Motorcycle Repair: timing, cam lobes, punch mark

Question
i have an 81 750 shadow, i replaced the head gasket, i need help with retiming the cam.

Answer
Michael... is this a trick question? Honda didn't make any 750 Shadows in 1981.
Are you working on a V twin 750 or an inline 750 Nighthawk?

Basically you have to bring the piston on that cylinder up to the TDC (top dead center) mark and the cam lobes will either be up in a V or down in an upside down V. There should be marks on the camsprocket... either a punch mark that is placed at the 12 o'clock position or sometimes there are lines across the sprocket tha are lined up horizontally with the cylinder head surface. When the sprocket is set correctly install the camshaft bolts and the cam will be timed correctly.

Bill Silver