[bradblack]

you'd only need to rotate the engine if you still have the cam belts on, and you'd only have the cam belts still on when doing a clearance adjustment if you're absolutely nuts.

remove the belts at the start, turn the cams by hand.

it's not really that hard, conceptually it's more an issue for a lot of people because it's desmo and different and complicated and you have to be scared of it blah blah blah. depends on how you think about stuff. as eric says, once you've done it, it's very easy. i managed to learn it, so it can't be that hard.

having a heap of replacement shims on hand is the part that makes it easy or hard imo. if you have to stop to order shims it really drags the job out, and what you get is often not what you thought you needed.

looking at what chris900ssie wrote - use the piston to hold the valve up. simple.

 

[bradblack]

i fit the belts, then turn the engine over a heap of times to run the belts around and let them settle. then tension them. i usually use the back wheel with it in first gear, but you can also use an engine turning tool.