Hard to push backwards

[Coopz]

My awesome dad has given me one of his restored XS's ('81 RH Sport) to ride. She looks and rides like a new bike. The strange issue (that I suspect is shaft related) is pushing it backwards when I'm trying to manoeuvre her in the garage. The bike rolls forward very easily but reverse is a real heave. I'm pretty big and its a full blown push to get her backwards. Is this a issue with the shaft or some weird bearing issue? I cannot pinpoint the exact part that's making it so hard. No centre stand either to diagnose the cause.

[motoman]

First suspect would be rear brake caliper piston is not retracting properly causing brake pad drag on rotor.
Since you state your decent size, a quick check could be acomplished by rocking bike towards you while on side-stand, lifting rear wheel of ground. Reach down and rotate wheel forward and backward for any noticable resistance difference between the two directions while listening for excessive brake pad drag.

[Coopz]

Ah cheers, as soon as the rain stops I'll have a look, didn't dawn on my to look at the brakes.

[TomB]

My daughter has a little Chinese 125 that has the same issue, that's the front brake caliper. (drum on the back) I've stripped it and can't find anything wrong so assume its just badly made, and the silver lining is it makes hill starts for my newbie daughter a lot easier.

[vedgar]

Tap with bubber mallet

Tap the calipers lightly with a rubber mallet before you move the bike around. If it moves easier then the calipers are sticking.

[Coopz]

Its got new pads so I suspect they are the cause.

[Radioguylogs]

The rear brake on all 3 of my XS's make a squonking noise when I push them backwards, although the brakes are not dragging enough to make it hard to push.

[Pat Kelly]

First suspect would be rear brake caliper piston is not retracting properly causing brake pad drag on rotor.
Since you state your decent size, a quick check could be acomplished by rocking bike towards you while on side-stand, lifting rear wheel of ground. Reach down and rotate wheel forward and backward for any noticable resistance difference between the two directions while listening for excessive brake pad drag.

Why not use the centerstand?

[CaptonZap]

Why not use the centerstand?

Because of the last sentence in post # 1
CZ

[Jeffintampa]

Hard push back

Mine does that from time to time, I spray the rear axel on the chrimp side down around were the brake rides, and the front axles with WD40 and that helps tons.

[oldyam80sg]

Make sure the pads are not sticking-I just went through that as the bike had to sit.