Well im still chasing this noise and thinking it's a bleeding lifter but wanted your opinions. My 2012 street glide started doing this around 6 or 700 miles. When left for long enough to cool down completely like 8 to 12 hours or overnight. It will clatter when i first start it up for about 2 or 3 seconds. It's also random. It could do it day after day or could be a week before it does it again. Left it at dealer for 2 days and of course it wouldn't do it then. Im guessing the cooler temps could possibly have something to do with it cuz it's been getting very cool at night. I was hoping you guys could point me in the right direction and let me know what i should do or look at. Thank you!

 

The intermittent part makes me think it is a lifter bleeding down. It will only do it when the engine stops with that valve open. If it stops on the heel of the cam it won't have valve spring to make it bleed. You could pop the clips on the push rod cover and park each lifter up on the lobe and see if you can find one that bleeds off.

 

Common problem with the 2012 models. The OEM "B" lifter has been replaced with the "C" lifter; no longer made by Delphi but made in Mexico. Try to identify the offending lifter and replace it.

 

AMS makes a lifter much better than the Harley lifter.