Page 27 of 120
4-7
Parking brake Use the parking brake before starting the engine or
parking the ATV, especially on a slope. Apply the
front bake lever and push down the lock button to
apply the parking brake. Squeeze the front brake
lever to release the parking brake.1. Parking brake lock button
4
1
WARNING
Always set the parking brake before starting
the engine. The ATV could start moving un-
expectedly if the parking brake is not ap-
plied. This could cause loss of control or a
collision.Always be sure you have released the park-
ing brake before you begin to ride. The brake
could overheat if you ride the ATV without re-
leasing the parking brake. You could lose
braking performance which could cause an
accident. You could also wear out the brakesprematurely.
Page 29 of 120
4-9
N O T I C EUse only unleaded gasoline. The use of leaded
gasoline will cause severe damage to internal
engine parts, such as the valves and pistonrings, as well as to the exhaust system.
4
WARNING
Do 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.
Page 33 of 120
5-1
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
Pre-operation check listBefore operating this ATV, be sure to check the items listed in the following table.TIPThe maintenance of some items in the table has to be performed by a Yamaha dealer. Refer to the "Periodicmaintenance and lubrication charts" on page 8-3 to determine which service should be performed by a
Yamaha dealer.
5
WARNING
Always inspect your ATV each time you use it to make sure it is in safe operating condition.
Always follow the inspection and maintenance procedures and schedules described in the Owner’sManual. Failure to inspect increases the possibility of an accident or equipment damage.
Page 35 of 120

5-3
FuelMake sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-8.)
Engine oilMake sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-11.)
Final transmission oilMake sure that the final transmission oil is at the
specified level. Add oil as necessary.
(See page 8-14.)Front and rear brakesRecommended brake fluid:
DOT4
3
Brake fluid leakage
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
pipe joint or brake fluid reservoir. Apply the brake
firmly for one minute. If there is any leakage, have a
Yamaha dealer check the brake system.Brake leversCheck for correct free play in the brake levers. If
the free play is incorrect, adjust it. (See pages
8-23 and 8-26.)Check operation of the levers. They should
move smoothly and there should be a firm feel-
ATV checked by a Yamaha dealer.
6
Brake fluid level
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-25.)
15
WARNING
Do 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.
ing when the brakes are applied. If not, have the
Page 36 of 120

5-4
Tires
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 brakes for wear. (See pages 8-22 and 8-25.)
5
WARNING
Throttle 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.
WARNING
Always 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.
WARNING
Use 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 Co., Ltd. for this model.
Other tire combinations are not recommend-
ed.Front: Manufacturer/model:MAXXIS/M939
Size: AT18 x 7-8
Type: Tubeless
Rear: Manufacturer/model:MAXXIS/M940
Page 40 of 120
6-1
OPERATION
6
N O T I C E
See the “Engine break-in” section on page 6-4prior to operating the engine for the first time.1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the fuel cock to “ON”.
3. Turn the main switch to “ON” and the engine stop switch to “RUN”.
Read the Owner’s Manual carefully before riding
the ATV.
WARNING
Read the Owner’s Manual carefully to become
familiar with all controls in order to help pre-
vent any loss of control, which could cause an
accident or injury. If there is a control or func-
tion you do not understand, ask your Yamahadealer. Starting a cold engine
WARNING
Always make sure all control cables work
smoothly before you begin riding in cold
weather. If the control cables are frozen or do
not work smoothly, you could be unable to
control the ATV, which could lead to an acci-dent or collision.
Page 42 of 120

6-3
6
crank the engine more than 10 seconds on eachattempt.6. If the engine is started with the choke in posi- tion (1), the choke should be returned to posi-
tion (2) to warm up the engine. If the engine is
started with the choke in position (2), keep the
choke in this position to warm up the engine.
N O T I C E
For maximum engine life, always warm the en-
gine up before starting off. Never acceleratehard when the engine is cold!
7. Continue warming up the engine until it idles smoothly, then return the choke to position (3)
before riding.TIPThe engine is warm when it responds normally tothe throttle with the choke turned off. Starting a warm engine Follow the same procedure as for starting a cold
engine, with the exception that the choke is not re-
quired when the engine is warm. Instead, start the
engine with the throttle slightly open.
To start out and accelerate1. Squeeze the front brake lever to release the parking brake.
2. Gradually open the throttle while slowly re- leasing the rear brake lever. To decelerate
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.
WARNING
Opening the throttle abruptly or releasing the
clutch lever too quickly could make the ATV
wheelie, which would increase the chance ofan accident, including an overturn.
Page 44 of 120
6-5
Parking on a slope1. Bring the ATV to a stop by applying the brakesin the drive position.
2. Stop the engine.
3. Apply the parking brake.
1. Parking brake lock button
1. Locked position
6
1
1
WARNING
Avoid parking on hills or other inclines. Park-
ing on a hill or other incline could cause the
ATV to roll out of control, increasing the
chance of an accident. If you must park on an
incline, place the ATV transversely across the
incline, stop the engine, apply the parking
brake, and then block the front and rear wheels
with rocks or other objects. Do not park the ATV at all on hills that are sosteep you could not walk up them easily.