Page 58 of 88

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIR
6-26
6
EC000096
CAUTION:_ Improper drive chain slack will over-
load the engine as well as other vital
parts of the motorcycle and can lead
to chain slippage or breakage. To
prevent this from occurring, keep
the drive chain slack within the
specified limits. _3. Tighten both locknuts and the axle
nut to the specified torques.
4. Adjust the brake pedal free play.
(See page 6-21 for brake pedal
free play adjustment procedures.)
EW000103
WARNING
_ After adjusting the brake pedal free
play, check the operation of the
brake light. _
EAU03006
Lubricating the drive chain The drive chain must be cleaned and
lubricated at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart, otherwise it will quickly wear
out, especially when riding in dusty or
wet areas. Service the drive chain as
follows.
EC000097
CAUTION:_ The drive chain must be lubricated
after washing the motorcycle or
riding in the rain. _1. Clean the drive chain with kero-
sene and a small soft brush.
ECA00053
CAUTION:_ To prevent damaging the O-rings,
do not clean the drive chain with
steam cleaners, high-pressure
washers or inappropriate solvents. _
2. Wipe the drive chain dry.
3. Thoroughly lubricate the drive
chain with a special O-ring chain
lubricant.
ECA00052
CAUTION:_ Do not use engine oil or any other
lubricants for the drive chain, as
they may contain substances that
could damage the O-rings. _
Tightening torques:
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf)
Axle nut:
104 Nm (10.4 m·kgf)
E_5kr.book Page 26 Friday, December 14, 2001 11:33 AM
Page 59 of 88
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIR
6-27
6
EAU02962
Checking and lubricating the
cables The operation of all control cables and
the condition of the cables should be
checked before each ride, and the ca-
bles and cable ends should be lubricat-
ed if necessary. If a cable is damaged
or does not move smoothly, have a
Yamaha dealer check or replace it.
EW000112
WARNING
_ Damage to the outer sheath may in-
terfere with proper cable operation
and will cause the inner cable to
rust. Replace a damaged cable as
soon as possible to prevent unsafe
conditions. _
EAU04034
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cable The operation of the throttle grip should
be checked before each ride. In addi-
tion, the cable should be lubricated or
replaced at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance chart.
Recommended lubricant:
Engine oil
E_5kr.book Page 27 Friday, December 14, 2001 11:33 AM
Page 74 of 88

7-1
7
EAU03430
7-MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGECare While the open design of a motorcycle
reveals the attractiveness of the tech-
nology, it also makes it more vulnera-
ble. Rust and corrosion can develop
even if high-quality components are
used. A rusty exhaust pipe may go un-
noticed on a car, however, it detracts
from the overall appearance of a
motorcycle. Frequent and proper care
does not only comply with the terms of
the warranty, but it will also keep your
motorcycle looking good, extend its life
and optimize its performance.Before cleaning
1. Cover the muffler outlets with plas-
tic bags after the engine has
cooled down.
2. Make sure that all caps and covers
as well as all electrical couplers
and connectors, including the
spark plug caps, are tightly
installed.
3. Remove extremely stubborn dirt,
like oil burnt onto the crankcase,
with a degreasing agent and a
brush, but never apply such prod-
ucts onto seals, gaskets, sprock-
ets, the drive chain and wheel
axles. Always rinse the dirt and
degreaser off with water.Cleaning
ECA00010
CAUTION:_
Avoid using strong acidic wheel
cleaners, especially on spoked
wheels. If such products are
used on hard-to-remove dirt, do
not leave the cleaner on the af-
fected area any longer than in-
structed. Also, thoroughly rinse
the area off with water, immedi-
ately dry it, and then apply a
corrosion protection spray.
Improper cleaning can damage
windshields, cowlings, panels
and other plastic parts. Use
only a soft, clean cloth or
sponge with mild detergent and
water to clean plastic.
E_5kr.book Page 1 Friday, December 14, 2001 11:33 AM
Page 77 of 88

MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
7-4
7
Storage Short-term
Always store your motorcycle in a cool,
dry place and, if necessary, protect it
against dust with a porous cover.
ECA00014
CAUTION:_
Storing the motorcycle in a
poorly ventilated room or cover-
ing it with a tarp, while it is still
wet, will allow water and humid-
ity to seep in and cause rust.
To prevent corrosion, avoid
damp cellars, stables (because
of the presence of ammonia)
and areas where strong chemi-
cals are stored.
_
Long-term
Before storing your motorcycle for
several months:
1. Follow all the instructions in the
“Care” section of this chapter.
2. Turn the fuel cock lever to “ON”.
3. Drain the carburetor float cham-
bers by loosening the drain bolts;
this will prevent fuel deposits from
building up. Pour the drained fuel
into the fuel tank.
4. Fill up the fuel tank and add fuel
stabilizer (if available) to prevent
the fuel tank from rusting and the
fuel from deteriorating.
5. Perform the following steps to pro-
tect the cylinders, piston rings, etc.
from corrosion.a. Remove the spark plug caps and
spark plugs.
b. Pour a teaspoonful of engine oil
into each spark plug bore.
c. Install the spark plug caps onto the
spark plugs, and then place the
spark plugs on the cylinder head
so that the electrodes are ground-
ed. (This will limit sparking during
the next step.)
d. Turn the engine over several times
with the starter. (This will coat the
cylinder walls with oil.)
e. Remove the spark plug caps from
the spark plugs, and then install
the spark plugs and the spark plug
caps.
EWA00003
WARNING
_ To prevent damage or injury from
sparking, make sure to ground the
spark plug electrodes while turning
the engine over. _
E_5kr.book Page 4 Friday, December 14, 2001 11:33 AM
Page 79 of 88

8-1
8
EAU01038
8-SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications CS-01E
Model XVS250
Dimensions
Overall length 2,320 mm
Overall width 910 mm
Overall height 1,075 mm
Seat height 670 mm
Wheelbase 1,530 mm
Ground clearance 150 mm
Minimum turning radius 2,900 mm
Basic weight (with oil and full
fuel tank)
159 kg
Engine
Engine type Air-cooled 4-stroke, SOHC
Cylinder arrangement V type 2-cylinder
Displacement 249 cm
3
Bore × stroke 49 × 66 mm
Compression ratio 10:1
Star ting system Electric star ter
Lubrication system Wet sumpEngine oil
Ty p e
Recommended engine oil
classification API Service SE, SF, SG or
higher
Quantity
Without oil filter element
replacement 1.4 L
With oil filter element
replacement 1.6 L
Total amount (dry engine) 1.75 L
-20 -10 0
10 20 30
40
50 ˚C
SAE 10W-30
SAE 15W-40SAE 20W-40SAE 20W-50
SAE 10W-40
CAUTION:Be sure to use motor oils that do not contain anti-fric-
tion modifiers. Passenger car motor oils (often labeled
“ENERGY CONSERVING II”) contain anti-friction addi-
tives which will cause clutch and/or starter clutch slip-
page, resulting in reduced component life and poor
engine performance.
E_5kr.book Page 1 Friday, December 14, 2001 11:33 AM