2011 YAMAHA BANSHEE 350 warning

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iar with your ATV. Make sure that this area is free
of obstacles and other riders. You should practice
control of the throttle, brakes, shifting procedures,
and turning techniques in this area before trying
more difficult terrain.
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. As you
get on the ATV, be sure not to accidentally move
the shift pedal. With the engine idling, pull the
clutch lever to disengage the clutch and shift into
1st gear, and then release the parking brake. Open
the throttle gradually, and at the same time, re-
lease the clutch lever slowly. Once the ATV has at-
tained adequate speed, release the throttle lever
and at the same time, quickly pull in the clutch le-
ver and shift into 2nd gear. Open the throttle part
way and gradually release the clutch.
WARNING!
If the throttle is applied too abruptly or if the
throttle is not released during shifting, or if the
shift pedal is not released before applying the
throttle, the front wheels may lift off the
ground, resulting in a loss of directional con-
trol.
[EWB02631]

NOTICE:
Do not shift gears without
releasing the throttle. Damage to the engine or
drive train may occur.
[ECB01071]
Use this same procedure as you move into the
higher gears. Be sure to coordinate the use of the
throttle and shift pedal properly.
Avoid higher speeds until you are thoroughly famil-
iar with the operation of your ATV.
When slowing down or stopping, release the throt-
tle and apply the brakes smoothly and evenly. As
you slow down, shift to a lower gear. Be sure that
the engine has sufficiently slowed before engaging
a lower gear. Improper use of the brakes or shifting
can cause the tires to lose traction, reducing con-
trol and increasing the possibility of an accident.
TURNING YOUR ATVWARNING
EWB01771
Always follow proper procedures for turning
as described in this Owner’s Manual. Practice
turning at low speeds before attempting to turn
at faster speeds. Do not turn at speeds too fast
for your skills or the conditions. ATV could go
out of control, causing a collision or overturn.
To achieve maximum traction on unpaved surfac-
es, the two rear wheels turn together at the same
speed. Therefore, unless the wheel on the inside
of the turn is allowed to slip or lose some traction,

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the ATV will resist turning. A special turning tech-
nique must be used to allow the ATV to make turns
quickly and easily. It is essential that this skill be
learned first at low speed.
As you approach a curve, slow down and begin to
turn the handlebars in the desired direction. As you
do so, put your weight on the footrest to the outside
of the turn (opposite your desired direction) and
lean your upper body into the turn. Use the throttle
to maintain an even speed through the turn. This
maneuver will let the wheel on the inside of the turn
slip slightly, allowing the ATV to make the turn
properly.This procedure should be practiced at slow speed
many times in a large unpaved area with no obsta-
cles. If an incorrect technique is used, your ATV
may continue to go straight. If the ATV doesn’t
turn, come to a stop and then practice the proce-
dure again. If the riding surface is slippery or loose,
it may help to position more of your weight over the
front wheels by moving forward on the seat.
Once you have learned this technique, you should
be able to perform it at higher speeds or in tighter
curves.
Improper riding procedures such as abrupt throttle
changes, excessive braking, incorrect body move-
ments, or too much speed for the sharpness of the
turn may cause the ATV to tip. If the ATV begins to
tip over to the outside while negotiating a turn, lean
more to the inside. It may also be necessary to
gradually let off on the throttle and steer to the out-
side of the turn to avoid tipping over.
Remember: Avoid higher speeds until you are
thoroughly familiar with the operation of your ATV.
CLIMBING UPHILL
WARNING

EWB01591
Climbing hills improperly can cause overturns
or loss of control. Use proper riding tech-
1. Lean towards inside of turn.
2. Support your weight on the outer footrest.
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hill. In all cases avoid inclines with slippery or loose
surfaces, or obstacles that might cause you to lose
control.
To climb a hill, you need traction, momentum, and
steady throttle. Travel fast enough to maintain mo-
mentum, but not so fast that you cannot react to
changes in the terrain as you climb.
It is important when climbing a hill to make sure
that your weight is transferred forward on the ATV.
This can be accomplished by leaning forward and,
on steeper inclines, standing on the footrests and
leaning forward over the handlebars. Whenever
possible, ride straight up hills.
Slow down when you reach the crest of the hill if
you cannot see clearly what is on the other side –
there could be another person, an obstacle, or a
sharp drop-off. Use common sense and remember
that some hills are too steep for you to climb or de-
scend.
If you are climbing a hill and you find that you have
not properly judged your ability to make it to the
top, you should turn the ATV around while you still
have forward motion (provided you have the room
to do so) and go down the hill.
If your ATV has stalled or stopped and you believe
you can continue up the hill, restart carefully tomake sure you do not lift the front wheels which
could cause you to lose control. If you are unable
to continue up the hill, dismount the ATV on the up-
hill side. Physically turn the ATV around and then
descend the hill.
If you start to roll backwards, DO NOT apply the
rear brake, and apply the front brake gradually.
The ATV could easily tip over backwards. When
fully stopped, apply the rear brake as well, and
then lock the parking brake. Dismount the ATV im-
mediately on the uphill side or to a side if pointed
straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and remount,
following the procedure described in the Owner’s
Manual.
WARNING! Stalling, rolling backwards
or improperly dismounting while climbing a hill
could result in ATV overturning. If you cannot
control the ATV, dismount immediately on the
uphill side.
[EWB01802]

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RIDING DOWNHILL
WARNING

EWB01131
Going down a hill improperly could cause
overturns or loss of control. Always follow
proper procedures for going down hills as de-
scribed in this Owner’s Manual.

Always check the terrain carefully before
you start down any hill.

Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for
the ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can
overturn more easily on extremely steep hills
than on level surfaces or small hills.

Shift your weight backward and to the up
side of the hill.

Never go down a hill at high speed.

Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-
ble.

Improper braking can cause the wheels on
the uphill side to come off the ground or
cause loss of traction. Gradually apply only
the rear brake when going 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. Choose a low gear which will allow the en-
gine compression to do most of the braking for
you.
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. Gradu-
ally apply only the rear brake.
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
hill. Avoid sharp angles which could allow the ATV
to tip or roll over. Carefully choose your path and
ride no faster than you will be able to react to ob-

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stacles which may appear.
CROSSING A SLOPE
WARNING

EWB01632
Improperly crossing hills or turning on hills
could cause loss of control or cause the ATV to
overturn.

Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.

Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.

Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill.

Shift your weight to the uphill side of the
ATV.

Never attempt to turn the ATV around on anyhill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning
on any hill.
Traversing a sloping surface on your ATV requires
you to properly position your weight to maintain
proper balance. Be sure that you have learned the
basic riding skills on flat ground before attempting
to cross a sloping surface. Avoid slopes with slip-
pery surfaces or rough terrain that may upset your
balance.
As you travel across a slope, lean your body in the
uphill direction. It may be necessary to correct the
steering when riding on loose surfaces by pointing
the front wheels slightly uphill. When riding on
slopes, be sure not to make sharp turns either up
or down hill.
If your ATV does begin to tip over, gradually steer
in the downhill direction if there are no obstacles in
your path. As you regain proper balance, gradually
steer again in the direction you wish to travel.
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CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW WATER
WARNING

EWB01641
Operating this vehicle through deep or fast-
flowing water can lead to loss of control or an
overturn. To reduce your risk of drowning or
other injuries, use care when crossing through
water. Never operate this ATV water deeper
than the depth specified in your Owner’s Man-
ual, as tires may float, increasing the risk of an
overturn.
The ATV can be used to cross slow moving, shal-
low water of up to a maximum of 35 cm (14 in) in
depth. Before entering the water, choose your pathcarefully. 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. If neces-
sary, apply them several times to let friction dry out
the linings. Do not continue to ride your ATV with-
out verifying that you have regained proper braking
ability.
WARNING! Wet brakes may have re-
duced stopping ability, which could cause loss
of control.
[EWB02621]

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After riding your ATV in water, be sure to drain the
trapped water by removing the check hose at the
bottom of the air filter case.
NOTICE:
Undrained
water can cause damage or improper opera-
tion.
[ECB00841]

Wash the ATV in fresh water if it has been operat-
ed in salt water or muddy conditions.
RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN
WARNING
EWB01651
Riding improperly over obstacles could cause
loss of control or a collision. Before operating
in a new area, check for obstacles. Never at-
tempt to ride over large obstacles, such as
large rocks or fallen trees. When you go over
obstacles, always follow proper procedures as
described in the Owner’s Manual.
Riding over rough terrain should be done with cau-
tion. Look out for obstacles which could cause
1. Air filter case check hose
1

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damage to the ATV or could lead to an upset or ac-
cident. Be sure to keep your feet firmly mounted on
the footrests at all times. Avoid jumping the ATV as
loss of control and damage to the ATV may result.
SLIDING AND SKIDDING
WARNING

EWB01662
Skidding or sliding improperly may cause you
to lose control of this ATV. You may also re-
gain traction unexpectedly, which may cause
the ATV to overturn.

Learn to safely control skidding or sliding by
practicing at low speeds and on level,
smooth terrain.

On extremely slippery surfaces, such as ice,
go slowly and be very cautious in order to re-
duce the chance of skidding or sliding out of
control.
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.