I'm getting a lot of tapping noise these days. The tapping sounds like a noisy lifter if you can imagine what that sounds like - I think the 1500's are notorious for noisy lifters. In any case, whatever is causing it, it's related to RPM - the fast the engine revs, the faster the tapping.
The old 1500 has always been a bit of a tapper, even when new. I used to find though that as the engine warmed up, on a warm day, the ticking would mostly disappear. Now I hear the tapping all the time, hot or cold! It's so loud that on the highway, at 60 MPH, I can barely hear the motor because of the wind noise but the tapping comes through loud and clear.
How many miles do you have on that engine? Could it be the cam chains hitting on the push rod tubes? You usually see this on higher mileage motors. http://www.gadgetjq.com/cc_tensioner.htm
Also, when was your last oil change? I know mine gets noticeably louder as I near oil change time.
Hello PC:
I've got about 70k Kilometres on the bike so not really high mileage. In any case, I put the tensioner extenders in at about 20k Kms as a preemptive measure. As I recall the cap comes of the back of the tensioner and a punch can be inserted to push the plunger ahead manually (if the spring pressure isn't putting enough force on the plunger to move it forward).
I just changed the oil last week so that's not it.
Well, you've got my 2 suggestions covered!
You may have something blocking the oil passage to one of the hydraulic units. When I got my 1500, the top end was so noisy I could hear it over the V&H longshots that were on it. I put 3 oz of SeaFoam in a fresh oil change and the noises disappeared within 15 miles.....Just a thought....