Valve clearance check on shim-under-bucket bikes, any shortcuts?

[austerebro]

I usually wouldn’t rely only on mileage for shim-under-bucket setups. Checking clearances cold at regular intervals and keeping a record of each valve makes it much easier to spot a trend before it becomes a problem. I’d also stick with the proper cam-holding/timing procedure rather than taking shortcuts, especially if the engine is interference-type.