Page 9 of 94
SAFETY INFORMATION
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ed by road and traffic conditions.
Always signal before turning or
changing lanes. Make sure that
other motorists can see you.
The posture of the operator and
passenger is important for proper
control.
The operator should keep both
hands on the handlebar and
both feet on the operator foot-
rests during operation to main-
tain control of the scooter.
The passenger should always
hold onto the operator, the seat
strap or grab bar, if equipped,
with both hands and keep both
feet on the passenger footrests.
Never carry a passenger unless
he or she can firmly place both
feet on the passenger footrests.
Never ride under the influence of
alcohol or other drugs.
This scooter is designed for
on-road use only. It is not suitable
for off-road use.
Protective apparel
The majority of fatalities from scooteraccidents are the result of head inju-
ries. The use of a safety helmet is the
single most critical factor in the preven-
tion or reduction of head injuries.
Always wear an approved helmet.
Wear a face shield or goggles.
Wind in your unprotected eyes
could contribute to an impairment
of vision that could delay seeing a
hazard.
The use of a jacket, substantial
shoes, trousers, gloves, etc., is ef-
fective in preventing or reducing
abrasions or lacerations.
Never wear loose-fitting clothes,
otherwise they could catch on the
control levers or wheels and cause
injury or an accident.
Always wear protective clothing
that covers your legs, ankles, and
feet. The engine or exhaust sys-
tem become very hot during or af-
ter operation and can cause burns.
A passenger should also observe
the above precautions.
Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
All engine exhaust contains carbonmonoxide, a deadly gas. Breathing car-
bon monoxide can cause headaches,
dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, confu-
sion, and eventually death.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odor-
less, tasteless gas which may be
present even if you do not see or smell
any engine exhaust. Deadly levels of
carbon monoxide can collect rapidly
and you can quickly be overcome and
unable to save yourself. Also, deadly
levels of carbon monoxide can linger
for hours or days in enclosed or poorly
ventilated areas. If you experience any
symptoms of carbon monoxide poison-
ing, leave the area immediately, get
fresh air, and SEEK MEDICAL TREAT-
MENT.
Do not run engine indoors. Even if
you try to ventilate engine exhaust
with fans or open windows and
doors, carbon monoxide can rap-
idly reach dangerous levels.
Do not run engine in poorly venti-
lated or partially enclosed areas
such as barns, garages, or car-
ports.
Do not run engine outdoors where
Page 10 of 94
SAFETY INFORMATION
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engine exhaust can be drawn into
a building through openings such
as windows and doors.
Loading
Adding accessories or cargo to your
scooter can adversely affect stability
and handling if the weight distribution of
the scooter is changed. To avoid the
possibility of an accident, use extreme
caution when adding cargo or accesso-
ries to your scooter. Use extra care
when riding a scooter that has added
cargo or accessories. Here, along with
the information about accessories be-
low, are some general guidelines to fol-
low if loading cargo to your scooter:
The total weight of the operator, pas-
senger, accessories and cargo must
not exceed the maximum load limit.
Operation of an overloaded vehicle
could cause an accident.
When loading within this weight limit,
keep the following in mind:
Cargo and accessory weight
should be kept as low and close to
the scooter as possible. Securely
pack your heaviest items as close
to the center of the vehicle as pos-
sible and make sure to distribute
the weight as evenly as possible
on both sides of the scooter to min-
imize imbalance or instability.
Shifting weights can create a sud-
den imbalance. Make sure that ac-
cessories and cargo are securely
attached to the scooter before
riding. Check accessory mounts
and cargo restraints frequently.
Properly adjust the suspension
for your load (suspension-ad-
justable models only), and
check the condition and pres-
sure of your tires.
Never attach any large or heavy
items to the handlebar, front
fork, or front fender. Such items
can create unstable handling or
a slow steering response.
This vehicle is not designed to
pull a trailer or to be attached to
a sidecar.Genuine Yamaha Accessories
Choosing accessories for your vehicle
is an important decision. Genuine
Yamaha accessories, which are avail-
able only from a Yamaha dealer, have
been designed, tested, and approved
by Yamaha for use on your vehicle.
Many companies with no connection to
Yamaha manufacture parts and acces-
sories or offer other modifications for
Yamaha vehicles. Yamaha is not in a
position to test the products that these
aftermarket companies produce.
Therefore, Yamaha can neither en-
dorse nor recommend the use of ac-
cessories not sold by Yamaha or
modifications not specifically recom-
mended by Yamaha, even if sold and
installed by a Yamaha dealer.
Aftermarket Parts, Accessories,
and Modifications
While you may find aftermarket prod-
ucts similar in design and quality to
genuine Yamaha accessories, recog-
nize that some aftermarket accessories
or modifications are not suitable be-
cause of potential safety hazards to you
Maximum load:
XP500 194 kg (428 lb)
XP500A 190 kg (419 lb)
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SAFETY INFORMATION
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or others. Installing aftermarket prod-
ucts or having other modifications per-
formed to your vehicle that change any
of the vehicle’s design or operation
characteristics can put you and others
at greater risk of serious injury or death.
You are responsible for injuries related
to changes in the vehicle.
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 scooter. Carefully
inspect the accessory before using
it to make sure that it does not in
any way reduce ground clearance
or cornering clearance, limit sus-
pension travel, steering travel or
control operation, or obscure 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 aslightweight as possible and
should be kept to a minimum.
Bulky or large accessories may
seriously affect the stability of
the scooter due to aerodynamic
effects. Wind may attempt to lift
the scooter, or the scooter may
become unstable in cross
winds. These accessories 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
scooter’s electrical system, an
electric failure could result, which
could cause a dangerous loss of
lights or engine power.
Aftermarket Tires and Rims
The tires and rims that came with your
scooter were designed to match the
performance capabilities and to provide
the best combination of handling, brak-
ing, and comfort. Other tires, rims, siz-
es, and combinations may not be
appropriate. Refer to page 6-19 for tire
specifications and more information on
replacing your tires.
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SAFETY INFORMATION
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EAU10372
Further safe-riding points
Be sure to signal clearly when
making turns.
Braking can be extremely difficult
on a wet road. Avoid hard braking,
because the scooter could slide.
Apply the brakes slowly when
stopping on a wet surface.
Slow down as you approach a cor-
ner or turn. Once you have com-
pleted a turn, accelerate slowly.
Be careful when passing parked
cars. A driver might not see you
and open a door in your path.
Railroad crossings, streetcar rails,
iron plates on road construction
sites, and manhole covers be-
come extremely slippery when
wet. Slow down and cross them
with caution. Keep the scooter up-
right, otherwise it could slide out
from under you.
The brake pads could get wet
when you wash the scooter. After
washing the scooter, check the
brakes before riding.
Always wear a helmet, gloves,
trousers (tapered around the cuffand ankle so they do not flap), and
a bright colored jacket.
Do not carry too much luggage on
the scooter. An overloaded scoot-
er is unstable. Use a strong cord to
secure any luggage to the carrier
(if equipped). A loose load will af-
fect the stability of the scooter and
could divert your attention from the
road. (See page 1-1.)
Page 13 of 94
2-1
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3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DESCRIPTION
EAU10410
Left view
3
5
109
8
76
11
1
4
2
1. Fuel tank cap (page 3-15)
2. V-belt air filter element (left)
3. Helmet holder (page 3-20)
4. Rear storage compartment (page 3-20)
5. Grab bar (page 5-2)
6. Chain drive oil filler cap (page 6-14)
7. Engine oil filler cap (page 6-11)
8. Sidestand (page 3-23, 6-25)9. Engine oil drain bolt (page 6-11)
10. Engine oil level check window (page 6-11)
11. Oil filter cartridge (page 6-11)
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DESCRIPTION
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
EAU10420
Right view
2
6
5
7
1
34
1. Owner’s tool kit (page 6-2)
2. Air filter element (page 6-17)
3. Battery (page 6-27)
4. Fuses (page 6-29)
5. Coolant level check window (page 6-15)
6. V-belt air filter element (right)
7. Centerstand (page 6-25)
Page 15 of 94
DESCRIPTION
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3
4
5
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7
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9
EAU10430
Controls and instruments
5
4
2
3
7
8
9
1
12
10
6
11
13
1. Rear brake lever (page 3-13)
2. Left handlebar switches (page 3-11)
3. Rear brake lock lever (page 3-14)
4. Coolant temperature gauge (page 3-5)
5. Speedometer (page 3-4)
6. Multi-function display (page 3-6)
7. Fuel gauge (page 3-5)
8. Right handlebar switches (page 3-11)9. Front brake lever (page 3-12)
10. Throttle grip (page 6-18)
11. Front storage compartment B (page 3-20)
12. Main switch/steering lock (page 3-2)
13. Front storage compartment A (page 3-20)
Page 16 of 94
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INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
EAU10974
Immobilizer system
This vehicle is equipped with an immo-
bilizer system to help prevent theft by
re-registering codes in the standard
keys. This system consists of the fol-
lowing.
a code re-registering key (with a
red bow)
two standard keys (with a black
bow) that can be re-registered with
new codes
a transponder (which is installed in
the code re-registering key)
an immobilizer unit
an ECU (Electronic Control Unit)
an immobilizer system indicator
light (See page 3-3.)
The key with the red bow is used to reg-
ister codes in each standard key. Since
re-registering is a difficult process, take
the vehicle along with all three keys to
a Yamaha dealer to have them re-reg-
istered. Do not use the key with the red
bow for driving. It should only be used
for re-registering the standard keys. Al-
ways use a standard key for driving.
NOTICE
ECA11821
DO NOT LOSE THE CODE
RE-REGISTERING KEY! CON-
TACT YOUR DEALER IMMEDI-
ATELY IF IT IS LOST! If the code
re-registering key is lost, regis-
tering new codes in the stan-
dard keys is impossible. The
standard keys can still be used
to start the vehicle, however if
code re-registering is required
(i.e., if a new standard key is
made or all keys are lost) the en-
tire immobilizer system must be
replaced. Therefore, it is highly
recommended to use either
standard key and keep the codere-registering key in a safe
place.
Do not submerse any key in wa-
ter.
Do not expose any key to exces-
sively high temperatures.
Do not place any key close to
magnets (this includes, but not
limited to, products such as
speakers, etc.).
Do not place items that transmit
electrical signals close to any
key.
Do not place heavy items on any
key.
Do not grind any key or alter its
shape.
Do not disassemble the plastic
part of any key.
Do not put two keys of any im-
mobilizer system on the same
key ring.
Keep the standard keys as well
as keys of other immobilizer
systems away from this vehi-
cle’s code re-registering key.
Keep other immobilizer system
keys away from the main switch
1. Code re-registering key (red bow)
2. Standard keys (black bow)
