Found this posting on the Silverwing forum at Yahoo.

"My Honda service manager also recommends making sure you have a good air filter, I guess to keep down grit that could mess up the valves? He said they don't recommend checking the valves anymore, kind of a waste of money...that you can tell if they need it by a drop in mpg and I forgot the other sign of it but it wasn't a rattle or sound.
Jules"


And another posting:
"The valve clearance is very small on a Silverwing, but, a larger clearance probably does no harm and doesn't make much more noise.I suspect this to be why some dealers are not pushing valve adjustment. On this bike it takes considerable time to get the body work off and the valves checked. Then if they do need adjustment, you need to get the proper size valve shim.Then if the dealer is out of that size, your SW will sit until they are ordered and received, taking several days. I have been a mechanic of one sort or another for many years. One thing I have learned changing your oil is the most important thing you can do to maximize engine life. A no brainer, sure. Some people still don't get it, and if that person is you, checking your valves is very important, don't put it off. Like I said yesterday you won't know they are OK unless you check, just because a few people here haven't had problems, doesn't mean you won't. Don't wait until the problem is obvious and has caused some damage. A worn valve train reflects on the condition of the entire engine. Along with tests such as a cylinder compression test , you can minimize the cost of expensive engine work, by monitoring the available clues."

Any comments?

Another good point that I read on Silverwing Yahoo:
The OP states that if you have the technical skill to change your own oil and filter, you have the skill to at least check valve clearance yourself. That way, if the shims do need changing out, then let the pro take out the cams, hopefully use the micrometer correctly, hopefully do the math competently to calculate the correct shim thickness, and hopefully reinstall everything to factory specs. How mant techs have actually done shim replacement on DOHC bucket and shim valvetrains? That's a question I can't answer.

Big Bird,

The down side of your suggestion is AFAIK you've got to tear down the entire rear bodywork and engine cover panel(s) in order to access the valve cover. Then, after you've confirmed you need to have some shims changed, you've got to reassemble everything and take it off to the dealer.

Oh...now I get it. If you check it and it's in spec then you've saved a bunch o' bucks. D'oh

I'll wait until I sell my swing first and let the next owner deal with it.