2009 YAMAHA YFM90R brakes

7-15
Do not ride in areas posted “no trespassing”.
Do not ride on private property without getting per-
mission.
Select a large, flat area off-road to become familiar
with your ATV. Make sure that this area is free of
obstacles and other riders. You should practice
control of the throttle, brakes, and turning tech-
niques in this area before trying more difficult ter-
rain. Always avoid riding on paved surfaces: the
ATV is designed for off-road use only, and han-
dling maneuvers are more difficult to perform on
pavement.
Set the parking brake 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. Re-
7
member 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 compo-
nents.
Apply the throttle slowly and smoothly. 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 until 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.
TURNING YOUR ATV
To achieve maximum traction while riding off-road,
the two rear wheels are mounted solidly on one
axle and turn together at the same speed. There-
fore, unless the wheel on the inside of the turn is al-
lowed 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 With the engine idling, release the parking brake.

7-20
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. Allow the engine compression to do most
of the braking for you. 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.
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
7
WARNING
Maintain a steady speed when climbing a hill.
If you lose all forward speed:Keep weight uphill.Apply the brakes.Lock the parking brake after you are
stopped.
If you begin rolling backwards:Keep weight uphill.Never apply the rear brake while rolling
backwards. Apply the front brake.When fully stopped, apply the rear brake as
well, and then lock the parking brake.
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.

7-23
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.Test your brakes after leaving the water. Do not
continue to ride your ATV without verifying that you
have regained proper braking ability.
7
WARNING
Never operate this ATV in fast flowing water or
in water deeper than that specified in your
Ow ner’ s Manual. Remember that wet brakes
may have reduced stopping ability. Test your
brakes after leaving water. If necessary, apply
them several times to let friction dry out the lin-
ings. If the ATV is operated through deep or
fast flowing water, the tires may float, causing
loss of traction and loss of control, whichcould lead to an accident.

7-25
SLIDING AND SKIDDING
Care should be used when riding on loose or slip-
pery surfaces since the ATV may slide. If unex-
pected and uncorrected, sliding could lead to an
accident.
To reduce the tendency for the front wheels to slide
in loose or slippery conditions, positioning your
weight over the front wheels will sometimes help. If the rear wheels of your ATV start to slide side-
ways, control can usually be regained (if there is
room to do so) by steering in the direction of the
slide. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the slide.
7
WARNING
Before operating in a new area, check for ob-
stacles. Never attempt to ride over large obsta-
cles, such as large rocks or fallen trees. When
you go over obstacles, always follow proper
procedures as described in the Owner ’s Manu-al.

7-27
Lean more into the turn to regain balance. If nec-
essary, gradually let off the throttle and/or steer
to the outside of the turn. (See page 7-15.)If your ATV starts to slide sideways:
Steer in the direction of the slide if you have the
room. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the
slide. (See page 7-25.)If your ATV can’t make it up a hill you are trying
to climb:
Turn the ATV around if you still have forward
speed. If not, stop, dismount on the uphill side of
the ATV and physically turn the ATV around. If
the ATV starts to slip backwards, DO NOT USE
THE REAR BRAKE – the ATV may tip over on
top of you. Instead, apply the front brake or dis-
mount the ATV on the uphill side. (See
page 7-17.)If your ATV is traversing a sloping surface:
Be sure to ride with your weight positioned to-
wards the uphill side of the ATV to maintain
proper balance. If the ATV starts to tip, steer
down the hill (if there are no obstacles in your
way) to regain balance. If you discover that the
ATV is going to tip over, dismount on the uphill
side. (See page 7-21.)
If your ATV encounters shallow water:
Ride slowly and carefully through slow moving
water, watching for obstacles. Be sure to let wa-
ter drain from the ATV and CHECK YOUR
BRAKES FOR PROPER OPERATION when
you come out of the water. Do not continue to
ride your ATV until you have regained adequate
braking ability. (See page 7-22.)
7

8-22
The throttle cable free play should measure 1.0–
3.0 mm (0.04–0.12 in) at the throttle lever. Period-
ically check the throttle cable free play and, if nec-
essary, have a Yamaha dealer adjust it. Timing chainThe timing chain stretches with use, resulting in im-
proper valve timing and engine noise. To prevent
this from occurring, the timing chain tensioner
must be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
Valve clearanceThe valve clearance changes with use, resulting in
improper air-fuel mixture and/or engine noise. To
prevent this from occurring, the valve clearance
must be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
1. Throttle lever free play
1
BrakesReplacement of brake components requires
professional knowledge.Brake service should be
performed by a Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
Operating with improperly serviced or adjusted
brakes could lead to a loss
in braking ability
and an accident.
8
Checking the front brake shoesThe front brake shoes must be checked for wear at
the intervals specified in the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart. Front brake is provided with a
wear indicator on front brake lever, which allows you

4. Tighten the lower locknut.
5. While applying the front brake, turn out the up-per adjusting bolt until the upper and lower ca-
ble lengths are equal. The cable joint will
become vertical.1. Upper locknut
2. Upper adjusting bolt
3. Lower locknut
4. Lower adjusting bolt
12
4
3 (a)(b)
(a)
(b)
11. Cable joint6. Tighten the upper locknut.
8-24
8
WARNING
Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could cause loss of braking ability,
which could lead to an accident.

8-25
The rear brake pads must be checked for wear at the
intervals specified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart. Each brake pad is provided with
wear indicator grooves, which allow you to check the
brake pad wear without having to disassemble the
brake. If a brake pad has worn to the point that the
wear indicator grooves have almost disappeared,
have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake pads as a
set.Checking the rear brake pads
Insufficient brake fluid may allow air to enter the brake
system, possibly causing it to become ineffective.
Before riding, check that the brake fluid is above the
minimum level mark and replenish if necessary.
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.Checking the brake fluid level 1. Wear indicator groove
8
1
After servicing:Make sure the brakes operate smoothly and
that the free play is correct.Make sure the brakes do not drag.
Replacement of brake components requires
professional knowledge. These proceduresshould be performed by a Yamaha dealer.