OPERATION .................................................. 6-1
Starting a cold engine ................................ 6-1
Starting a warm engine .............................. 6-3
Operating the drive select lever and
driving in reverse ...................................... 6-3
Engine break-in .......................................... 6-5
Parking ....................................................... 6-5
Parking on a slope ..................................... 6-6
Accessories and loading ............................ 6-6
RIDING YOUR ATV ...................................... 7-1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ATV............... 7-2
RIDE WITH CARE AND GOOD
JUDGMENT .............................................. 7-2
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU RIDE ............. 7-9
TURNING YOUR ATV .............................. 7-12
CLIMBING UPHILL ................................... 7-13
RIDING DOWNHILL.................................. 7-16
CROSSING A SLOPE............................... 7-17
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW
WATER ................................................... 7-18
RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN ........... 7-21
SLIDING AND SKIDDING ......................... 7-21
WHAT TO DO IF... .................................... 7-23
WHAT TO DO... ........................................ 7-23PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND
ADJUSTMENT................................................8-1
Owner’s manual and tool kit .......................8-1
Periodic maintenance chart for the
emission control system ...........................8-3
General maintenance and lubrication
chart ..........................................................8-5
Removing and installing panels ..................8-9
Checking the spark plug ...........................8-14
Engine oil and oil filter cartridge ................8-17
Final gear oil .............................................8-21
Differential gear oil ....................................8-24
Coolant .....................................................8-26
Cleaning the air filter element ...................8-30
Cleaning the spark arrester ......................8-33
V-belt cooling duct check hose .................8-35
V-belt case drain plug ...............................8-35
Adjusting the carburetor ............................8-36
Adjusting the engine idling speed .............8-36
Adjusting the throttle cable free play .........8-37
Valve clearance ........................................8-38
Adjusting the drive select lever safety
system cable ...........................................8-38
Brakes .......................................................8-38
Checking the front brake pads and rear
brake friction plates .................................8-39
Checking the brake fluid level ...................8-40U37S61E0.book Page 2 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
Changing the brake fluid .......................... 8-41
Checking the front brake lever free
play ......................................................... 8-41
Adjusting the brake pedal and rear brake
lever free play and checking the brake
pedal position ......................................... 8-42
Axle boots ................................................ 8-45
Brake light switches ................................. 8-46
Checking and lubricating the cables ........ 8-47
Checking and lubricating the front and
rear brake levers .................................... 8-47
Checking and lubricating the brake
pedal ...................................................... 8-48
Checking the wheel hub bearings ............ 8-49
Lubricating the drive shaft universal
joint ......................................................... 8-49
Checking the stabilizer bushes ................ 8-50
Lubricating the rear knuckle pivots ........... 8-50
Lubricating the steering shaft ................... 8-50
Battery ...................................................... 8-51
Replacing a fuse ...................................... 8-53
Replacing a headlight bulb ....................... 8-55
Adjusting a headlight beam ...................... 8-57
Replacing the tail/brake light bulb ............ 8-57
Removing a wheel .................................... 8-59
Installing a wheel ...................................... 8-59
Troubleshooting ....................................... 8-61Troubleshooting charts .............................8-62
CLEANING AND STORAGE ..........................9-1
Cleaning ......................................................9-1
Storage .......................................................9-2
SPECIFICATIONS .......................................10-1
CONSUMER INFORMATION.......................11-1
Identification numbers ...............................11-1
U37S61E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
5-2
5
Front brakeCheck operation. If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hy-
draulic system.
Check brake pads for wear, and replace if necessary.
Check brake fluid level in reservoir, and add recommended brake
fluid to specified level if necessary.
Check hydraulic system for leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-39, 8-40, 8-41
Rear brakeCheck operation, and correct if necessary.
Lubricate cables if necessary.
Check lever and pedal free play, and adjust if necessary.5-3, 8-39, 8-42
Throttle leverMake sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate cable and lever hous-
ing if necessary.
Check cable free play, and adjust if necessary.5-4, 8-37
Control cablesMake sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate if necessary. 8-47
Wheels and tiresCheck wheel condition, and replace if damaged.
Check tire condition and tread depth. Replace if necessary.
Check air pressure. Correct if necessary.5-4
Brake pedal Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate pedal pivoting point if
necessary.8-48
Brake leversMake sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate lever pivoting points if
necessary.8-47
Axle bootsCheck for cracks or damage, and replace if necessary. 8-45
Chassis fastenersMake sure that all nuts, bolts and screws are properly tightened. 5-7
Instruments, lights and
switchesCheck operation, and correct if necessary. 5-7 ITEM ROUTINE PAGEU37S61E0.book Page 2 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
5-3
5
EBU19541Fuel Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-14.)EBU19560Engine oil Make sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-17.)EBU19590Final gear oil Make sure that the final gear oil is at the specified
level. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-21.)EBU19600Differential gear oil Make sure that the differential gear oil is at the
specified level. Add oil as necessary. (See page
8-24.)EBU19631Coolant Make sure that the coolant is at the specified level.
Add coolant as necessary. (See page 8-26.)
TIPThe coolant level must be checked on a cold en-
gine since the level varies with engine tempera-
ture.EBU28531Front and rear brakes Brake levers and brake pedalCheck that there is no free play in the front brake
lever. If there is free play, have a Yamaha dealer
check the brake system.Check for correct free play in the rear brake lever
and brake pedal. If the free play is incorrect, ad-
just it. (See page 8-42.)Check operation of the levers and pedal. They
should move smoothly and there should be a
firm feeling when the brake is applied. If not,
have a Yamaha dealer check them.
Brake fluid level (front brake)
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-40.)
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
U37S61E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
5-4
5Brake fluid leakage (front brake)
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
hose, joint or brake fluid reservoir of the front
brake. Apply the brake firmly for one minute. If the
lever moves slowly inward, there may be a leak in
the brake system. If there is any leakage, the brake
system should be checked by a Yamaha dealer.
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 brake pads and friction plates for wear. (See
page 8-39.)
EBU19761Throttle 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.EBU19814Tires Check tire pressure regularly to make sure it is at
the recommended specifications. Also check for
wear and damage.Tire pressure
Use the low-pressure tire gauge to check and ad-
just tire pressures when the tires are cold. Tire
pressures must be equal on both sides.
WARNING! Operation of this vehicle with im-
proper tire pressure may cause severe injury
or death from loss of control or rollover. Tire
pressure below the minimum specified could
also cause the tire to dislodge from the rim un-
der severe riding conditions.
[EWB02541]
Set tire
pressures to the following specifications:
U37S61E0.book Page 4 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
8-5
8
EBU21865General maintenance and lubrication chart TIPFor ATVs not equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the month maintenance intervals.For ATVs equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the km (mi) or hours maintenance inter-
vals. However, keep in mind that if the ATV isn’t used for a long period of time, the month maintenance
intervals should be followed.Items marked with an asterisk should be performed by a Yamaha dealer as they require special tools,
data and technical skills.NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1300
(800)2500
(1600)2500
(1600)5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320
1 Air filter elementClean and replace if necessary.Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
2*Front brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
3*Rear brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check brake lever and pedal free play, and adjust
if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake friction plates. Whenever worn to the limit
U37S61E0.book Page 5 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
8-8
8
EBU28391TIPSome maintenance items need more frequent service if you are riding in unusually wet, dusty, sandy or
muddy areas, or at full-throttle.Hydraulic brake service
Regularly check and, if necessary, correct the brake fluid level.
Every two years replace the internal components of the brake master cylinder and calipers, and change
the brake fluid.
Replace the brake hoses every four years and if cracked or damaged.26*Throttle lever hous-
ing and cableCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check throttle cable free play and adjust if neces-
sary.
Lubricate throttle lever housing and cable.√√√√√
27*Front and rear brake
switchesCheck operation and correct if necessary.√√√√√
28*Lights and switchesCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Adjust headlight beams.√√√√√ NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1300
(800)2500
(1600)2500
(1600)5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320U37S61E0.book Page 8 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM
8-40
8the wear indicator reaches the wear limit mark,
have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake friction
plates as a set.
EBU29840Checking the brake fluid level Insufficient brake fluid may allow air to enter the
brake system, possibly causing it to become inef-
fective.
Before riding, check that the brake fluid is above
the minimum level mark and replenish if neces-
sary. A low brake fluid level may indicate wornbrake 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.
Observe these precautions:
When checking the fluid level, make sure that
the top of the brake fluid reservoir is level.Use only the recommended quality brake fluid,
otherwise the rubber seals may deteriorate,
causing leakage and poor braking performance.
1. Wear indicator
2. Wear limit mark
1. Minimum level markRecommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
U37S61E0.book Page 40 Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:33 AM