
Major update!
We pulled the fuel pump today, removed and replaced the fuel pressure regulator. Upon starting, it idled way smoother than it had been. Really really close to being normal. I took it for a spin and the throttle response was instant and the bike felt very smooth, like it should. I tried a few RPM ranges and couldn't get any surging to happen.
I left, Viper Dad took it for a test spin shortly after that and reported the same. Said the bike feels so much smoother than it has been. He was unable to produce any surging but wasn't willing to concede it's fixed until a trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway, which seemed to operate in the zone that causes trouble.
Short term outlook is very promising. That's the smoothest I've felt it run in a couple of years.
Fingers crossed!
I could have sworn someone on here mentioned the fuel regulator and even posted a link to what they looked like, as a generic photo. It was that post that made us look into that but I can't find it in this thread, so whoever said it, Thanks!