Okay sorry had to resize the pictures.  But if You click on the image it shows both, I'm curious if the top picture or bottom picture is the compression stroke. Thank you

All I'm doing is putting the valve cover back on after installing the head plug.

"2. setting it to tdc just makes it easier to install, then adjust the valves."

The valve cover easier to install?  Right now im just worried about getting this bike in one piece.  So im focused on putting the valve cover on, dont need to adjust the valves right now unless youre supposed to after reinstalling the valve cover?

Ahh thank you.  So I guess another way to verify compression stroke tdc would be the cam lobes facing down and the valve cover sits flush.  As the valve cover doesn't sit flush on the other tdc because the valve springs.

I'm just trting to make sense of all this in my head, ive always been scared to touch engines because it all confuses me to death.  I'm not good at thinking about things that I cant see with my own eyes

The first time I had mine off I could see it was going to be a struggle to get it back in place without screwing up the sealant.  So I did three or four dry runs articulating the cover around to make sure I had an install routine that would get the cover in place without messing up the sealant.  At first, it was like a puzzle, but eventually I found all the right angles and dangles to get the cover in place without touching the sealing surface and messing things up.

Make sure you apply the sealant in an extremely thin coat and keep it well away from the cam bearings.  If you squeeze out sealant into the cam bearing chamfers you run the risk of preventing proper oil flow through the top end.  That will spell death to your cam, rocker arms and possibly the entire engine.  Also stay clear of the oil feed hole identified by a teardrop shaped cavity with an o-ring.  Don't slop sealant all over that or you will have the same problem (i.e. no oil to top end).

Awhile back I did a post on a sealant applicator.  That thread had a ton of good comments on how to apply the sealant.  I am attaching a picture of the applicator and will look back through and find the post on sealant.

You should install the long bolt in the head cover before placing it on the motor as the frame will not allow room to get it in later.

If like me you don't have a torque wrench ,then just tighten them by hand (until you feel the bolts stop) and give them just 1/8 of a turn more. If they weep after running the motor you can give them another 1/8 turn,it is far better to have them leak, than to over tighten and snap them off in the motor which becomes a major problem.