jjthejetplane wrote on 10/23/18 at 11:41:43:
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If the noise is what I think it is.  I would NOT ride it at all.  If that rod snaps it will destroy the engine and it could lock up.  If that thing locks up while you are riding it, it could kill you.  The rear wheel could lock up and there is no guarantee that pulling in the clutch will save you.

Yeah, they are idiots (in matters of riding motorcycles).  Tell them to go out on the highway and lock up the rear wheel at 60.  No clutch and no letting off the rear brake.  If they live to tell you about it ask them what's in their underwear.

In a car, yes, I even did it once, but not a motorcycle.  I use to race motocross and when things lock up, you usually hit the ground.  (Sometimes you can pull the clutch and roll out...sometimes.)  No as big a deal in the dirt without cars around you.  Out on the road?? I pray it never happens to me out there.  

It sounds like you need transportation.  If I were in your shoes, I would confirm the easy suggestions like the flywheel bolt is not the problem.   If it's not, I would buy the first  $1000-$1500 used Savage I could find.  You will likely be putting $1000 plus in your bike plus downtime.  You will have transportation and you can then swap motors or your custom parts to build the bike you want.  When you are done, you can part out the rest on here and recoup the bulk of your money.  Folks on here are always looking for good seats, gas tanks, side covers, forks, engine parts, etc.

It does not creep forward. There is no knocking coming from.the clutch cover at all. With the stethoscope, all agree that the sound is coming from.the top left end. Realized that my head cap nut was loose but my battery keeps dying(thinking there is a draw somewhere) so, once I shut it off, I left it to charge til morning. And with the stethoscope in hand, the techs are now saying my engine itself sounds fine. So, once I get a break at work today, I'm going to take the cap off, start it up, and listen for any knocking.
Is it possible that the bike needed to be run a bit? Or maybe the cap was the source... I'll let you know shortly.

That would be awesome if that's all it was.  That's why you should always listen to Dave's advice first!  Make sure you cover the simple things before moving on to the doomsdayer's advice.

cap off and I can still hear the tapping at the top left side of the engine and top left of the crankcase.
i am thinking valve adjustment. I didn't hear anything on the right side of the bike at all besides the echoes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2t-v77ejpA

Anyone familiar with this bike? It's the only one I've found with a similar sound. I'm going to have the techs check it out again sans cap.

Just had the tech over and we went thru the bike with the stethoscope listening to it idle, listening at the clutch cover, the crank, the cylinder head, etc. His conclusion is it is coming from the shiftshaft transmission. He cannot tell me what this means as he is not familiar with the bike.

He had me put the bike into first and listened again at the shift shaft transmission and said that the rattling is definitely coming from there. he said it does not sound like a rod knock . Up until i started revving the bike a bit, he didnt hear the "knock". At higher rpms, the sound is more pronounced.

I have to wait until tmrw to do the valve adjustment now. Can anyone enlighten me as to what the shift shaft transmission does and how it may relate to this noise?