in one of the jetting articles floating around, i believe it says if you go too big on the carb, it will always run lean, no matter how big of jets you put in it, because of the loss of air velocity
You're exactly right AWK. All of these big carbs are robbing their owners of low end to mid throttle response. If you're only running in drag races, then that's OK. But put really simply, if you go bigger on the carb throat, you'll decrease velocity at the jets, not just the main, all of them.
Do a little experiment;
Purse your lips like you're going to whistle, but suck in through them instead. Then widen your lips a little as you inhale. When the hole is small, you can feel the vacuum pulling on your lips exactly as the air pulls fuel from your jets, as you increase the diameter of the opening, you'll lose that pull on your lips. This is the venturi principle that all carbs are based on.
When your opening is larger you'll have a lower velocity and you'll need a bigger jet (pilot/mid/main - all of them). At some point, you'll only have a good vacuum at WOT and very little vacuum at the low end. But all along, you'll be making a trade-off, giving up bottom end in favor of high end air/fuel flow through the engine.
Richening the pilot and needle clip position will provide more fuel but it is dribbling fuel and not mixing well. So at some point, you will be running LEAN in the low to mid ranges no matter what you do b/c the fuel is not atomizing well. Not only that but, you'll be forced to use only the top end of your throttle range. Very little throttle range = very little control.
Now if you've done some engine work and your air flow is a lot higher, then going up a little (28mm-30mm) is probably a good thing. But you will always be making a trade-off to some degree.
Hope this helps a few people understand their jetting a little better I:I
(see the "But" to Surfrjag regarding plug chops two posts down)