ive just been checking my valve clearances and on number 1 and number 4 cylinders i couldn't even fit the smallest guage that i had in (0.038mm) and on the other two cylinders the biggest guage i could fit in was 0.7mm on the inlet side off the engine. the outlet was also below the specs given 0.20mm being the biggest i could fit in. could this be the previous owner not setting them up correctly or is there another issue. any help would be appreciated.

What's the mileage on the engine? It's possible they've never been done.

Are you absolutely sure you have the engine set up properly to read each clearance? (TDC on compression stroke)

If so then you've got some well out of whack clearances and need to get them within spec. If the clearances are that shit then I'm surprised you haven't had a bent valve or something.

the mileage is around 27000 km, iam confident i had the cylinder at tdc as i checked it more than once for all four cylinders and was following a haynes manual

Then it probably hasn't been done before, just get the clearances set up right before you ride it again

is the best way to order the correct shims i need to measure the exsiting ones and take off the middle value of the spec given, have you got any ideas on why i cannot fit the guage in some of the valves

Try lifting the rocker arm with your finger, I had to with a couple of mine. Couldn't fit my feeler gauge in without doing so.

are the guages slid in between the shim and the rocker arm or the arm and the cam as i was trying to slid them in between the arm and the cam

Shim and the rocker arm.

I feel a realisation of stupidity coming on here

thanks for the help ill go have a quick look