Jt105
Active Member
While one might immediately poo-poo these next ideas, let's explore them anyway. Could someone in the past, in the course of changing the rear tire, have assembled the spacers on the rear axle in the wrong manner? Perhaps a spacer is missing, swapped, or there was a severe rear wheel misalignment during a chain adjustment. Also, it's very easy to install the rear brake caliper holder wrong, with the caliper bracket notch not being inserted over the swing arm locator pin. I know you said the brakes were cool, but even seasoned rider/mechanics have missed putting the caliper on correctly. Usually the result is banging when the caliper bracket moves around, or the rear brake hose pulling out of it’s clips, but I suppose it could cause some drag somehow.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but OP said when in Neutral, there is no drag. When in gear with the clutch pulled in, there is drag. This points to something inside the engine case and not the chain, rear wheel, axle or brake.
JT