2011 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 125 brake

5-1
1
2
3
45
6
7
8
9
10
11

EBU19201
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EBU19224
Inspect your vehicle each time you use it to make sure the vehicle is in safe operating condition. Always
follow the inspection and maintenance procedures and schedules described in the Owner’s Manual.
WARNING

EWB00481
Failure to inspect or maintain the vehicle properly increases the possibility of an accident or equip-
ment damage. Do not operate the vehicle if you find any problem. If a problem cannot be corrected
by the procedures provided in this manual, have the vehicle inspected by a Yamaha dealer.
Before using this vehicle, check the following points:
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
Fuel


Check fuel level in fuel tank, and add recommended fuel if neces-
sary.

Check fuel line for leakage. Correct if necessary.4-6, 5-3
Engine oil

Check oil level in engine, and add recommended oil to specified
level if necessary.

Check ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-9
Transmission oil

Check oil level in transmission case, and add recommended oil to
specified level if necessary.

Check ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-12
Front brake

Check operation, and correct if necessary.

Lubricate cable if necessary.

Check lever free play, and adjust if necessary.5-3, 8-26, 8-27
Rear brake

Check operation, and correct if necessary.

Lubricate cable if necessary.

Check lever free play, and adjust if necessary.5-3, 8-26, 8-32

5-2
1
2
3
45
6
7
8
9
10
11

Throttle lever

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate cable and lever hous-
ing if necessary.

Check cable free play, and adjust if necessary.5-3, 8-25
Control cables

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate if necessary. 8-36
Drive chain

Check chain slack, and adjust if necessary.

Check chain condition. Lubricate if necessary.5-3, 8-33, 8-35
Wheels and tires

Check wheel condition, and replace if damaged.

Check tire condition and tread depth. Replace if necessary.

Check air pressure. Correct if necessary.5-3
Brake levers

Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate lever pivoting points
if necessary.8-36
Chassis fasteners

Make sure that all nuts, bolts and screws are properly tightened. 5-5
Instruments, lights and
switches

Check operation, and correct if necessary. 5-6
Battery

Check electrolyte level. Fill with distilled water if necessary. 5-6, 8-40
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE

5-3
1
2
3
45
6
7
8
9
10
11

EBU19541
Fuel
Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-6.)
EBU19560
Engine oil
Make sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-9.)
EBU19580
Transmission oil
Make sure that the transmission oil is at the speci-
fied level. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-12.)
EBU19651
Front and rear brakes
Brake levers

Check for correct free play in the brake levers. If
the free play is incorrect, adjust it. (See pages
8-27 and 8-32.)

Check operation of the levers. They should
move smoothly and there should be a firm feel-
ing when the brake is applied. If not, have the
ATV 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 brakes for wear. (See page 8-26.)
EBU19761
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.
EBU19770
Drive chain
Check the condition of the drive chain and check
the drive chain slack. Lubricate and adjust the
drive chain as necessary. (See page 8-33.)
EBU19794
Tires
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
adjust tire pressures when the tires are cold.

6-1
1
2
3
4
56
7
8
9
10
11

EBU19881
OPERATION
EBU19901
Read the Owner’s Manual carefully before riding
the ATV. If there is a control or function you do not
understand, ask your Yamaha dealer.
WARNING

EWB00631
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.
EBU29720
Starting a cold engine
NOTICE

ECB00150
See the “Engine break-in” section on page 6-4
prior to operating the engine for the first time.
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the fuel cock to “ON”.
3. Turn the key to “ON” and the engine stop
switch to “”.
4. Shift the drive select lever into the neutral po-sition. The neutral indicator light should come
on. If the indicator light does not come on,
have a Yamaha dealer check the electrical cir-
cuit.
TIP

The engine can be started only when the drive se-
lect lever is in the neutral position.
5. Use the starter (choke) in reference to the fig-
ure:
Position (1):
Cold engine start with ambient temperature
below 5 °C (40 °F).
Position (2):
Cold engine start with ambient temperature
between 0 °C (30 °F) and 30 °C (90 °F).
Position (3):
Cold engine start with ambient temperature
above 25 °C (80 °F).

6-4
1
2
3
4
56
7
8
9
10
11

go slowly.
1. Bring the ATV to a complete stop.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Shift from neutral to reverse and vice versa by
moving the drive select lever along the shift
guide.
TIP

When in reverse, the reverse indicator light should
come on. If the indicator light does not come on,
have a Yamaha dealer check the electrical circuit.
4. Check behind for people or obstacles, and
then release the parking brake.
5. Open the throttle lever gradually and continue
to watch to the rear while backing.
TIP

If the drive select lever is shifted into reverse while
the engine is running, the engine will stop unless
the rear brake lever or parking brake is applied.
EBU20682
Engine break-in
TIP


For ATVs equipped with an odometer or an hourmeter, follow the figures given in km (mi) or the
figures given in hours.

For ATVs not equipped with an odometer or
hour meter, follow the figures given in hours.
There is never a more important period in the life of
your engine than the first 320 km (200 mi) or 20
hours of riding. For this reason, you should read
the following material carefully.
Since the engine is brand new, do not put an ex-
cessive load on it for the first 320 km (200 mi) or 20
hours. The various parts in the engine wear and
polish themselves to the correct operating clear-
ances. During this period, prolonged full-throttle
operation or any condition that might result in en-
gine overheating must be avoided.
0–160 km (0–100 mi) or 0–10 hours
Avoid prolonged operation above 1/2 throttle. Vary
the speed of the ATV regularly. Do not operate it at
one set throttle position.
160–320 km (100–200 mi) or 10–20 hours
Avoid prolonged operation above 3/4 throttle. Rev
the engine freely, but do not use full throttle at any
time.

6-5
1
2
3
4
56
7
8
9
10
11

320 km (200 mi) or 20 hours and beyond
The ATV can now be operated normally.
NOTICE

ECB00220
If any engine trouble should occur during the
engine break-in period, immediately have a
Yamaha dealer check the ATV.
EBU30020
Parking
When parking the ATV, apply the rear brake lever,
shift the drive select lever into the forward position,
stop the engine, apply the parking brake, and then
turn the fuel cock to “OFF”.
EBU20742
Parking on a slope
WARNING
EWB00831
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, shift the drive select lever to the for-
ward position, stop the engine, apply the park-
ing brake, and then block the front and rear
wheels with rocks or other objects.
Never park the ATV on hills that are too steep
to walk up easily.
1. With the transmission in the forward position,
bring the ATV to a stop by applying the
brakes.
2. Stop the engine.
3. With the rear brake applied, apply the parking
brake.
1. Locked position
1

7-12
1
2
3
4
5
67
8
9
10
11

Select a large, flat, unpaved area to become famil-
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. With the
engine idling, return the starter knob to the closed
position and shift the drive select lever into the for-
ward position, then release the parking brake. Ap-
ply the throttle slowly and smoothly.
The centrifugal clutch will engage and you will start
to accelerate. If the throttle is applied too abruptly,
the front wheels may lift off the ground, resulting ina loss of directional control. Avoid higher speeds
until you are thoroughly familiar with the operation
of your ATV.
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.
TURNING YOUR ATV
WARNING

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,
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.

7-15
1
2
3
4
5
67
8
9
10
11

Do not attempt to climb hills until you have mas-
tered basic maneuvers on flat ground. Always
check the terrain carefully before attempting any
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 footboards
and leaning forward over the handlebars. Whenev-
er 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 roomto 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 to
make 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]