Just to get you headed in the right direction, go ahead and put in the Lucas or STP just like it is and go for a ride (3 or 4 oz). If the noise is better, your headed the right way, I think it will! Mine quieted down quite a bit but I doubt you will ever get rid of all the noise, it is a characteristic of the old design. Not saying that it is bad , just the way it is. I also run a little slick 50 in mine and I got 51k out of the original cam shoes on my 02. I put slick 50 in everything I own, including the lawnmower.

 

Nice set of Rush slip ons in the 2.00/2.25 size and you'll never notice it again...

 

have you been running Rotella with Lucas in your bike all along?

 

No. Actually I use Valvoline 50wt racing oil and a little stp and every 3rd or 4th change I put in about 6oz of slick 50. In the winter I use 20-50. I did run Mobil 1 but the rattle up top made me change and it quieted down the sewing machine and I like not hearing the sewing machine. I've been a wrench for 45+ years and I like how clean the inside of an engine is when Valvoline has been used, kinda light gold color with NO sludge. And, engines last a long time with the Valvoline. Most oils are pretty good nowadays but old habits die hard, and, it's much cheaper than mobil1. I'm just about to hit 101k and old Ruby still runs way good. We used to use mayonaise jars with the different kinds of sludge in them from the cars we worked on, quaker state made a crispy sludge, pennzoil made a pudding sludge and Valvoline was a clean jar. We showed this to customers who were in doubt, and, no, I don't work for Valvoline, it's just what I've experienced over the years.

 

I got a buddy that uses Rotella 15w-40 truck oil on all his Jap bikes and swears by it. I used to use dino 20w-50 Castrol for years and years in my Jap and German race bikes with great results and have recently switched to Rotella 15w40 synthetic blend in my Beemer. I'm about to try it in the twinkie too.
If their oil is good for 25K in my truck it should be good for 2500 or so in my bike.

 

I'll give it a go. Not looking to get rid of the noise completely, just wanna quiet it down a bit because its bloody annoying!

Unfortunately my pipe options to drown out the clatchety are limited, our db and emission laws here are tougher than CA, and enforced regularly as well...