[jakeadake]

I am a new owner of a 2001 XR50. Not my first bike, have owned several XR70's, CT70's, etc in the past. When I got this bike it had little compression by feel of the kickstart. I took the flywheel cover off and turned the flywheel over by hand and sure enough very little resistance. I checked the valves and found the intake valve tight with no clearance. I loosened it up to .002 on compression (T mark on flywheel lined with case and notch on cam sprocket lined with head). Now it had compression. I then checked exhaust and it was within spec, so I buttoned it all up. Before it would run with no engine noise. Now it ticks/taps at idle and low rpms pretty loudly. If I give it 1/4 throttle and hold it, it goes away but returns when dropped back to idle. I double checked the valves today when the motor was stone cold and they are both within spec @ .002. The motor has plenty of power, but does smoke. Why would it tick like this after loosening the previously closed intake valve-could the intake valve be worn?