Top End due to oil usage.

[BruKen]

And you've ended up with a bike with waaaay more character than most modern ones........

HEAR! HEAR!

[Sparky]

Well spring is here and I thought I would do a final follow up post.

Since all the work over the winter I have put 1200 miles on the Steamer so I decided to check the valve clearances and replace the thermostat and radiator cap since I had the tank off.  Five valves were slightly out of spec, some loose and some tight so I need to get some new shims as the ones in my pile are all too thin.  Compression now reads 155, 160 and 160 using the same technique and gauge I used before disassembly. I also found one of the coils with the + and - backwards so we will see if that makes any difference.  The bike runs nice and smooth and seems quieter than before if a Steamer can be called quiet the biggest thing I noticed is the vibration or rumble when rolling on the throttle below about 2000rpm seems less pronounced and goes away quicker and at a lower rpm.  Oil level dropped a little over the first 300 miles and hasn't changed since, no smoke on start up or during deceleration and the end of the exhaust pipes stay cleaner.  Overall I'm pleased with the results and hope to get some trouble free years from the bike now I have gone through it front to back. 

I got the chance to ride a new Africa Twin DCT a few months ago good job I had already spent a few bucks and was finishing up the Steamer or it might have been replaced