8000 Mile Valve Adjustment requirement

[Ulvetanna_imp]

That's right — what's the old saying Ulvetanna? A tappy valve is a happy valve (or something to that effect).

Yep, I haven't heard that saying but it's a good one. If you can hear some tapping, at least you know they're not tight.

[736cc_imp]

My bro raced an FZ750 for several seasons at London, Pocono, and even Daytona. Flat-out wfo of course. He checked the valves and they were 100% in spec every time. He also worked as a Honda mechanic and advises to not worry..
Clean oil and avoid over-revving w/ a CB1100 will be all the CB1100 will ever need. There’s no way anybody can be more precise than the factory Japanese mechanic that built your motor.
There’s also the risk of disturbing a perfectly aligned cam, gasket, o-ring, shim, or drop a metal shaving, dirt, or screw something up by taking the motor or putting it back together wrong. Or waste $800(!) for nothing.
Screw-type adjusters do require monitoring. My 1982 V45 Sabre had the NOTORIOUS forked adjust levers w/ screwed tappets (and a factory flaw w/ top end oil feed). It was a real PITA to get to the rear cylinders but I checked valves at 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 miles w/ nary an adjustment needed, the bike was never making funny tapping noises, so I skipped checking them until 55,000 miles. ALL 16 VALVES HAD ZERO CLEARANCE AND THE CAM LOBES ALL HAD MAJOR GROOVES FROM THE ADJUSTERS! Another buddy had same bike, same exact issue and his bike also ran ok.
Bike ran fine, smooth as ever.

[Guth_imp]

Like I was saying, the quieter the valvetrain is (i.e. the valves in particular), the more concerned I'd be.

But I get it guys. Obviously everyone is free to do as they please (as well they should) It's no skin off of my back nor is it any money out of my pocket — if you're paying someone else to do things like check your valves then those costs are going to add up quickly. Ultimately everyone has to decide what is best for themselves when it comes to dealing with this sort of thing whether they are doing it on their own or paying someone else.

[Ulvetanna_imp]

My bro raced an FZ750 for several seasons at London, Pocono, and even Daytona. Flat-out wfo of course. He checked the valves and they were 100% in spec every time. He also worked as a Honda mechanic and advises to not worry..
Clean oil and avoid over-revving w/ a CB1100 will be all the CB1100 will ever need. There’s no way anybody can be more precise than the factory Japanese mechanic that built your motor.
There’s also the risk of disturbing a perfectly aligned cam, gasket, o-ring, shim, or drop a metal shaving, dirt, or screw something up by taking the motor or putting it back together wrong. Or waste $800(!) for nothing.
Screw-type adjusters do require monitoring. My 1982 V45 Sabre had the NOTORIOUS forked adjust levers w/ screwed tappets (and a factory flaw w/ top end oil feed). It was a real PITA to get to the rear cylinders but I checked valves at 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 miles w/ nary an adjustment needed, the bike was never making funny tapping noises, so I skipped checking them until 55,000 miles. ALL 16 VALVES HAD ZERO CLEARANCE AND THE CAM LOBES ALL HAD MAJOR GROOVES FROM THE ADJUSTERS! Another buddy had same bike, same exact issue and his bike also ran ok.
Bike ran fine, smooth as ever.

The early Honda V4s had some serious issues with cam lobes and many a cam was replaced, especially on the 1st generation Interceptors. It was actually a recall and Honda paid the costs.

Zero clearance, of course, is terrible and grooves aren't so good either.

Obviously a bike that seems to run fine may not be fine inside.

I've done the valves on every bike I've owned; some have well-designed valve gear and tend to stay in adjustment, others don't. The Suzuki air-oil cooled inline fours from the early Katana/GSXR family were very good about staying in spec. They used the forked followers, screw/locknut adjusters. Air-cooled BMWs, the same (airheads).

But I've seen too many example of valves that did go out considerably between inspections.

In the case of the CB1100, at least the 2013, in truth I wouldn't be at all concerned to go a little longer. But...if you check them, say, by 10,000 miles, and all is in perfect spec (or very close, and adjusted per the manual), you could probably run out to 20K miles before looking at them again.

[736cc_imp]

Doing a valve adjustment on my 1981 CBX 6 cylinder was as enjoyable as undressing a beautiful woman and looking at all the private parts up close while caressing it’s most delicate and beautiful orifices...a correctly tuned CBX idled at 500 rpm as quiet and smooth as a sewing machine in a padded room.

[Houtman_imp]

I have done the valves on my CBX's many times and also really enjoyed doing that.
It took some time but was quite easy with the right and cheap tools.
Fully agree with the smooth running of a well adjusted CBX !

[SCCBrider_imp]

There's a valve adjustment at 8000? Oh no...I'm late.

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Doing a valve adjustment on my 1981 CBX 6 cylinder was as enjoyable as undressing a beautiful woman and looking at all the private parts up close while caressing it’s most delicate and beautiful orifices...a correctly tuned CBX idled at 500 rpm as quiet and smooth as a sewing machine in a padded room.

Something is just not right here. Any woman I tried to tune up punched me in the nose. One even kicked me, and another gave me a kidney punch, took two weeks to heal. Really.

Oh, I got it! The bike doesn't hit back. BTW, neither do I.