It might be my imagination but im sure I can hear a tinkling or ticking sound from my XL1200C when running in 3rd or 4th.
Once in top at 70mph plus I hear nothing.
I have no gremlin bells!!
The bikes at 38,000, and has always run well, and serviced at or before each 5000 miles.
any ideas

 

I get the same sounds.. almost like a small rock bouncing around in the cylinder. But only at certain speeds / throttle position.. I have been told its just a sporty... they all sound like that.

 

check your heat shields... I had the same d@mn thing for months, thought it was my imagination and once I removed my heat shields a little metal tab had broken off from the clamp bracket and was bouncing around in there. Problem solved... other than I needed a new shield now since the broken one couldn't be clamped down properly.

 

My Sporty much like my former Toyota have tons of top engine noised. It's normal on your Sportster. I'd be worried if my engine didn't have valve train noise.

 

Its normal mine is a 2011 48 with low miles, I have the same type of noise its seems to happen during summer time, or warmer days.

 

Check your plugs and coil wires