So after a ton of searching, I'm still no closer to figuring this out.  Don't have the time tonight to drain and pull the covers, but just wanted to throw this out there to see what you guys think.

8500-ish miles on the bike.

Started the bike up this morning, choke in, high idle.  Let it settle down and got ready to take off, first gear to the end of the driveway, threw it in neutral, and as soon as I let out the clutch lever, heard a loud clattering/clunking metal on metal kind of sound.  Immediately pulled in the clutch and the sound goes away, completely.  Slowly let it out, as soon as it's all the way released, sound comes back, very random, intermittent noise however.   Applying a bit of pressure to the clutch and it goes away.  As the bike warmed up, the sound was more erratic, until is was basically gone.  Gingerly road it around the block a few times, no real noise in gear, maybe a bit, hard to hear while moving though.  Stopped, back in neutral, hits once or twice, then gone.  Drove it to work, didn't happen at all. 

Start it up to leave at night, nothing.  Get home, stop in the driveway, first gear, slowly release the clutch, noise is there.  Can feel it in the clutch lever, pulsating with the sound.  Pull it in, goes away.  Rode it around the block again, nothing.  It doesn't seem to affect RPM or engine performance at all.  Bike was shifting great, power and overall sound felt normal.  Thinking either something loose/bad in the clutch area, or worst case the flywheel nut is loose.  Used a long screwdriver to try and pinpoint the noise, when it was happening.  Getting nothing from the flywheel side, all on the clutch side.  Louder towards the outer edges of the case, less so when I'd place the screwdriver onto the case near the center.


So TL:DR, Clattering noise from clutch area, goes away when clutch is pulled, can be felt in the clutch lever pulsating in time with the noise.  Instances of it happening go away almost completely once warmed up.

I would pull the side cover and have a look. 

I'm guessing a loose nut on the basket.

howie's right...pull the cover and inspect.

Just did a dry clutch conversion on my S2R 800 and I had two broken clutch springs in the basket, never made any noise that I could here bike has had two clutches and has 36k miles on the clocks. But yea, need to pull the covers. Oh, and I had pieces of the springs in the bottom of the case when I pulled it.

'97 M750 OEM clutch/primary has no damper springs.

Think I found it....





Luckily it looks like the damage to the case is superficial.  The bolt is toast.  Trying to figure out what it is so I can get a replacement, any ideas?  Also, doesn't look like there was any thread locker on it, is there supposed to be?

EDIT*  Just in case the embedded pics don't work, here's the direct links

https://photos.app.goo.gl/A6qintMzb8hQPApZ9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZHAhz5RtjQEwAszx6

Google's not sharing your pics.

Ah, sorry guys.  Tried it through flickr.  Hopefully that works.

Pics good 

That bolt I'll do it.

I'm going to guess M6x25, but you can remove the opposite bolt to measure.

Thanks guys!  Bike is back together and running right. 

Speeddog - spot on, measured just to be sure, but it was a M6 - 1.00 x 25 bolt, in case anybody else needs that info.  Doesn't seem to exist anywhere, even in the manual. 

Don't forget the o-ring on the oil gallery when you put the cover back on.

Yah, I noticed that when I took off the cover.  It was in a recess on the cover side, just left it there.  Didn't think anything of it, but now you've got me doubting myself.  I know it was there when I put the cover back on, hopefully it didn't shift around or get jostled out of the recess.