How much resistance should the front brakes create when the brakes are not engaged?

I jacked up the bike yesterday to check for play in the wheel bearings. I can turn the front wheel...but it has more resistance than I would have expected. If I try to spin it, should it stop as soon as I let go? I don't expect it to spin like a bicycle. But I recall being able to get a half rotation or so from the front wheel of a car with disk brakes. I expected the bike to be similar.

 

Mine was the same way until I changed the wheel bearings. The bearings didn't seem rough when I would turn the wheel, but I had that drag I didn't like the feel. I thought it was the brake pads against the rotors, but I was also getting some front brake vibration. I thought that might be the rotors with a little warp. After reading all the stuff about the bearings, I had mine changed out at 38,000 miles. Now the wheel spins freely. No noise and the vibration in the front brake is gone.

 

From your description, normal. I've seen this on every disc brake motorcycle I've ever owned. The pads will drag just slightly on the rotors, and you will notice it when the wheel is off the ground, but not while riding. Yes I've seen examples where the front wheel will barely spin at all in the air, but will roll just fine on the road. And the amount of drag will vary from day to day, so don't expect necessarily to have the same amount of drag all the time.

I've also noticed that the pads will drag a bit more if the bike has just been ridden, than they will after the bike has sat overnight.

If you suspect something else causing the drag, such as wheel bearings, try removing the calipers to take the pads out of the equation. Wheel should spin freely. If not, then probably you have a bearing problem.

 

Exactly!!

 

Most non-racing calipers have a little drag. If the rotors stay cool during normal riding, they're fine.

 

it does seem like a lot of drag while on a jack. on mine when i want to check bearings i just crack caliper mounting bolts loose that frees them up. 56,000 in my 14 tk and bearings are smooth as silk.

 

also a dual caliper fr wheel will compound the drag problem. dont really need to remove calipers just loosen the mtg bolts a little.

 

Been a while but since there was a new response, I thought I'd provide an update.

I did check the rotors after a long ride and surprisingly, they were barely above outside temp. I also felt the hub thinking it might be warm if the bearings were subject to excessive friction...and that was the same.

It has also been in for it's 20K service at the dealer and they said it's normal.

And note...I'm pretty happy with my dealer. They are fixing a paint rub from the detachable tour pack under warranty.