Engine inspection

Hello all and Happy New Year.
I need to inspect my engine on swing and am curious about how difficult and how much do I remove just to get a good look at engine. Still chasing a oil leak. too damm old to look underneath.
any thoughts from the gurus.

Happy New Year. An easy way of looking underneath the Silver Wing for leaks is placing a cheapo mirror tile on the floor under the engine, and shining an inspection lamp or LED torch up around where you want to look at. I've got a long plastic IKEA mirror tile I use and it works great still with it's protective wrapper on.

Hey Lugwrench, at your advanced age you need a Harbor Freight bike lift. I got one several year ago. It's been a great boon to this old geezer, I've had several Goldwings up on it, as well as my K1100LTs and the Silver Wing, C650GT, Burgman and a scattering of Chinese scooters. No more difficulties getting down on the floor to adjust things and change oil. Even makes checking pressure in the rear tire on the Silverwing easy.

One hint for that rear tire pressure checking. Get a pair of hex type tire valve caps, and then a socket with an extension that will fit them. That will make getting that cap on and off the valve stem with ease. Use a Truck type valve adapter on you air source and you're all set to make that job a snap.

https://www.amazon.com/Valve-Loc-Universal-Motorcycles-Heavy-Duty-Light-Weight/dp/B07KN542B2?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffnt-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B07KN542B2

https://www.amazon.com/CZC-AUTO-Inflatable-Compatible-Accessories/dp/B07QNNDBLQ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=22FSELKKX4LR2&keywords=tire+inflator+extension&qid=1577941262&s=automotive&sprefix=tir+inflator+e%2Cautomotive%2C240&sr=1-3

maybe my blog post can be of assistance to give you an idea where is what.
https://hosiwi.blogspot.com/2019/11/honda-swt-400-propulsion-unit-and-naked.html

I felt a little embarrassed looking at some of those pictures that verged on racy.

mirror mirror on the floor
lets you see
a whole lot more.

And a mirror on a stick will certainly do the trick.

Mirror on the celling lets you see a whole lot more just depends on your position. What were we talking about?

How do you inspect an engine with a mirror on the floor? the only thing you might see is some oil.
Remove the service flap and take out the spark plugs, take off the transmission cover so you can rotate the driving pulley and put a camera down the cylinder.
One of the first things I did, but forgot to rotate the pistons so I could have a longer viewing area.
So I saw only to top of the pistons and not the cylinder side wall. (Next time)
https://hosiwi.blogspot.com/2019/11/honda-swt-400-personal-log.html#more

That's good Sepp but he is only looking for an external oil leak, if the source isn't EZ to spot by just looking without raising the bike mirrors make the job easier for sure.