Been doing some jobs on a mates 2014 speedy, and noticed this on the engine block. Looks like gasket paste to me, he's had the bike from new. Bit sloppy by the factory if it is.
It could well be from factory, looks like silicon to me. I’ve seen similar on my 15, not as bad though, also Grey. Anyway, agree with you. I’ve seen engine failures where assemblers went ape with silicone and bits fell of internally and caused oil starvation.
It's what they put on to seal the cam cover seal and it's in the right place around the half circle bits where the cams are. It's normal, if a little untidy. If there's no oil leak it's doing the job it's supposed to. If it bothers you it can be removed carefully with a sharp knife, just don't scratch the black coating. Edit. Now I’ve looked at it on the iPad (was on phone before) it looks a slightly different colour and as though it’s been put on by Stevie Wonder I’d say the cover has been off for a valve clearance check and the silicon has smeared a bit on assembly, it is fiddly to get the cover back on.
My Daytona was like this before I took it apart to do the head gasket. As Yorkshireman says, it’s just the silicone they use at the factory to seal the cam cover gasket at the ends. Just a sloppy job by the looks of it. I used black RTV when I put mine back together, and did a neater job
