Clutch not fully disengaging

[stofer]

I noticed something strange:
When the bike standing on the centerstand, rear wheel in the air, motor running in idle, in 1st gear,
I pull the clutch lever al the way, but the rear whell keeps turning slowly.
I tried to adjust the clutch free-play to minimum and tightened the lever-adjusting-bolt to the max.
Still, the rear wheel turns even when the clutch is pulled all the way.

Is this normal?
Is there something wrong with my clutch?

Thanks

 

[Michael D Urquhart]

That is totally normal for any bike.

 

[Triple Trouble]

Yes normal...

 

[fizzy]

Yes normal...

Correct Dr Rich ..again

 

[Pool Boy]

There's always a little bit of "drag" in a motorbike gearbox - and often in a car gearbox too for that matter.
There's usually no power in it so if you wedge the back wheel with something under the tyre, or simply hold the wheel (carefully) it will stop it turning.
Obviously you can't do it all yourself (hold in the clutch and hold the wheel) but if you're a contortionist you may be able to stand alongside the bike, and holding the clutch in, use a booted foot to stop the back wheel rotating - just to prove the point.

Don't try this if you're not confident - and certainly don't sue me if it goes wrong

 

[stofer]

But why?

Thanks. I'm relieved.
Just curious:
Do any of you know this phenomena occur?
Could it be the wet clutch, the spinning disc pass the
rotation to the oil, which passes it to the disengaged disc?

 

[bobh]

Yes, it's partly the oil drag, but also because it's a multi-plate design, so there's a lot more total friction area than in a car clutch, with less clearance between the individual plates.

A couple of bikes I've owned have clutches that free completely, but the rest all make that horrible "clunk" engaging first gear. I always free the clutch off before a cold start, by engagin a gear and rocking the bike fore and aft - it doesn't stop the clunk, but maybe it's not so bad.