:icon_confused:any tips or concerns that i should be aware of as i remove a cylinder head/cylinders from bike? is it possible to raise the cylinders just enough to get piston pin out (so i don't have to mess with piston rings?) i am only interested in the valves in the head, or am i just creating more problems than its worth?

they don't you take the head on the cyls?

After you remove the valve cover, exhaust, cam chain, cams and shims loosen the bolts for the cylinders and remove the tensioner for the cam chain.

Then tap front, back and sides of cylinders with a rubber mallet. Then slide a long screw-driver or pry-bar under the cylinders (careful not to break a fin) and pry up. Start in the front, then back, then left, then right. Once you pop it loose rotate the motor via the rear wheel (or crank shaft if the motor is out of the bike) and the cylinder should move up and down with the pistons. Block the cylinder with a couple pieces of 1-2 inch pieces of wood (or a hammer hande or something) and rotate the motor so the pistons come back down...

This should give you enough clearance to reach the outside clamp on both pistons. The only problem with this is accessing the inside of the pistons to push the rod out... that, and if you wanted to push the rod to the center you'd have to remove the center rings as well which would be damn hard.

Dan