Turning motor over by hand

[Rover]

When you turn a motor over by hand(19 mm socket wrench,gs 1000 chain)
can you go both clockwise AND counterclockwise if necessary?
The motor is hanging up,I want to oil it through the spark plugs and work it back and forth.

[Wallowgreen]

I'd always worked on the assumption that counter clockwise was a bad thing to do BUT I recently did a cam chain tensioner rebuild on a '82 550 and the manual described a functional test for the tensioner that called for turning the motor counter clockwise. Seems it does little harm in small amounts. Back and forth should be ok judging by that but I'd still be hesitant to turn it an awful lot the wrong way though.

Not trying to encourage you one way or the other, just thought you might find the information useful.

[rapidray]

Yes, you can turn them backwards. Ray.

[1980GS1000E]

I wouldn't do that. The starter clutch is the reason.