Digging back into the my late '01/early '02 saved documents, I offer a word of advice from T-Rex (an extremely well thought of old timer back in the early days of the VTX)...he said, "Guys: I'd really like to clear the air here. The reason cars have hydraulic valve lash adjusters is to get rid of noise so they will sell (and to reduce maintenance) and this is done at the expense of horsepower. So-called "solid" lifters, such as in 99% of motorcycles, including the VTX, make noise. Period. But they also result in more horsepower. The same holds true for the decompression mechanism, which is the same technology and is inherently noisy, particularly if you set the idle too low, to be “cool”, which in turn keeps the decompressor fly weight from seating properly and, thus, makes the tapping noise. Just ride your bike and enjoy it. The tapping, ticking, whirring, and whining is all part of making a high performance engine, and to get rid of those sounds, the engineers would have to sacrifice performance, such as in the case of hydraulic lifters. ("Hydraulics" require a milder cam, and heavier springs for the same lift, both of which cost you HP.) The same is true of gear noise. As you change the mesh angle of the gear teeth, they get quieter, and quieter. BUT(!), this also consumes horsepower. Straighter cut gears make more noise and "give" you more HP at the rear wheel. Which would you prefer? Free horsepower or less noise? I think we both know the answer, and so does Honda, which is why your valves tap and your gears make noise/whine at certain speeds in certain gears. Just ride, and enjoy the bike. PS: I bought my VTX, broke it in for 600 miles, and then road coast-to-coast and up into Canada, over 10,000 miles, without any problems. NONE. Yes the valves tap. Yes the decompressor taps. That is what mechanical things do. It is a good bike. Enjoy it instead of nit-picking it. R/ T-Rex"
