Motorcycle Repair: 1996 harley softail, harley softail, collasped

Question
QUESTION: when i fire my bike up i get a real loud clanking/clicking sound,so loud that i  can hear it over my exhaust. Any ideas or thoughts of what it might be?

ANSWER: If the bike keeps running does it go away or keep making the noise? Which side of the bike does it sound like it coming from?
Mike

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The bike keeps running, but i can't figure out what side it's coming from. It ran fine to work, but then i fired it up to ride home and that's when the noise started.

Answer
Noises are hard for me to diagnois on here, due to the fact I cant hear them. Check your primary chain, check to see if you have a lifter collasped. If these are ok, then youa re going to have to start tearing it down from the top end to locate the noise
Good luck and happy riding
Mike