Help! - Valve Adjustment Issue

[TheRoss]

I set out this morning to adjust the valves on my 2000 R1100RT. I have done the job a few times without any trouble, carefully following the instructions and working slowly. But I have hit a wall this morning. The feeler gauges simply will not slide in where they should be. I have backed the hex bolt (probably improper name for it) off as much as I feel like I should, about 2 full turns, but the feelers just will not go in. Any ideas? The motor is cold. It is at TDC. I am using the 15 in the back at the intake and the 30 at the exhaust. I actually tried to slip the 15 into the exhaust valve thinking that surely that one would go in. Nope!

The right side, untouched this morning:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3062/2955179190_abb52631a4_b.jpg

The left side.... you can see how far out the hex bolts are! What would happen if I just kept on backing the thing out? What could have caused the valves to be this tight? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3145/2955181310_1c57124046_b.jpg

[BubbaZanetti]

you're at the "OT" Mark on the flywheel and both sides are that tight??

[TheRoss]

Problem solved. I just turned the motor over again and the guages went right in. Weird.

[BubbaZanetti]

Problem solved. I just turned the motor over again and the guages went right in. Weird.

one side is "loose" at a time

[PGlaves]

Just to add some clarity. The two cylinders don't fire at the same time. One fires on one revolution and the other on the next. So, one cylinder is at top dead center following the compression stroke (both valves closed) while the other is at the top of the exhaust stroke (with overlap - both valves still slightly open).

So when at OT only one cylinder will have any gap between the rocker arms and the valve stems - the one at the top of the compression stroke. When set to OT one side and only one side will be loose and the other won't be at all. The problem sets in when the valves are so poorly adjusted or worn that both sides seem tight. Then you have to watch the valves move to determine which sid is supposed to be loose.

And, don't mess up because if you put the correct gap on the wrong side very weird things happen.

[TheRoss]

Thanks for the replies. Very elementary error, but I'm no professional wrench. Just a low-paid teacher working to keep the bikes on the road. And again this forum has helped me do it.