Riding an unreliable bike is a sure way to meet helpful people. Since I got the head bolts re-torqued and stopped the leak, it's been great. No sign of seepage, running great. I kept my speed down a bit as per Bill's warning. 70mph is what he suggested for a maximum sustained cruising speed. Covered about 900 miles over the next couple of days.
Late this afternoon, I was on the Trans Canada Highway, only about 20 miles west of Sault St Marie. I actually thought to my self wow, I'm actually going to make it. I stopped for gas, pulled back out and headed up a long hill. As I got to the top, all of a sudden the engine started rapping. Sounded deeper than the timing chain rattle. I pulled off right away, engine kept running but it's not a good noise. I checked for oil, still full. Thought maybe the timing chain tensioner really slipped so I pulled it, adjusted it one click tighter and put it back to check. The noise was louder than before. Now I started to think maybe I broke a cam. Lucky I brought tools. Pulled the valve cover, everything looked ok. Pulled the cam girdle, checked the cams and they looked good. Nothing out of place. Put it all back together and started it to see. Noise is still worse. Sounds like a small hammer tapping inside the engine. I knew that I wasn't going anywhere now. At this point, Billy pulls up in his jeep. Never met him before, just stopped to check. When he hears my problem, he volunteers to drive a half hour home, get his trailer and pick me up. Obviously I'm super grateful. Sure enough he's back in an hour and takes me and the bike to his place. Puts the bike in his garage for safe keeping and drops me off at a motel. Fortunately I'm close enough to home now that a friend can come and pick me up. She's only got a car though so I'll have to come back for the bike. Won't take long once I get it home to open it up and see what happened. Meanwhile I can only guess. From the sound I'm thinking wrist pin but I'm just not sure. I do know that when it happens under load like it did it's not likely to be a quick fix.

 

Just read the thread... Had I read it earlier I would have pm'ed you when you were in Portage. Hopefully you're not looking at anything major and it'll be a simple fix.