Sounds like poor assembly from the factory. Inspect the valve spring retainer keepers to make sure that they are fitting into the valve grooves. If the fit up is good, compress the spring, pop the retainers and keepers back in, and see what you've got.

Guys, I am really terrible with this forum. I don't get notifications. Anyway, I put another new head on the Hawk. I changed the oil again and it had a lot of fine metal flakes in it. The first time I changed it, I saw some larger metal pieces..1/8th inch square flakes. Last week I took it very easy on the bike and ran a few miles then let it cool. I repeated until I had a hundred miles on it. I started to feel good. Over the weekend I did a hundred mile trip and it ran great.

I am not sure what the problem was...fingers crossed. Could metal flakes/ crap in the oil bind the valves open??

Yes

I had tried to post some pics a couple weeks ago, but for some reason they didn't go up. Also, I bought a Hawk DLX from a local guy who did all the upgrades. I have put 700 miles on it.

Once I removed the head, the valve was bent. I'm guessing the retainer came off first.

Small world, eh Jerry? :D Fingers crossed that the DLX continues to be trouble free!


g.

I just sold the DLX with 1300 miles on it. I put both up and the DLX sold first. Now I'm debating on selling the RPS to upgrade or just running it for the summer.

Sorry to hear that you sold it! It was a fun bike. I'm loving the Himalayan.


g.