can with a straw. They carry it, I have bought it there.
Pull the spark plug. Spray this stuff in and let it sit for 15 minutes. They crank the engine a few times with the plug out. Use a paper towel or something over the hole, the stuff is going to SPRAY. Then replace the plug and crank it up. It melts and burns off all the carbon. When I did it to my SYM at about 5K miles I could feel the difference immediately.