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What might cause this ticking noise?

Anytime you have the head pipes off its a good idea to check the nuts for tightness after each ride, for 2 or 3 rides.

Rod
 
Thank you all for the ideas.
Yesterday I did check the exhaust by holding rags over the slip ons, I did not hear any sort of a leak, also had my wife listen and nothing.
I checked every nut, bolt, screw I could get to (turns out to be not many), emptied my saddle bags, removed the tour pack, removed the wind shield and it is still tapping. I cannot hear it at idle or revving it up in the garage. If I listen with a screw driver, I seem to hear it more on the left side (if you were sitting on the bike) of the front cylinder
Here is an interesting note; I also pulled the air cleaner since I think it started after the stage 1 upgrade and I found the gasket between the back plate and the throttle body was loose to the touch (you could move it back and firth before I loosened anything at all). Turns out, the brace that bolts onto the throttle body and both cylinders was still there and should have been removed when stage 1 was done. Removed that, installed all new gaskets (now the back plate bolts directly to the cylinder head) and I had a huge increase in power, but the ticking is still there, maybe louder.
I am not one to open this thing up any further, so I am going to take it into the shop this week. I am sure this noise is coming from inside and is beyond my expertise.
Thank you all for the ideas, I learned a lot more doing what you guys have suggested. I will let you know what it turns out to be.

Thanks again,
Bob
 
Do you have a coil cover? Check to be sure the plug wires are not arcing
 
I'd give it a GOOD once over if you don't find anything loose and oil pressure is good it's probably just lifter noise. I wouldn't worrie about it too much unless it starts getting louder then you might have a problem. Mine got a little worse when I had cams installed, but it's a machine with moving parts and it's gonna make some noise! :s JMTCW.



P.S. A shorter windshield quited mine down!
 
hogrotten said:
I'd give it a GOOD once over if you don't find anything loose and oil pressure is good it's probably just lifter noise. I wouldn't worrie about it too much unless it starts getting louder then you might have a problem. Mine got a little worse when I had cams installed, but it's a machine with moving parts and it's gonna make some noise! :s JMTCW.



P.S. A shorter windshield quited mine down!
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Checked everything I know to check, never had anything done inside (cams etc) this noise is above normal noise at this time.
 
Well, after I replaced the air intake gaskets, the noise is louder and now I guess I should call it a knock more than a tap or a tick, definitely sounds like it comes from inside. Not sure why it would be louder. I did notice a pretty significant improvement in throttle response and power (go figure) I was never impressed with the stage 1 before.

So now my question to you all is this;

Could the fact that the air intake gasket was never installed correctly, and I have been sucking air from there instead of through the air filter for approx 6,600 miles, cause any internal damage (long or short term) since the air was entering the engine before the filter, there was no crank case evacuation happening, the rear cylinder crank case port had a lot of debris (rust, gunky greasy oil etc) inside, not so much as to block it all together but there was a considerable amount. The front cylinder port was perfectly clean. The computer would have been very confused about A/F ratio, and I would assume it was running very lean.

I am defiantly taking it into HD this week, opening the engine is beyond me, and I do have the extended warranty, I just would like to know if they try to blow smoke. I guess if it still knocks and starts to blow smoke itself, I will know LOL.

Thanks
Bob
 
futurerider said:
Well, after I replaced the air intake gaskets, the noise is louder and now I guess I should call it a knock more than a tap or a tick, definitely sounds like it comes from inside. Not sure why it would be louder. I did notice a pretty significant improvement in throttle response and power (go figure) I was never impressed with the stage 1 before.

So now my question to you all is this;

Could the fact that the air intake gasket was never installed correctly, and I have been sucking air from there instead of through the air filter for approx 6,600 miles, cause any internal damage (long or short term) since the air was entering the engine before the filter, there was no crank case evacuation happening, the rear cylinder crank case port had a lot of debris (rust, gunky greasy oil etc) inside, not so much as to block it all together but there was a considerable amount. The front cylinder port was perfectly clean. The computer would have been very confused about A/F ratio, and I would assume it was running very lean.

I am defiantly taking it into HD this week, opening the engine is beyond me, and I do have the extended warranty, I just would like to know if they try to blow smoke. I guess if it still knocks and starts to blow smoke itself, I will know LOL.

Thanks
Bob
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You could have valve damage in that cyl, that could explain the noise and debris, A burned valve, weak or broken valve springs, and worn valve guides worn out valve seals ALL come to mind from running TOO lean, Hope I am wrong, A compression test would be next, if you do it yourself, remove BOTH plugs and hold the throttle wide open for best readings, rem,ember to ground the plug wires and disable the fuel:s
 
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