2001 YAMAHA YFM600FWA wheel

7-21
During operation
Always keep your feet on the footboards dur-
ing operation. Otherwise your feet may contact
the rear wheels.
WARNING
Always keep both hands on the handlebars
and both feet on the footboards of your ATV
during operation. Removing even one hand or
foot can reduce your ability to control the ATV
or could cause you to lose your balance and
fall off of the ATV. If you remove a foot from a
footboard, your foot or leg may come into con-
tact with the rear wheels, which could injure
you or cause an accident.
Avoid wheelies and jumping. You may lose
control of the machine or overturn.
WARNING
Never attempt stunts, such as wheelies or
jumps. Don’t try to show off.

7-37
With the engine idling, shift the drive select le-
ver into low or high. Then release the parking
brake. Apply the throttle slowly and smoothly.
The centrifugal clutch will engage and you will
start to accelerate. If the throttle is applied too
abruptly, the front wheels may lift off the
ground resulting in a loss of directional con-
trol. Avoid higher speeds until you are thor-
oughly familiar with the operation of your ATV.
When slowing down or stopping, release the
throttle and apply the brakes smoothly and
evenly. Improper use of the brakes can cause
the tires to lose traction, reducing control and
increasing the possibility of an accident.
CAUTION:
Do not shift from low to high or vice versa
without coming to a complete stop. Damage
to the engine or drive train may occur.

7-39
TURNING YOUR ATV
To achieve maximum traction while riding off-
road, the two rear wheels are mounted solidly
on one axle and turn together at the same
speed. Therefore, unless the wheel on the in-
side of the turn is allowed to slip or lose some
traction, the ATV will resist turning. A special
turning technique must be used to allow the
ATV to make turns quickly and easily. It is es-
sential that this skill be learned first at low
speed.
WARNING
Always follow proper procedures for turning
as described in this Owner’s Manual.
Practice turning at low speeds before attempt-
ing to turn at faster speeds. Do not turn at
speeds too fast for your skills or the condi-
tions.

7-41
1. Lean towards inside of turn.
2. Support your weight on the outer footboard.
1. Se pencher vers l’intérieur du virage.
2. S’appuyer sur le repose-pied extérieur.
1. Inclínese hacia el interior del giro.
2. Descanse su peso en el descansapie exterior.
As you approach a curve, slow down and be-
gin to turn the handlebars in the desired direc-
tion. As you do so, put your weight on the
footboard to the outside of the turn (opposite
your desired direction) and lean your upper
body into the turn. Use the throttle to maintain
an even speed through the turn. This maneu-
ver will let the wheel on the inside of the turn
slip slightly, allowing the ATV to make the turn
properly.
This procedure should be practiced at slow
speed many times in a large off-road area with
no obstacles. If an incorrect technique is used,
your ATV may continue to go straight. If the
ATV doesn’t turn, come to a stop and then
practice the procedure again. If the riding sur-
face is slippery or loose, it may help to position
more of your weight over the front wheels by
moving forward on the seat.
Once you have learned this technique you
should be able to perform it at higher speeds
or in tighter curves.

7-51
If your ATV has stalled or stopped and you be-
lieve you can continue up the hill, restart care-
fully to make sure you do not lift the front
wheels which could cause you to lose control.
If you are unable to continue up the hill, dis-
mount the ATV on the uphill side. Physically
turn the ATV around and then descend the hill.
If you start to roll backwards, DO NOT apply ei-
ther brake abruptly. If you are in 2WD, apply
only the front brake. When this ATV is in 4WD,
all wheels (front and rear) are interconnected
by the drive train. This means that applying ei-
ther the front brake or the rear brake will brake
all wheels. When descending hills, using either
brake lever or the brake pedal will brake the
wheels on the downhill side. Avoid sudden ap-
plication of either the front or rear brake be-
cause the wheels on the uphill side could come
off the ground. The ATV could easily tip over
backwards. Apply both the front and rear
brakes gradually, or dismount the ATV imme-
di-ately on the uphill side.

7-55
RIDING DOWNHILL
When riding your ATV downhill, shift your
weight as far to the rear and uphill side of the
ATV as possible. Move back on the seat and sit
with your arms straight. Engine compression
will do most of the braking for you. For maxi-
mum engine compression braking effect, se-
lect low range and change to 4WD before
beginning to descend the hill. Improper brak-
ing may cause a loss of traction.
Use caution while descending a hill with loose
or slippery surfaces. Braking ability and trac-
tion may be adversely affected by these surfac-
es. Improper braking may also cause a loss of
traction.
When this ATV is in 4WD, all wheels (front and
rear) are interconnected by the drive train. This
means that applying either the front brake or
the rear brake will brake all wheels. When de-
scending hills, using either brake lever or the
brake pedal will brake the wheels on the down-
hill side. Avoid sudden application of either the
front or rear brake because the wheels on the
uphill side could come off the ground. Apply
both the front and rear brakes gradually.

7-59
CROSSING A SLOPE
Traversing a sloping surface on your ATV re-
quires you to properly position your weight to
maintain proper balance. Be sure that you
have learned the basic riding skills on flat
ground before attempting to cross a sloping
surface. Avoid slopes with slippery surfaces or
rough terrain that may upset your balance.
As you travel across a slope, lean your body in
the uphill direction. It may be necessary to cor-
rect the steering when riding on loose surfaces
by pointing the front wheels slightly uphill.
When riding on slopes be sure not to make
sharp turns either up or down hill.

7-69
SLIDING AND SKIDDING
Care should be used when riding on loose or
slippery surfaces since the ATV may slide. If
unexpected and uncorrected, sliding could
lead to an accident.
To reduce the tendency for the front wheels to
slide in loose or slippery conditions, position-
ing your weight over the front wheels will
sometimes help.
If the rear wheels of your ATV start to slide
sideways, control can usually be regained (if
there is room to do so) by steering in the direc-
tion of the slide. Applying the brakes or accel-
erating is not recommended until you have
corrected the slide.