Hello everyone,
first post and first Harley. I saw this tonight

and it looks suspicious, to me it looks like something has been leaking out of the head gasket. No noticeable loss of power, only other symptom is a loud tick. Thought the tick may have been a exhaust manifold gasket but it seems ok. What do you guys think?

 

Back up a little, can't tell where it is.

 

Front cylinder, at the head gasket. My phones camera sucks so you won’t see much if I back up. You can zoom in and see the orange line is the gasket and the exhaust pipe is on the left of the picture. Look like that residue is coming out of the gasket.

 

This might be a little better, the orange line is the head gasket, the yellow stuff in the middle is what’s concerning me

 

 

Squished head gasket material.

 

Get a spray bottle of very soap water. As soon as you fire the bike up before it gets hot spray the area. See if it makes bubbles. If it does you will have your answer.

 

This is a great suggestion, and if you do this, you may see it slowly stop bubbling (if it is a leak) as the cylinders "grow" in length as they heat up. As they grow, things tighten up.

I doubt your intake manifold seals would be the cause of a tick.

If it's not the head gasket, check exhaust "doughnut" gasket for leaks. YD

 

I agree with the above. There's oil behind there. If the jug's not wet it isn't leaking.

 

Welcome to the forum.