Valve Check/adjustment Nn01

I would get a service manual, so you see how hard/easy it is

 

Hi Katos and welcome to the best motorcycle forum on the 'net, you will have to tolerate the British sence of humour though.

If you're reasonably competent with the spanners checking the valve clearances shouldn't be a problem (although quite time consuming as a lot needs removing to get at them). At your mileage 9 times out of 10 you'll find them to be in tolerance and then just a matter of putting it all back together.
If they do need adjusting then it's camshafts out and new shims so that gets a bit more scarey. If you're confident keep going, otherwise may be see if your dealer will collect the bike, do the shims and return, as said most of the time (cost) is removing the other items to gain access and then replacing it all.

 

@Katos valve clearances should be checked every 12k miles, so you need to check the bike service history, it may have been done recently.

 

@Katos, where you live are there any 'mobile mechanics'?

If so, and you're paying someone by the hour, you can quite easily take off what you need to get to check the clearances. And then possibly more if they need adjusting.

The point being you do not need to pay an hourly rate to do the long (easy) work to expose what you need. You could just get the professional to do the actual adjustments....

I did this, and the mechanic did feel bad leaving me with what seemed a bike in bits...but the strip down and rebuild where quite easy....but I really valued and was happy to pay for his input for the actual adjustments

Maybe as a compromise on price for you, this way?

Good luck!

 

If all that has been performed on your vehicle since new after 15k miles is oil/filter changes.Then the answer is YES....Take it to a proper shop and get it the service it needs.

 

I just finished a clearance check on my 865 tonight. Not a triple I know, but same concept. This can be done DIY. You will have to know your bike's specific exhaust\intake in-spec tolerances. Invest in a 32+ blade, dual read inch\mm feeler gauge with long (3-4") blades. Mentally go into it with an attitude of you are just checking clearance, don't freak out about adjustments quite yet. Record each result as a baseline.

At 13100mi on the clock mine came out within spec except for Exhaust-3 which was .31mm where spec is .30mm. Technically, I should change that shim, however I chose to leave it as-is micro-loose for a baseline and see what happens at the next check interval. Exhaust side should tighten over use due to extreme heat cycles, so I felt lil' loose helps me there and I will have something to compare against. Who is to say that the factory had it set there at .31mm. I would not adjust unless your clearances run tight or are overly loose by +.03-.05 (or higher) over spec assuming no operating problems.

The check cost me $50 all-in for new cam cover gaskets, seals and a feeler. Dealer service would have run me $400-500 with parts and area labor rates. Shim adjustments only add more. That gets expensive quick every 12K mile if you are an avid rider.

 

on of my mates has a Tiger Sport 1050 on 22,000 miles and never had them done, still running great.
I personally wouldn’t do that and had mine checked at 12,000 miles and didn’t need adjusting.