2008 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 700 Owners Manual

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7
WARNING
EWB01550Always mount a caution flag on the ATV to
make you more visible when operating in areas
where you might not be seen by other vehicles.Watch carefully for other vehicles.
Do not ride in areas posted “no trespassing”.
Do not ride on private property without getting per-
mission.Select a large, flat, unpaved area to become famil-
iar with your ATV. Make sure that this area is free
of obstacles and other riders. You should practice
control of the throttle, brakes, shifting procedures,
and turning techniques in this area before trying
more difficult terrain. Always avoid riding on paved
surfaces: the ATV is designed for use on unpaved
surfaces only, and handling maneuvers are more
difficult to perform on pavement.
Shift to the park position and follow the instruction
on page 6-1 to start the engine. Once it has
warmed up you are ready to begin riding your ATV.
Remember that the engine and exhaust pipe will
be hot when riding and afterwards; do not allow
skin or clothing to come in contact with these com-
ponents.U3B462E0.book Page 12 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:46 AM

7-13
7With the engine idling, shift the drive select lever
into the low-range position or the high-range posi-
tion. 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 control. Avoid higher speeds un-
til you are thoroughly familiar with the operation of
your ATV.
When slowing down or stopping, release the throt-
tle and apply the brakes smoothly and evenly. Im-
proper use of the brakes can cause the tires to lose
traction, reducing control and increasing the possi-
bility of an accident.
CAUTION:ECB00250Do not shift from drive position low-range to
high-range or vice versa without coming to a
complete stop. Damage to the engine or drivetrain may occur.
TURNING YOUR ATV
To achieve maximum traction on unpaved surfac-
es in 2WD or 4WD, the two rear wheels turn to-
gether at the same speed. Furthermore, when
riding in 4WD-LOCK (“DIFF. LOCK”), the frontwheels also turn together at the same speed.
Therefore, unless the wheel on the inside 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 essential that this skill be
learned first at low speed.
WARNING
EWB01770Always follow proper procedures for turning
as described in this Owner’s Manual. Practice
turning at low speeds before attempting to turn
at faster speeds. Do not turn at speeds too fast
for your skills or the conditions. Operate at a
slow speed and allow extra time and distance
for maneuvers when in 4WD-LOCK (“DIFF.LOCK”).
As you approach a curve, slow down and begin to
turn the handlebars in the desired direction. As you
do so, put your weight on the footboard to the out-
side 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 maneuver will let the wheel on the inside of
the turn slip slightly, allowing the ATV to make the
turn properly.
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7
This procedure should be practiced at slow speed
many times in a large unpaved area with no obsta-
cles. 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 proce-
dure again. If the riding surface 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.Improper riding procedures such as abrupt throttle
changes, excessive braking, incorrect body move-
ments, or too much speed for the sharpness of the
turn may cause the ATV to tip. If the ATV begins to
tip over to the outside while negotiating a turn, lean
more to the inside. It may also be necessary to
gradually let off on the throttle and steer to the out-
side of the turn to avoid tipping over.
Remember: Avoid higher speeds until you are
thoroughly familiar with the operation of your ATV.
CLIMBING UPHILL
Use proper riding techniques to avoid ATV over-
turns on hills. Be sure that you can maneuver your
ATV well on flat ground before attempting any in-
cline and then practice riding first on gentle slopes.
Try more difficult climbs only after you have devel-
oped your skill. In all cases avoid inclines with slip-
pery or loose surfaces, or obstacles that might
cause you to lose control.
1. Lean towards inside of turn.
2. Support your weight on the outer footboard.U3B462E0.book Page 14 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:46 AM

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7
WARNING
EWB01580Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for the
ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can overturn
more easily on extremely steep hills than on
level surfaces or small hills. Practice on small-er hills before attempting large hills.
It is important when climbing a hill to make sure
that your weight is transferred forward on the ATV.
This can be accomplished by leaning forward and,
on steeper inclines, standing on the footboards
and leaning forward over the handlebars.
WARNING
EWB01670
Always follow proper procedures for climb-
ing hills as described in this Owner’s Manu-
al.
Always check the terrain carefully before
you start up any hill.
Never climb hills with excessively slippery or
loose surfaces.
Shift your weight forward.
Never open the throttle suddenly. The ATV
could flip over backwards.

Never go over the top of any hill at high
speed. An obstacle, a sharp drop, or another
vehicle or person could be on the other sideof the hill.
If you are climbing a hill and you find that you have
not properly judged your ability to make it to the
top, you should turn the ATV around while you still
have forward motion (provided you have the room
to do so) and go down the hill.
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7
WARNING
EWB01600Never attempt to turn the ATV around on any
hill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning on
any hill. Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill
if possible.
When crossing the side of a hill:
Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.
Shift your weight to the uphill side of theATV.If your ATV has stalled or stopped and you believe
you can continue up the hill, restart carefully 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, dismount the ATV on the up-
hill side. Physically turn the ATV around and then
descend the hill.
If you start to roll backwards, DO NOT apply either
brake abruptly. If you are in 2WD, apply only the
front brake. If you are in 4WD or 4WD-LOCK, be-
cause all wheels are interconnected by the drive
train, applying either brake will brake all wheels,
therefore, avoid sudden application of either the
front or rear brake as the wheels on the uphill side
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7-17
7could come off the ground. The ATV could easily
tip over backwards. Apply both the front and rear
brakes gradually, or dismount the ATV immediate-
ly on the uphill side.
WARNING
EWB01801Use the proper gear and maintain a steady
speed when climbing a hill.
If you lose all forward speed:
Keep weight uphill.
Apply the brakes.
Shift into the park position after you are
stopped.
If you begin rolling backwards:
Keep weight uphill.
2WD: Never apply the rear brake while rolling
backwards. Apply the front brake.
4WD or 4WD-LOCK: Apply both front and
rear brakes gradually.
When fully stopped, shift into the park posi-
tion.
Dismount on uphill side or to a side if pointed
straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and re-
mount, following the procedure described inthe Owner’s Manual.RIDING DOWNHILL
When riding your ATV downhill, shift your weight
as far to the rear and uphill side of the ATV as pos-
sible. Move back on the seat and sit with your arms
straight. Engine compression will do most of the
braking for you. For maximum engine compres-
sion braking effect, select the low-range position
and change to 4WD or 4WD-LOCK before begin-
ning to descend the hill. Improper braking may
cause a loss of traction.
Use caution while descending a hill with loose or
slippery surfaces. Braking ability and traction may
be adversely affected by these surfaces. Improper
braking may also cause a loss of traction.U3B462E0.book Page 17 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:46 AM

7-18
7 When this ATV is in 4WD or 4WD-LOCK, 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 descending 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 up-
hill side could come off the ground. Apply both the
front and rear brakes gradually.
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
hill. Avoid sharp angles which could allow the ATV
to tip or roll over. Carefully choose your path and
ride no faster than you will be able to react to ob-
stacles which may appear.
WARNING
EWB01620Always follow proper procedures for going
down hills as described in this Owner’s Manu-
al.
Note: a special technique is required when
braking as you go down a hill.
Always check the terrain carefully before
you start down any hill.
Shift your weight backward.
Never go down a hill at high speed.

Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-ble.
CROSSING A SLOPE
Traversing a sloping surface on your ATV requires
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
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7-19
7to cross a sloping surface. Avoid slopes with slip-
pery 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 correct 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.
If your ATV does begin to tip over, gradually steer
in the downhill direction if there are no obstacles in
your path. As you regain proper balance, gradually
steer again in the direction you wish to travel.
WARNING
EWB01631Never attempt to turn the ATV around on any
hill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning on
any hill. Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill
if possible.
When crossing the side of a hill:
Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.

Shift your weight to the uphill side of theATV.
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW WATER
The ATV can be used to cross slow moving, shal-
low water of up to a maximum of 35 cm (14 in) in
depth. Before entering the water, choose your path
carefully. Enter where there is no sharp drop off,
and avoid rocks or other obstacles which may be
slippery or upset the ATV. Drive slowly and care-
fully.
U3B462E0.book Page 19 Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:46 AM