Valves or rings?

[Tommy Warren]

I finally got around to tearing down my 300 today. I get down to the piston and the top of it is covered in a thick black soot. also my valves are the same way they both just filthy. Its been blowing black smoke hard for almost a year and its finally gotten so bad it had no power. so what is it....my valves or rings? the rings look fine to me and there is no scoring or gouges on my cylinder walls. Its just nasty from the rings up. what do you think? Oh and its stock stock stock. accept for a uni filter.

[honda300EXtreme]

the fact that it is blowing black smoke means that it is running Rich. which could be the cause of the heavy build up of carbon on the piston head and valves. if it were me id throw a new set of rings in it clean up your piston and valves. and then adjust your fuel mixture