Speed Twin 1200 Valve Clearance Check

It's always awkward on a video than real life but the noise sounded more camchain tensioner issue to me than valve clearances. It might be worth stripping that out whilst you are there and giving it a once over?

On your bullet point 2, I used to mess about/struggle with the petrol clips but then bought some 90 degree clip pliers. It really does make the whole thing easier and more controlled.

 

I had a noise similar to that but not quite as loud appear on my Street Scrambler. As you will know, the chain tensioner is a hydraulic/spring hybrid. I took the tensioner out and couldn't see anything amiss, put it all back together and the noise was gone. It's an easy item to check while you have the lid off.

I bought one of these for the fuel pipe connector, easy!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266464398259?hash=item3e0a840bb3:g:9zAAAOSwwoljZp8g&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAAwDoBV6AAhfzWAvYDxBE/hyCC+f29BR7J5qRWIDUJiV6akwmzLg9a78e9t03FdVQecIFUCRJ0WbjNVgvDNK0mgdQdZvKNTPCQSRx9aJcj3kdZfA4XyeD2gZVP52oAUKeXqQTNc1DH2nD5gQdVJ4PS8II1kWXAUJUfAwFGfpS+HBC47/J3yvyni0f6kWl/Wyy342ilKi8RDmCWLyEBm7DdMhVQXyJbt8UKiWx87vv74nQAqI63gh+HUPglquX8YkZFkA==|tkp:BlBMUObbjeuaYw

Compared to some sports bikes, these are a breeze to work on.

 

The tensioner needs to come out, strip, inspect, reset and refit.

DONT FORCE THE PLUNGER BACK IN.....
With a vice etc as you'll break it.

Theres probably a youtube vid but its quite easy and straightforward once you've done one, but fiddly.

On the petrol clips; I once bust one and Triumph wanted £80 for the bit of pipe with a clip on it, they don't sell the clips separate so be warned.

The clips are nothing special really and I bought x3 for £12, problem solved.

I have a pair of these pliers below, as well as the ones @Pegscraper listed, as with both the orientation of the pipe fitting can be tackled easily whether the clips are north/south or east/west

 

I thought I was the only one struggling to disconnect the fuel pipe from the tank so made a simple tool that works a treat. Those pliers look the business though.

 

I understand your concern, especially regarding the inlet clearances and how little “mileage” the bike’s done since new. But as long as there was some clearance on the inlets you’ve caught it in time. For comparison the old preunit motors with cams that didn’t have silencing ramps ran 2 thou inlet and 4 thou exhaust.
I’ve never worked on a Hinkley lump but looking at the photos it’s a dodle compared with the Desmodromic valve gear on my Ducati.

 

Switters: have your valve adjustments solved the problem??

 

No, shows how good the PDI was. When I did the Ducati for the first time I could have left them for another year at least considering how little mileage I do compared to others. But having taken the tank, seat, airbox, and rear shock off already I just got on with it.

 

I wouldn't really call adjusting valve clearances "an issue". With the exception of hydraulic setups, it"s just part of routine maintenance. I had a FZR1000 in 1991 with valve check intervals set at 28k miles but when I checked them at around 18k, there were at least 3 where the gap had closed almost completely, well ot of spec. The idle had got quite lumpy and after checking everything else decided to check valve clearances. Thankfully no damage was done and normality restored after re-shimming but it wasn"t easy to work on, surpassed in awkwardness only by my current ZZR. Loads of stuff to remove before you even get access to the valve cover, then you need hands like a baby to get in there with the guages.
Then it's cams out, buckets off and shim change. Oh joy.
The Triumph twin is a bicycle by comparison.

 

A friend had a Yamaha FZ750 which I took to the IOM. It would start from cold no issue but no chance when hot. Checked valve clearances, x5 per cylinder, x20 valve motor and they'd closed up enough for hot expansion to affect compression on cranking.

 

By “issue” do you mean with regard to the complexity of the operation?

 

Not the complexity, more the fact that they needed adjusting in the first place. In post 10 the OP referred to the tight clearances on 4 valves being an issue. Valve clearances change, that's why they're adjustable and re shimming them is just routine and no more an issue than changing plugs or balancing carbs/throttle bodies IMO.
I bought a 1198SP in 2011 but got rid of it long before the first service was due so never got to work on the Desmo valve gear.

 

Ah, I understand, the Desmo gear is bloody fiddly, as well as having a normal cup shim that sits on the head of the valve for opening the closing shim slides down the valve stem and is held in position by two semicircular wire collets that locate in a groove in the valve stem. Not only are they small, the valve stem is only 7mm dia, but there is a gaping oil return gallery beneath just waiting for you to drop one of these blighters down to the sump.

 

.....the stuff of nightmares!!

 

That suggests to me that the chain tensioner has now moved out one click and applied a bit more tension on the chain. My working knowledge of the tensioner is that it is spring assisted but uses oil pressure primarily with a ratchet type setup to hold tension when the engine isn't running. Whatever, it's sorted so good news!

 

Pegscraper:
Funny you should mention that bit on the cam chain tensioner; since I've put a few more miles on the bike (only total of 174, winter here, garage temp ~40F), the top end has gotten quiet; only hear the whir of the cam chain I think.

I mentioned in a previous post that when the engine was new, I thought the top end had a noisy clatter to it. Maybe the engine has run in (Titanic line) or the tensioner is working better or the oil is thicker due to the cold.

In addition, the throttle response seems a bit smoother along with clutch engagement in Road mode.