I think you know your stuff. I called APE today and your information is accurate. Thank you very much.

While I had my valve cover off and the rear cylinder at TDC, I stuck a feeler gauge under my cam lobes and checked the clearance. Honda recommends valve clearances be checked at 12,000 and I'm not quite there yet. But my valves were a about .003 too tight. Honda recommends not more than +/- .001, so, I'm going to take it to the only mechanic that I will let near my SH, Bart at Faster Motorsports in Denver. He really knows Super Hawks and I very highly recommend him. I'm just going to let him set the cct's as part of the valve adjustment. That way, I'll sleep better knowing it's right.
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Seriously.. i just burst out laughing in the cubicle farm at work. What a random thing to have happen, but thanks for making my day,

 

it's too tight. takes alot for the chains to jump. Best is to tune it with the engine warmed and running. I tuned it by ear. Just tight enough so the chain noise go away.

 

Whats the result if they are too tight? Can it cause any damage? I bon mean like torqued down Nm tight just not backed off that 1/4 turn.

I just installed mine and everything went fine but im not hearing anything on crank, no rattle no nothing. It turns over fine and runs smooth as.
Engine was semi warm when i installed as I ran the bike to a friends place to do the install job so was up to operating temp before I started.

 

If they are too tight then there'll be a squeal, if too loose there'll be a rattle.

Done about right it'll slightly rattle from cold but noise will go once warmed up.

Are you saying you tightened them up without backing them out 1/4 - 1/8?

Potentially damage will result to cams if done too tight. Did you remember to use thread lock to stop any oil leaks from the tensioner bolt and to doubly ensure the lock nut can't undo?

 

Cheers Wicky...
Yep, Install was done with lock-tight on everything.

I backed them out the 1/4 turn from my finger tight and locked everything up solid.. Was just waiting to hear some kind of mechanical change in note when started. Instead, nothing.. well actually a reduction in general engine noise but no squeal or rattle on initial crank. Just sat there idling like the beautiful beast she is..

I'll prob have to wait till everything is dead cold and listen then.

I just think its somewhat subjective for an engineering solution to specify 'finger tight' for anything.. I realise the actual pressure these are designed to provide is 'light' (another subjective quantity). There's just something about a torque wrench that gives assurances in these instances.

I must admit I did put a spanner on the nut after achieving 'finger tight' just to see how that 'felt' at then end of a mechanical advantage tool before backing out the 1/4.

 

Well, the engineering solution you speak of is to remove the valve covers and measure 1/4" of play in the chain between the cam sprockets.

FWIW mine have never rattled, and I'm on the loose end of that specification. They may be slightly tighter than a track mechanic would end up at, but I'm fairly confident they aren't causing damage.