Wont start, please help.

[Blue98kat]

Last week before the godforsaken rain started that hasn't let up yet started my bike was running fine. Today I went to go for a short ride and it wouldn't start. Messed aroud with it for a minute and it finally started with the choke on but sounded funny and when I turned the choke off it died and haven't been able to start again. just replaced the plugs and still nothing. It sounds like it wants to start but won't and has somewhat backfired and blew out some smoke to. Its a 98 with 16000 miles and not ridden rough. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW hi i'm new here.
Josh

[Black_peter]

That all sounds like fouled plugs..
But now that I see the rain part..
It maybe a coil, electrical connection.

Check all the connections of the ignition system.
Especially the plug wires.

[Blue98kat]

That all sounds like fouled plugs..
But now that I see the rain part..
It maybe a coil, electrical connection.

Check all the connections of the ignition system.
Especially the plug wires.

The plugs are new. I just put them in last night after it ran, died, wouldn't restart. I checked the connections on the plug wires and the coil. All were ok. Still wouldn't start after the new plugs and connection checks.

[HS2020]

Does it turn over? Do all the lights come on and are they bright? Could be a bad battery. I would check the battery connections too. Check fuses to make sure they are all good.

[Blue98kat]

Does it turn over? Do all the lights come on and are they bright? Could be a bad battery. I would check the battery connections too. Check fuses to make sure they are all good.

Yes, it turns over. The lights all come on. I think the battery is fine. It seems like it wants to start at times, then at other times it seems to crank faster than normal.