
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-27
6
EAU23283
Checking the steering Worn or loose steering bearings may
cause danger. Therefore, the operation
of the steering must be checked as fol-
lows at the intervals specified in the pe-
riodic maintenance and lubrication
chart.
1. Place a stand under the engine to
raise the front wheel off the
ground. (See page 6-32 for more
information.) WARNING! To
avoid injury, securely support
the vehicle so there is no danger
of it falling over.
[EWA10751]
2. Hold the lower ends of the front
fork legs and try to move them for-
ward and backward. If any free
play can be felt, have a Yamaha
dealer check or repair the steering.
EAU23291
Checking the wheel bearings The front and rear wheel bearings must
be checked at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart. If there is play in the wheel
hub or if the wheel does not turn
smoothly, have a Yamaha dealer check
the wheel bearings.
EAU23324
Battery A poorly maintained battery will corrode
and discharge quickly. The electrolyte
level, battery lead connections and
breather hose routing should be
checked before each ride and at the in-
tervals specified in the periodic mainte-
nance and lubrication chart.
WARNING
EWA10770
Electrolyte is poisonous and
dangerous since it contains sul-
furic acid, which causes severe
burns. Avoid any contact with
skin, eyes or clothing and al-
ways shield your eyes when
working near batteries. In case
of contact, administer the fol-
lowing FIRST AID.
EXTERNAL: Flush with plenty
of water.
INTERNAL: Drink large quan-
tities of water or milk and im-
mediately call a physician.
EYES: Flush with water for 15
minutes and seek prompt
medical attention.
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-32
6
EAUM2620
Replacing the license plate
light bulb 1. Remove panel B. (See page 6-7.)
2. Remove the socket (together with
the bulb) by pulling it out.
3. Remove the burnt-out bulb by pull-
ing it out.
4. Insert a new bulb into the socket.
5. Install the socket (together with the
bulb) by pushing it in.
6. Install the panel.
EAU45222
Replacing an auxiliary light
bulb If the auxiliary light bulb burns out, re-
place it as follows.
1. Remove the headlight unit. (See
page 6-30.)
2. Remove the auxiliary light socket
(together with the bulb) by pulling it
out.
3. Remove the burnt-out bulb by pull-
ing it out.
4. Insert a new bulb into the socket.
5. Install the auxiliary light socket (to-
gether with the bulb) by pushing it
in.
6. Install the headlight unit.
EAU24350
Supporting the motorcycle Since this model is not equipped with a
centerstand, follow these precautions
when removing the front and rear
wheel or performing other maintenance
requiring the motorcycle to stand up-
right. Check that the motorcycle is in a
stable and level position before starting
any maintenance. A strong wooden
box can be placed under the engine for
added stability.
To service the front wheel
1. Stabilize the rear of the motorcycle
by using a motorcycle stand or, if
an additional motorcycle stand is
not available, by placing a jack un-
der the frame in front of the rear
wheel.
2. Raise the front wheel off the
ground by using a motorcycle
stand.
To service the rear wheel
Raise the rear wheel off the ground by
using a motorcycle stand or, if a motor-
cycle stand is not available, by placing
1. License plate light bulb
1. Auxiliary light bulb
U22BE1E0.book Page 32 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-33
6 a jack either under each side of the
frame in front of the rear wheel or under
each side of the swingarm.
EAU24360
Front wheel
EAUM2632
To remove the front wheel
WARNING
EWA10821
To avoid injury, securely support the
vehicle so there is no danger of it
falling over.1. Loosen the front wheel axle pinch
bolts, then the wheel axle and the
brake caliper bolts.
2. Lift the front wheel off the ground
according to the procedure on
page 6-32.
3. Remove the speed sensor lead
holder by removing the screw
(WR125R only).
4. Remove the brake caliper by re-
moving the bolts.
5. Pull the wheel axle out, remove the
speed sensor by pulling it out, and
then remove the wheel. NOTICE:
Do not apply the brake after the
brake calipers have been re-
moved, otherwise the brake
pads will be forced shut.
[ECA11051]
1. Front wheel axle pinch bolt
2. Wheel axle
3. Speed sensor cable holder
1. Brake caliper
2. Brake caliper bolt
U22BE1E0.book Page 33 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-34
6
EAUM2640
To install the front wheel
1. Lift the wheel up between the fork
legs.
2. Install the speed sensor at the
wheel hub.TIPMake sure that the projections on the
speed sensor rotor are aligned with the
notches in the wheel hub and that the
slot in the speed sensor fits over the re-
tainer on the fork leg.3. Insert the wheel axle.
4. Lower the front wheel so that it is
on the ground.5. Push down hard on the handlebar
several times to check for proper
fork operation.
6. Install the brake caliper by install-
ing the bolts.
TIPMake sure that there is enough space
between the brake pads before install-
ing the brake caliper onto the brake
disc.7. Install the speed sensor lead hold-
er by installing the screw
(WR125R only).
8. Tighten the wheel axle, front wheel
axle pinch bolts and brake caliper
bolts to their specified torques.
EAU25080
Rear wheel
EAUM2661
To remove the rear wheel
WARNING
EWA10821
To avoid injury, securely support the
vehicle so there is no danger of it
falling over.1. Loosen the locknut and drive chain
slack adjusting nut on each side of
the swingarm.
2. Loosen the axle nut.
1. Speed sensor
Tightening torques:
Wheel axle:
58 Nm (5.8 m·kgf, 42 ft·lbf)
Front wheel axle pinch bolt:
20 Nm (2.0 m·kgf, 14 ft·lbf)
Brake caliper bolt:
30 Nm (3.0 m·kgf, 22 ft·lbf)
1. Axle nut
2. Drive chain slack adjusting nut
3. Locknut
U22BE1E0.book Page 34 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-35
6 3. Lift the rear wheel off the ground
according to the procedure on
page 6-32.
4. Remove the axle nut and the left
drive chain alignment plate.
5. Push the wheel forward, and then
remove the drive chain from the
rear sprocket.
TIP
If the drive chain is difficult to re-
move, remove the wheel axle first,
and then lift the wheel upward
enough to remove the drive chain
from the rear sprocket.
The drive chain does not need to
be disassembled in order to re-
move and install the rear wheel.
6. While supporting the brake caliper
and slightly lifting the wheel, pull
the wheel axle out together with
the right drive chain alignment
plate.
TIPA rubber mallet may be useful to tap the
wheel axle out.7. Remove the wheel. NOTICE: Do
not apply the brake after the
wheel has been removed to-
gether with the brake disc, oth-
erwise the brake pads will be
forced shut.
[ECA11071]
EAUM2652
To install the rear wheel
1. Install the drive chain onto the rear
sprocket.2. Install the wheel, the drive chain
alignment plates and the brake
caliper bracket by inserting the
wheel axle from the right-hand
side.
TIP
Install the drive chain alignment
plate with the “N” mark on the left
side, and be sure the mark is fac-
ing outward.
Make sure that the slot in the brake
caliper bracket is fit over the retain-
er on the swingarm.
Make sure that there is enough
space between the brake pads be-
fore installing the wheel.
1. Wheel axle
1. Retainer
2. Slot
U22BE1E0.book Page 35 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-36
63. Install the axle nut.
4. Lower the rear wheel so that it is
on the ground.
5. Adjust the drive chain slack. (See
page 6-22.)
6. Tighten the axle nut to the speci-
fied torque.
EAU25871
Troubleshooting Although Yamaha motorcycles receive
a thorough inspection before shipment
from the factory, trouble may occur dur-
ing operation. Any problem in the fuel,
compression, or ignition systems, for
example, can cause poor starting and
loss of power.
The following troubleshooting charts
represent quick and easy procedures
for checking these vital systems your-
self. However, should your motorcycle
require any repair, take it to a Yamaha
dealer, whose skilled technicians have
the necessary tools, experience, and
know-how to service the motorcycle
properly.
Use only genuine Yamaha replace-
ment parts. Imitation parts may look like
Yamaha parts, but they are often inferi-
or, have a shorter service life and can
lead to expensive repair bills.
WARNING
EWA15141
When checking the fuel system, do
not smoke, and make sure there are
no open flames or sparks in the ar-
ea, including pilot lights from waterheaters or furnaces. Gasoline or
gasoline vapors can ignite or ex-
plode, causing severe injury or
property damage.
Tightening torque:
Axle nut:
90 Nm (9.0 m·kgf, 65 ft·lbf)
U22BE1E0.book Page 36 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM

MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
7-1
7
EAU26004
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 mo-
torcycle 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
NOTICE
ECA10772
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
plastic parts (such as cowlings,
panels, windshields, headlight
lenses, meter lenses, etc.) and
the mufflers. Use only a soft,
clean cloth or sponge with wa-
ter to clean plastic. However, if
the plastic parts cannot be thor-
oughly cleaned with water, di-
luted mild detergent with water
may be used. Be sure to rinseoff any detergent residue using
plenty of water, as it is harmful
to plastic parts.
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 abrasive
cleaning 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.
U22BE1E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM

MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
7-4
75. Check and, if necessary, correct
the tire air pressure, and then lift
the motorcycle so that both of its
wheels are off the ground. Alterna-
tively, turn the wheels a little every
month in order to prevent the tires
from becoming degraded in one
spot.
6. Cover the muffler outlet with a
plastic bag to prevent moisture
from entering it.
7. Remove the battery and fully
charge it. Store it in a cool, dry
place and charge it once a month.
Do not store the battery in an ex-
cessively cold or warm place [less
than 0 °C (30 °F) or more than 30
°C (90 °F)]. For more information
on storing the battery, see page
6-27.
TIPMake any necessary repairs before
storing the motorcycle.U22BE1E0.book Page 4 Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:46 PM