'18 GP 300 Linkage - wtf
 

Prepping bike for season, first time linkage checkup.
Linkage movement hard, opened, nothing problematic, cleaned, regreased.

Tested in vice, to check free movement - hard AF. Both connections.
Linkage links are moving fine.

What I realized is, that the large washer, being 0.9mm is too thick and it grinds into spacer.
Bushings should be just a fraction longer.

If remove only one of the two washers, spacer falls in too much, but free movement is obtained, if held in hand. If it were bolted with washer removed, it would be alu-alu grinding.

Looks like you're overthinking it.

Once the bolts are tightened, there's no movement between the spacer and the bushing.

You dont understand.
Once tightened, and this is tested, it hardly moves, but should flow freely.

Remove seal, remove one 0.9mm shim, reinstall seal. Spacers now sit closer together, but finally they rest on the bushing, which moves inside bearing.
Reinstalled, perfect fit, torqued, no free play, all the free movement regained.