TOPIC:

In a rush to finish the job, I managed to drop a small M6 bolt into either, the cam chain hole or the timing chain hole !!! Yes I know, very clever !!
With limited knowledge and dexterity, I have tried to find it, but to no avail.
The cam chain hole seems to be open at the bottom, so I would of thought it would have fallen thru into the sump. Are there any shelves or ledges in that hole that would prevent that?
The timing chain hole seems to not be open at the bottom. Is that correct? 
Has anyone been as silly as I have, and had to retrieve something like this and offer up any advice? 
I am in the process of getting a small telescopic magnet/endoscope ( they are cheaper than midget Gynaecologists ! ) but even then, access seems to be difficult.
Thks in advance.

You really have it bad.

If it has gone to the rear of the secondary axis it may have fallen up on top of the block where the red arrow points.The blue arrow points to the sprocket that drives the timing chain from the secondary shaft.



If it has fallen forward, unlikely, it may have passed through the openings towards the oil pan, green arrow.
Or under the crankshaft, red mark.


 


The only possible accommodation in the oil pan with direct drop from the top of the block is marked in red.






Dismantle the oil pan and try to access the possible places that I indicated with a magnet.

I hope it helps.
 

First off, Welcome to the site. Hope you enjoy your experience here.
Second- you're not the first and regretfully probably not the last to fumble a screw down the proverbial  abbiss. 

There are a number of possible areas that the bolt could have ended up, so first off, don't roll the engine over (turn the crankshaft) until you retrieve it and is it "just a bolt or is there a washer on it. I only ask so as to trigger you to think about that as well
Down in that "hole" there's a primary drive chain, a secondary drive chain, a ignition / water pump drive chain and a camshaft drive chain. There's also a small shelf that it may have landed on. Most likely, it fell through to the sump (oil pan)
I've attached a pic of the lower crankcase pictured up side down. Hope this helps.
Most of the guys that did like you , managed to retrieve the fumble with a magnetic telescopic tool, so be patient, get a good light , swear if you must and go fishing.
Good Luck !!

 
Lower engine case up side down



 
Upper half engine case

I think we should make this interesting.

I bet one whole US Dollar the bolt fell all the way into sump.

(Trying to bring good Karma to the OP)

The smart move here would be to drop the oil pan and find the screw and while you have the pan off, clean the oil pump pick up tube strainer. I can't count how many times we've seen pictures of blocked strainers. Once you have the screw frame it and hang it on the wall. Forcing you to drop the oil pan and clean the strainer is "PRICELESS"

I'm betting it got hung up on this shelf
I'll play Don. I'll see your bet of $1 U,S. are raise you $4 U.S. total of $5 U.S. donation to the site. You going to call??

 

Thanks guys, I feel that a problem shared, is a problem halved ( somebody famous once said that ).
The bolt has unfortunately not fallen thru to the sump. I removed that and apart from being full of a white glop from years of standing, it was absent of that bolt.
The pics and advice have been a great help and as soon as my new tools have arrived via Santa, I will keep you posted.
Having got the bike to run nicely, it all came crashing down due to a bent inlet valve. I thought that with recessed pistons for the valves, this should not happen. Anyway, it seems to of occurred to the cam chain tensioner failing and everything getting out of sync, something the forum has highlighted previously. I have now replaced it, but that was the reason I took the head off and subsequently dropped the bolt !!
Failing brand new spark plugs was the other issue. Took me ages to discover that one.
Still in the greater scheme of things in the world at present, minor problems.
Chrs
Bruce