2008 YAMAHA XT660X ESP

SAFETY INFORMATION
1-3
1When loading within this weight limit,
keep the following in mind:


Cargo and accessory weight
should be kept as low and close to
the motorcycle as possible. Make
sure to distribute the weight as
evenly as possible on both sides of
the motorcycle to minimize imbal-
ance or instability.


Shifting weights can create a sud-
den imbalance. Make sure that ac-
cessories and cargo are securely
attached to the motorcycle before
riding. Check accessory mounts
and cargo restraints frequently.


Never attach any large or heavy
items to the handlebar, front fork,
or front fender. These items, in-
cluding such cargo as sleeping
bags, duffel bags, or tents, can
create unstable handling or a slow
steering response.
Accessories
Genuine Yamaha accessories have
been specifically designed for use on
this motorcycle. Since Yamaha cannot
test all other accessories that may be
available, you must personally be re-
sponsible for the proper selection, in-stallation and use of non-Yamaha
accessories. Use extreme caution
when selecting and installing any ac-
cessories.
Keep the following guidelines in mind,
as well as those provided under “Load-
ing” when mounting accessories.


Never install accessories or carry
cargo that would impair the perfor-
mance of your motorcycle. Care-
fully inspect the accessory before
using it to make sure that it does
not in any way reduce ground
clearance or cornering clearance,
limit suspension travel, steering
travel or control operation, or ob-
scure lights or reflectors.
Accessories fitted to the handle-
bar or the front fork area can
create instability due to improper
weight distribution or aerody-
namic changes. If accessories
are added to the handlebar or
front fork area, they must be as
lightweight as possible and
should be kept to a minimum.
Bulky or large accessories may
seriously affect the stability of
the motorcycle due to aerody-namic effects. Wind may at-
tempt to lift the motorcycle, or
the motorcycle may become un-
stable in cross winds. These ac-
cessories may also cause
instability when passing or being
passed by large vehicles.
Certain accessories can dis-
place the operator from his or
her normal riding position. This
improper position limits the free-
dom of movement of the opera-
tor and may limit control ability,
therefore, such accessories are
not recommended.


Use caution when adding electri-
cal accessories. If electrical acces-
sories exceed the capacity of the
motorcycle’s electrical system, an
electric failure could result, which
could cause a dangerous loss of
lights or engine power.
Gasoline and exhaust gas


GASOLINE IS HIGHLY FLAMMA-
BLE:
Always turn the engine off when
refueling.
U5VKE1E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-14
3 crease the spring preload and thereby
soften the suspension, turn the adjust-
ing ring in direction (b).
NOTE:Align the appropriate notch in the ad-
justing ring with the position indicatoron the shock absorber.
WARNING
EWA10220
This shock absorber contains highly
pressurized nitrogen gas. For prop-
er handling, read and understand
the following information before
handling the shock absorber. The
manufacturer cannot be held re-
sponsible for property damage or
personal injury that may result from
improper handling.

Do not tamper with or attempt to
open the gas cylinder.


Do not subject the shock ab-
sorber to an open flame or other
high heat sources, otherwise it
may explode due to excessive
gas pressure.


Do not deform or damage the
gas cylinder in any way, as this
will result in poor damping per-
formance.


Always have a Yamaha dealerservice the shock absorber.
EAU15301
Sidestand The sidestand is located on the left side
of the frame. Raise the sidestand or
lower it with your foot while holding the
vehicle upright.NOTE:The built-in sidestand switch is part of
the ignition circuit cut-off system, which
cuts the ignition in certain situations.
(See further down for an explanation ofthe ignition circuit cut-off system.)
WARNING
EWA10240
The vehicle must not be ridden with
the sidestand down, or if the side-
stand cannot be properly moved up
(or does not stay up), otherwise the
sidestand could contact the ground
and distract the operator, resulting
in a possible loss of control.
Yamaha’s ignition circuit cut-off
system has been designed to assist
the operator in fulfilling the respon-
sibility of raising the sidestand be-
fore starting off. Therefore, check
this system regularly as described
Spring preload setting:
Minimum (soft):
1
Standard:
2
Maximum (hard):
5
U5VKE1E0.book Page 14 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM

PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
4-1
4
EAU15591
The condition of a vehicle is the owner’s responsibility. Vital components can start to deteriorate quickly and unexpectedly,
even if the vehicle remains unused (for example, as a result of exposure to the elements). Any damage, fluid leakage or loss
of tire air pressure could have serious consequences. Therefore, it is very important, in addition to a thorough visual inspec-
tion, to check the following points before each ride.NOTE:Pre-operation checks should be made each time the vehicle is used. Such an inspection can be accomplished in a very shorttime; and the added safety it assures is more than worth the time involved.
WARNING
EWA11150
If any item in the Pre-operation check list is not working properly, have it inspected and repaired before operatingthe vehicle.U5VKE1E0.book Page 1 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIR
6-17
6
CAUTION:
ECA10480


Make sure that the air filter ele-
ment is properly seated in the
air filter case.


The engine should never be op-
erated without the air filter ele-
ment installed, otherwise the
piston(s) and/or cylinder(s) maybecome excessively worn.
6. Install the air filter case cover by in-
stalling the screws.
7. Install the panel.
8. Install the seat.
To clean the air filter check hose
1. Check the hose on the side of the
air filter case for accumulated dirt
or water.2. If dirt or water is visible, remove
the hose, clean it, and then install
it.
EAUM1910
Adjusting the engine idling
speed The engine idling speed must be
checked and, if necessary, adjusted as
follows at the intervals specified in the
periodic maintenance and lubrication
chart.
The engine should be warm before
making this adjustment.NOTE:

The engine is warm when it quickly
responds to the throttle.


A diagnostic tachometer is neededto make this adjustment.
1. Attach the tachometer to the spark
plug lead.
2. Check the engine idling speed
and, if necessary, adjust it to spec-
ification by turning the idle adjust-
ing screw. To increase the engine
idling speed, turn the screw in di-
rection (a). To decrease the en-
gine idling speed, turn the screw in
direction (b).
1. Air filter check hose
U5VKE1E0.book Page 17 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIR
6-25
6
NOTE:Using the alignment marks on each
side of the swingarm, make sure that
both adjusting nuts are in the same po-sition for proper wheel alignment.CAUTION:
ECA10570
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 thespecified limits.3. Tighten the locknuts, and then
tighten the axle nut to the specified
torque.
EAU34311
To adjust the drive chain slack
(XT660X)
1. Loosen the axle nut and the lock-
nut on each side of the swingarm.
2. To tighten the drive chain, turn the
adjusting bolt on each side of the
swingarm in direction (a). To loos-
en the drive chain, turn the adjust-
ing bolt on each side of the
swingarm in direction (b), and then
push the rear wheel forward.NOTE:Using the alignment marks on each
side of the swingarm, make sure that
both chain pullers are in the same posi-tion for proper wheel alignment.
CAUTION:
ECA10570
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 thespecified limits.
3. Tighten the locknuts, then the axle
nut to their specified torques.
1. Axle nut
2. Drive chain slack adjusting nut
3. Locknut
4. Alignment marks
Tightening torque:
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 11 ft·lbf)
Axle nut:
104 Nm (10.4 m·kgf, 75 ft·lbf)
1. Axle nut
2. Drive chain slack adjusting bolt
3. Locknut
4. Alignment marks
4
3
12(a)
(b)
U5VKE1E0.book Page 25 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIR
6-26
6
EAU23022
Cleaning and 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.CAUTION:
ECA10581
The drive chain must be lubricated
after washing the motorcycle andriding in the rain.
1. Clean the drive chain with kero-
sene and a small soft brush.CAUTION:
ECA11120
To prevent damaging the O-rings, do
not clean the drive chain with steam
cleaners, high-pressure washers orinappropriate solvents.
2. Wipe the drive chain dry.
3. Thoroughly lubricate the drive
chain with a special O-ring chain
lubricant.
CAUTION:
ECA11110
Do not use engine oil or any other lu-
bricants for the drive chain, as they
may contain substances that coulddamage the O-rings.
Tightening torques:
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 11 ft·lbf)
Axle nut:
104 Nm (10.4 m·kgf, 75 ft·lbf)
U5VKE1E0.book Page 26 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM

MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
7-1
7
EAU26001
Care 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 motor-
cycle. 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 outlet with a
plastic bag 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 cap, are tightly in-
stalled.
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 de-
greaser off with water.
Cleaning
CAUTION:
ECA10770


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 cor-
rosion 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.


Do not use any harsh chemical
products on plastic parts. Be
sure to avoid using cloths or
sponges which have been in
contact with strong or abrasivecleaning products, solvent or
thinner, fuel (gasoline), rust re-
movers or inhibitors, brake flu-
id, antifreeze or electrolyte.


Do not use high-pressure wash-
ers or steam-jet cleaners since
they cause water seepage and
deterioration in the following ar-
eas: seals (of wheel and swing-
arm bearings, fork and brakes),
electric components (couplers,
connectors, instruments,
switches and lights), breather
hoses and vents.


For motorcycles equipped with
a windshield: Do not use strong
cleaners or hard sponges as
they will cause dulling or
scratching. Some cleaning com-
pounds for plastic may leave
scratches on the windshield.
Test the product on a small hid-
den part of the windshield to
make sure that it does not leave
any marks. If the windshield is
scratched, use a quality plastic
polishing compound afterwashing.
U5VKE1E0.book Page 1 Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:00 PM