2010 YAMAHA YZF-R6 Owners Manual

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-22
6
EAU33891
Adjusting the clutch lever free
play The clutch lever free play should mea-
sure 10.0–15.0 mm (0.39–0.59 in) as
shown. Periodically check the clutch le-
ver free play and, if necessary, adjust it
as follows.
To increase the clutch lever free play,
turn the clutch lever free play adjusting
bolt at the clutch lever in direction (a).
To decrease the clutch lever free play,
turn the adjusting bolt in direction (b).
TIPIf the specified clutch lever free play
cannot be obtained as described
above, proceed as follows.1. Fully turn the adjusting bolt at the
clutch lever in direction (a) to loos-
en the clutch cable.
2. Loosen the locknut at the crank-
case.
3. To increase the clutch lever free
play, turn the clutch lever free play
adjusting nut in direction (a). To
decrease the clutch lever free play,
turn the adjusting nut in direction
(b).4. Tighten the locknut.
1. Clutch lever free play adjusting bolt
2. Clutch lever free play
1. Locknut
2. Clutch lever free play adjusting nut (crank-
case)
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-23
6
EAU22273
Brake light switches The brake light, which is activated by
the brake pedal and brake lever, should
come on just before braking takes ef-
fect. If necessary, adjust the rear brake
light switch as follows, but the front
brake light switch should be adjusted
by a Yamaha dealer.
Turn the rear brake light switch adjust-
ing nut while holding the rear brake light
switch in place. To make the brake light
come on earlier, turn the adjusting nut
in direction (a). To make the brake light
come on later, turn the adjusting nut in
direction (b).
EAU22392
Checking the front and rear
brake pads The front and rear brake pads must be
checked for wear at the intervals spec-
ified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.
EAU36890
Front brake pads
Each front brake pad is provided with
wear indicators, which allows you to
check the brake pad wear without hav-
ing to disassemble the brake. To check
the brake pad wear, check the position
of the wear indicators while applying
the brake. If a brake pad has worn tothe point that a wear indicator almost
touches the brake disc, have a Yamaha
dealer replace the brake pads as a set.
EAU46291
Rear brake pads
Each rear brake pad is provided with
wear indicator grooves, which allow
you to check the brake pad wear with-
out having to disassemble the brake.
To check the brake pad wear, check
the wear indicator grooves. If a brake
pad has worn to the point that a wear
indicator groove almost appears, have
a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.
1. Rear brake light switch
2. Rear brake light switch adjusting nut
2
(b) (a)
1
1
1. Brake pad wear indicator
1. Brake pad wear indicator groove
1
1
U13SE2E0.book Page 23 Tuesday, August 4, 2009 4:01 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-24
6
EAU22580
Checking the brake fluid level Front brake
Rear brake
Insufficient brake fluid may allow air to
enter the brake system, possibly caus-
ing 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.
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 perfor-
mance.


Refill with the same type of brake
fluid. Mixing fluids may result in a
harmful chemical reaction and
lead to poor braking performance.


Be careful that water does not en-
ter the brake fluid reservoir when
refilling. Water will significantly
lower the boiling point of the fluid
and may result in vapor lock.


Brake fluid may deteriorate paint-
ed surfaces or plastic parts. Al-
ways clean up spilled fluid
immediately.


As the brake pads wear, it is nor-
mal for the brake fluid level to grad-
ually go down. However, if the
brake fluid level goes down sud-
denly, have a Yamaha dealer
check the cause.
1. Minimum level mark
1. Minimum level mark
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
U13SE2E0.book Page 24 Tuesday, August 4, 2009 4:01 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-25
6
EAU22731
Changing the brake fluid Have a Yamaha dealer change the
brake fluid at the intervals specified in
the TIP after the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart. In addition, have
the oil seals of the master cylinders and
calipers as well as the brake hoses re-
placed at the intervals listed below or
whenever they are damaged or leak-
ing.

Oil seals: Replace every two
years.


Brake hoses: Replace every four
years.
EAU22760
Drive chain slack The drive chain slack should be
checked before each ride and adjusted
if necessary.
EAU22773
To check the drive chain slack
1. Place the motorcycle on the side-
stand.TIPWhen checking and adjusting the drive
chain slack, there should be no weight
on the motorcycle.2. Shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position.
3. Move the rear wheel by pushing
the motorcycle to locate the tight-
est portion of the drive chain, and
then measure the drive chain slack
as shown.4. If the drive chain slack is incorrect,
adjust it as follows.
EAU39055
To adjust the drive chain slack
1. Loosen the axle nut and the lock-
nut on each side of the swingarm.
Drive chain slack:
30.0–45.0 mm (1.18–1.77 in)
1. Drive chain slack
U13SE2E0.book Page 25 Tuesday, August 4, 2009 4:01 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-26
6 2. To tighten the drive chain, turn the
drive chain slack adjusting bolt on
each side of the swingarm in direc-
tion (a). To loosen the drive chain,
turn the adjusting bolt on each side
of the swingarm in direction (b),
and then push the rear wheel for-
ward. NOTICE: Improper drive
chain slack will overload the en-
gine as well as other vital parts
of the motorcycle and can lead
to chain slippage or breakage.To prevent this from occurring,
keep the drive chain slack with-
in the specified limits.
[ECA10571]
TIPUsing the alignment marks on each
drive chain puller, make sure that both
chain pullers are in the same position
for proper wheel alignment. Use the
end of the swingarm as the reference
point for the alignment marks.3. Tighten the axle nut to the speci-
fied torque.
4. Tighten the adjusting bolts in direc-
tion (a) to their specified torque.
5. Tighten the locknuts to their speci-
fied torque.
1. Drive chain slack adjusting bolt
2. Locknut
3. Alignment marks
4. Axle nut
5. Drive chain puller
45
1
2
3
(a)
(b)
Tightening torque:
Axle nut:
110 Nm (11.0 m·kgf, 80 ft·lbf)
Tightening torque:
Drive chain slack adjusting bolt:
2 Nm (0.2 m·kgf, 1.4 ft·lbf)
Tightening torque:
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 11 ft·lbf)
U13SE2E0.book Page 26 Tuesday, August 4, 2009 4:01 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-27
6
EAU23025
Cleaning and lubricating the
drive chain The drive chain must be cleaned and
lubricated at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart, otherwise it will quickly wear
out, especially when riding in dusty or
wet areas. Service the drive chain as
follows.NOTICE
ECA10583
The drive chain must be lubricated
after washing the motorcycle, riding
in the rain or riding in wet areas.1. Clean the drive chain with kero-
sene and a small soft brush.
NOTICE: To prevent damaging
the O-rings, do not clean the
drive chain with steam cleaners,
high-pressure washers or inap-
propriate solvents.
[ECA11121]
2. Wipe the drive chain dry.
3. Thoroughly lubricate the drive
chain with a special O-ring chain
lubricant. NOTICE: Do not use
engine oil or any other lubri-
cants for the drive chain, as theymay contain substances that
could damage the O-rings.
[ECA11111]EAU23101
Checking and lubricating the
cables The operation of all control cables and
the condition of the cables should be
checked before each ride, and the ca-
bles and cable ends should be lubricat-
ed if necessary. If a cable is damaged
or does not move smoothly, have a
Yamaha dealer check or replace it.
WARNING! Damage to the outer
sheath may interfere with proper ca-
ble operation and will cause the in-
ner cable to rust. Replace a
damaged cable as soon as possible
to prevent unsafe conditions.
[EWA10721]
Recommended lubricant:
Engine oil
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-28
6
EAU23112
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cable The operation of the throttle grip should
be checked before each ride. In addi-
tion, the cable should be lubricated by a
Yamaha dealer at the intervals speci-
fied in the periodic maintenance chart.
EAU44272
Checking and lubricating the
brake and shift pedals Brake pedal
Shift pedal
The operation of the brake and shift
pedals should be checked before each
ride, and the pedal pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
Recommended lubricant:
Lithium-soap-based grease
U13SE2E0.book Page 28 Tuesday, August 4, 2009 4:01 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-29
6
EAU23142
Checking and lubricating the
brake and clutch levers Brake lever
Clutch lever
The operation of the brake and clutch
levers should be checked before each
ride, and the lever pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
EAU23202
Checking and lubricating the
sidestand The operation of the sidestand should
be checked before each ride, and the
sidestand pivot and metal-to-metal
contact surfaces should be lubricated if
necessary.
WARNING
EWA10731
If the sidestand does not move up
and down smoothly, have a Yamaha
dealer check or repair it. Otherwise,
the sidestand could contact the
ground and distract the operator, re-
sulting in a possible loss of control.
Recommended lubricants:
Brake lever:
Silicone grease
Clutch lever:
Lithium-soap-based grease
Recommended lubricant:
Lithium-soap-based grease
U13SE2E0.book Page 29 Tuesday, August 4, 2009 4:01 PM