Seafoam is my friend.

So it appears the problem with my bike was bad gas. I guess the gas station I went to was the equivalent of the Euro Pizza Cafe, for bikes.

Anyways, I got a can of Seafoam, poured half in and rode about 120 miles. Filled up (at a DIFFERENT) gas station, put the rest of the seafoam in, and the VX is once more running strong like a warhorse eager to crush skulls.

I love cheap, easy fixes.