OPERATION .................................................. 6-1
Starting a cold engine ................................ 6-1
Starting a warm engine .............................. 6-3
Operating the drive select lever and
driving in reverse ...................................... 6-3
Engine break-in .......................................... 6-4
Parking ....................................................... 6-5
Parking on a slope ..................................... 6-5
Accessories and loading ............................ 6-6
RIDING YOUR ATV ...................................... 7-1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ATV............... 7-2
RIDE WITH CARE AND
GOOD JUDGEMENT ................................ 7-2
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU RIDE ............. 7-9
TURNING YOUR ATV .............................. 7-13
CLIMBING UPHILL ................................... 7-14
RIDING DOWNHILL.................................. 7-17
CROSSING A SLOPE............................... 7-18
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW
WATER ................................................... 7-19
RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN ........... 7-22
SLIDING AND SKIDDING ......................... 7-22
WHAT TO DO IF... .................................... 7-24
WHAT TO DO... ........................................ 7-24PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND
MINOR REPAIR .............................................8-1
Owner’s manual and tool kit .......................8-1
Periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart ........................................8-3
Removing and installing the panel ..............8-8
Checking the spark plug .............................8-8
Engine oil and oil filter cartridge ................8-10
Final gear oil .............................................8-14
Differential gear oil ....................................8-17
Cleaning the air filter element ...................8-19
Cleaning the spark arrester ......................8-22
V-belt cooling duct check hose .................8-24
V-belt case drain plug ...............................8-24
Adjusting the carburetor ............................8-24
Adjusting the engine idling speed .............8-25
Adjusting the throttle cable free play .........8-26
Valve clearance ........................................8-26
Adjusting the drive select lever safety
system cable ...........................................8-27
Checking the front brake pads and
rear brake friction plates .........................8-27
Checking the brake fluid level ...................8-28
Changing the brake fluid ...........................8-29
Checking the front brake lever free play ...8-29U4S260E0.book Page 2 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
5-1
5
EBU19200
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EBU19220Pre-operation check list Before operating this ATV, be sure to check the items listed in the following table.NOTE:The maintenance of some items in the table has to be performed by a Yamaha dealer. Refer to the “Periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart” on page 8-3 to determine which service should be performed by aYamaha dealer.
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
FuelCheck fuel level in fuel tank, and add recommended fuel if neces-
sary.
Check fuel line for leakage. Correct if necessary.4-14, 5-3
Engine oilCheck oil level in engine, and add recommended oil to specified lev-
el if necessary.
Check ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-10
Final gear oilCheck ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary. 5-3, 8-14
Differential gear oilCheck ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary. 5-3, 8-17
Front brakeCheck operation. If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hy-
draulic system.
Check brake pads for wear, and replace if necessary.
Check brake fluid level in reservoir, and add recommended brake
fluid to specified level if necessary.
Check hydraulic system for leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-27, 8-28, 8-29
Rear brakeCheck operation, and correct if necessary.
Lubricate cables if necessary.
Check lever and pedal free play, and adjust if necessary.5-3, 8-27, 8-30
U4S260E0.book Page 1 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
5-3
5
EBU19540Fuel Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-14.)
WARNING
EWB00520Do not overfill the fuel tank. Fuel expands
when it heats up. If the fuel tank is overfilled,
fuel could spill out due to heat from the en-
gine or the sun.Be careful not to spill fuel, especially on the
engine or exhaust pipe which can cause a
fire and severe injury. Wipe up any spilled
fuel immediately.Do not refuel right after the engine has been
running and is still very hot.Be sure the fuel tank cap is closed securely.EBU19560Engine oil Make sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-10.)EBU19590Final gear oil Make sure that the final gear oil is at the specified
level. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-14.)
EBU19600Differential gear oil Make sure that the differential gear oil is at the
specified level. Add oil as necessary. (See page
8-17.)EBU28530Front and rear brakes Brake levers and brake pedalCheck that there is no free play in the front brake
lever. If there is free play, have a Yamaha dealer
check the brake system.Check for correct free play in the rear brake lever
and brake pedal. If the free play is incorrect, ad-
just it. (See page 8-30.)Check operation of the levers and pedal. They
should move smoothly and there should be a
firm feeling when the brake is applied. If not,
have a Yamaha dealer check them.
Brake fluid level (front brake)
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-28.)
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
U4S260E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
5-4
5 Brake fluid leakage (front brake)
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
hose, joint or brake fluid reservoir of the front
brake. Apply the brake firmly for one minute. If the
lever moves slowly inward, there may be a leak in
the brake system. If there is any leakage, the brake
system should be checked by a Yamaha dealer.
Brake operation
Test the brakes at slow speed after starting out to
make sure they are working properly. If the brakes
do not provide proper braking performance, check
the brake pads and friction plates for wear. (See
page 8-27.)
WARNING
EWB00580Always check the brakes at the start of every
ride. Do not ride the ATV if you find any prob-
lem with the brakes or you could lose braking
ability, which could lead to an accident. If a
problem cannot be corrected by the adjust-
ment procedures provided in this manual, havea Yamaha dealer check for the cause.
EBU19761Throttle lever Check the operation of the throttle lever. It must
open smoothly and spring back to the idle position
when released. Have a Yamaha dealer correct if
necessary.EBU19811Tires
WARNING
EWB00591Use of improper tires on this ATV, or operation
of this ATV with improper or uneven tire pres-
sure, may cause loss of control, increasing
your risk of accident.
Pay attention to the following.The tires listed below have been approved
by Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corpora-
tion of America for this model. Other tire
combinations are not recommended.
Front:
Manufacturer/model:
CHENG SHIN/C-828 (AUS)(NZL)
MAXXIS/M979 (EUR)(GBR)
Size:
AT25 x 8-12
U4S260E0.book Page 4 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
8-3
8
EBU22403Periodic maintenance and lubrication chart NOTE:For ATVs not equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the month maintenance intervals.For ATVs equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the km (mi) or hours maintenance inter-
vals. However, keep in mind that if the ATV isn’t used for a long period of time, the month maintenance
intervals should be followed.Items marked with an asterisk should be performed by a Yamaha dealer as they require special tools,data and technical skills.NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1200
(750)2400
(1500)2400
(1500)4800
(3000)
hours 20 75 150 150 300
1*Fuel lineCheck fuel hoses for cracks or other damage, and
replace if necessary.√√√
2 Spark plugCheck condition and clean, regap, or replace if
necessary.√√√√√
3*ValvesCheck valve clearance and adjust if necessary.√ √√√
4 Air filter elementClean and replace if necessary.Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
5*Front brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
U4S260E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
8-6
8
EBU28390NOTE:
The air filter needs more frequent service if you are riding in unusually wet or dusty areas.Hydraulic brake service
Regularly check and, if necessary, correct the brake fluid level.27*Moving parts and
cablesLubricate.√√√√
28*Drive select lever
safety system cableCheck operation and adjust or replace if neces-
sary.√√√
29*Throttle lever hous-
ing and cableCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check throttle cable free play and adjust if neces-
sary.
Lubricate throttle lever housing and cable.√√√√√
30*Exhaust systemCheck for leakage and replace gasket(s) if neces-
sary.
Check for looseness and tighten all screw clamps
and joints if necessary.√√√
31 Spark arresterClean.√√√
32*Front and rear brake
switchesCheck operation and correct if necessary.√√√√√
33*Lights and switchesCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Adjust headlight beams.√√√√√ NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1200
(750)2400
(1500)2400
(1500)4800
(3000)
hours 20 75 150 150 300U4S260E0.book Page 6 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
8-7
8 Every two years replace the internal components of the brake master cylinder and calipers, and change
the brake fluid.
Replace the brake hoses every four years and if cracked or damaged.
U4S260E0.book Page 7 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM
8-28
8
EBU28421Rear brake friction plates
The rear brake is provided with a wear indicator,
which allows you to check the brake friction plate
wear without having to disassemble the brake. To
check the brake friction plate wear, check the posi-
tion of the wear indicator while applying the brake.
If a brake friction plate has worn to the point that
the wear indicator reaches the wear limit mark,
have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake friction
plates as a set.
EBU24251Checking the brake fluid level Insufficient brake fluid may allow air to enter the
brake system, possibly causing it to become inef-
fective.
Before riding, check that the brake fluid is above
the minimum level mark and replenish if neces-
sary. A low brake fluid level may indicate worn
brake pads and/or brake system leakage. If the
brake fluid level is low, be sure to check the brake
pads for wear and the brake system for leakage.
Observe these precautions:When checking the fluid level, make sure that
the top of the brake fluid reservoir is level.
1. Wear indicator
2. Wear limit mark
1. Minimum level mark
U4S260E0.book Page 28 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 1:53 PM