In this one I’m in the top end of my Kawasaki W800/W650 for a proper valve clearance check and adjustment using the shim-and-bucket setup. When I measured everything, 6 out of 8 valves were out of spec—so it wasn’t a “maybe later” kind of job. I walk through the basic flow: getting access, checking clearances, and then correcting them by swapping shims so the clearances land where they should. If you’ve never done shim-and-bucket before, the big takeaway is you’re not turning adjuster screws—you’re measuring carefully, doing the math, and choosing the right shim to bring things back into range. Since I was already in there, I also dealt with a valve cover oil leak, swapped in fresh spark plugs, and gave the valve cover a clean and polish so it doesn’t look like it’s been living under a workbench. This is the kind of routine maintenance that keeps these bikes running crisp and reliable, and it’s a good reminder that “it runs fine” doesn’t always mean the clearances are actually fine. If you’re riding a W650/W800 and you’re chasing smoothness, starting, or just long-term health, this is one of those hands-on jobs that pays you back.