Page 32 of 140
4-7
4
EBU18571Drive select lever The drive select lever is used for driving the ATV
either forward or in reverse. See the “Operating the
drive select lever and driving in reverse” section on
page 6-3 for the drive select lever operation.EBU27610Recoil starter Firmly grasp the handle and pull slightly until en-
gagement can be felt. Then pull forcefully, being
careful not to pull the rope all the way out.
WARNING
EWB02370Shift the transmission into the neutral position
and apply the parking brake before starting the
engine, otherwise the ATV could start to move
unexpectedly, which could cause an accident.EBU18720Fuel tank cap Remove the fuel tank cap by turning it counter-
clockwise.
1. Drive select lever
1. Recoil starter
U1P066E0.book Page 7 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 33 of 140
4-8
4
EBU18754Fuel Make sure there is sufficient gasoline in the tank.
WARNING
EWB02521Gasoline and gasoline vapors are extremely
flammable. To avoid fires and explosions and
to reduce the risk of injury when refueling, fol-
low these instructions.1. Before refueling, turn off the engine and be
sure that no one is sitting on the vehicle. Nev-
er refuel while smoking, or while in the vicinityof sparks, open flames, or other sources of ig-
nition such as the pilot lights of water heaters
and clothes dryers.
2. Do not overfill the fuel tank. When refueling,
be sure to insert the pump nozzle into the fuel
tank filler hole. Stop filling when the fuel reach-
es the bottom of the filler tube. Because fuel
expands when it heats up, heat from the en-
gine or the sun can cause fuel to spill out of
the fuel tank.1. Fuel tank cap
1. Fuel tank filler tube
2. Maximum fuel level
U1P066E0.book Page 8 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 34 of 140
![YAMAHA GRIZZLY 250 2011 Owners Manual 4-9
4
3. Wipe up any spilled fuel immediately.
NOTICE: Immediately wipe off spilled fuel
with a clean, dry, soft cloth, since fuel may
deteriorate painted surfaces or plastic
parts.
[ECB00981]
4. Tur YAMAHA GRIZZLY 250 2011 Owners Manual 4-9
4
3. Wipe up any spilled fuel immediately.
NOTICE: Immediately wipe off spilled fuel
with a clean, dry, soft cloth, since fuel may
deteriorate painted surfaces or plastic
parts.
[ECB00981]
4. Tur](/manual-img/51/50342/w960_50342-33.png)
4-9
4
3. Wipe up any spilled fuel immediately.
NOTICE: Immediately wipe off spilled fuel
with a clean, dry, soft cloth, since fuel may
deteriorate painted surfaces or plastic
parts.
[ECB00981]
4. Turn the fuel tank cap fully clockwise to make
sure it is securely closed.
WARNING
EWB02531Gasoline is poisonous and can cause injury or
death. Handle gasoline with care. Never siphon
gasoline by mouth. If you should swallow
some gasoline or inhale a lot of gasoline vapor,
or get some gasoline in your eyes, see yourdoctor immediately. If gasoline spills on your
skin, wash with soap and water. If gasoline
spills on your clothing, change your clothes.
NOTICEECB00070Use only unleaded gasoline. The use of leaded
gasoline will cause severe damage to internal
engine parts, such as the valves and piston
rings, as well as to the exhaust system.Your Yamaha engine has been designed to use
regular unleaded gasoline with a research octane
number of 91 or higher. If knocking (or pinging) oc-
curs, use a gasoline of a different brand. Use of un-
leaded fuel will extend spark plug life and reduce
maintenance costs.EBU18820Fuel cock The fuel cock supplies fuel from the tank to the car-
buretor while also filtering it.
The fuel cock lever positions are explained as fol-
lows and shown in the illustrations. Recommended fuel:
UNLEADED GASOLINE ONLY
For Europe: Regular unleaded gasoline only
with a research octane number of 91 or
higher
Fuel tank capacity:
12.0 L (3.17 US gal, 2.64 Imp.gal)
Fuel reserve amount:
1.6 L (0.42 US gal, 0.35 Imp.gal)
U1P066E0.book Page 9 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 41 of 140

5-1
5
EBU19201
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EBU19224Inspect 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
EWB00481Failure 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
FuelCheck fuel level in fuel tank, and add recommended fuel if neces-
sary.
Check fuel line for leakage. Correct if necessary.4-8, 5-3
Engine oilCheck oil level in engine, and add recommended oil to specified lev-
el if necessary.
Check ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-11
Final gear oilCheck ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary. 5-3, 8-18
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, 8-28, 8-29, 8-30
U1P066E0.book Page 1 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 44 of 140

5-4
5
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:The low-pressure tire gauge is included as stan-
dard equipment. Make two measurements of the
tire pressure and use the second reading. Dust or
dirt in the gauge could cause the first reading to be
incorrect.Recommended tire pressure:
Fro nt
20.0 kPa (0.200 kgf/cm², 2.9 psi)
Rear
25.0 kPa (0.250 kgf/cm², 3.6 psi)
Minimum tire pressure:
Fro nt
17.0 kPa (0.170 kgf/cm², 2.5 psi)
Rear
22.0 kPa (0.220 kgf/cm², 3.2 psi)
Maximum tire seating pressure:
Fro nt
250 kPa (2.5 kgf/cm², 36 psi)
Rear
250 kPa (2.5 kgf/cm², 36 psi)
U1P066E0.book Page 4 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 45 of 140
5-5
5
Tire wear limit
When the tire groove decreases to 3 mm (0.12 in)
due to wear, replace the tire.Tire information
This ATV is equipped with tubeless tires with
valves.
WARNING
EWB02551Use of improper tires on this ATV may cause
loss of control, increasing your risk of an acci-
dent.After extensive tests, only the tires listed below
have been approved for this model by Yamaha
Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America.
1. Low-pressure tire gauge
1. Tire wear limit
U1P066E0.book Page 5 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 47 of 140

6-1
6
EBU19881
OPERATION
EBU19901Read 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
EWB00631Read 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.EBU19994Starting a cold engine NOTICEECB00150See the “Engine break-in” section on page 6-6
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 transmission into neutral. The neutral
indicator light should come on. If the indicator
light does not come on, have a Yamaha deal-
er check the electrical circuit.
TIPThe engine can be started under the following con-
ditions:The transmission is in neutral.The rear brake lever is applied with the transmis-
sion in any gear. However, it is recommended to
shift into neutral before starting the engine.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).
U1P066E0.book Page 1 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM
Page 49 of 140

6-3
6
EBU20291Starting a warm engine Follow the same procedure as for starting a cold
engine, with the exception that the starter (choke)
is not required when the engine is warm. Instead,
start the engine with the throttle slightly open.EBU20321Operating the drive select lever and
driving in reverse NOTICEECB00170Before shifting, stop the ATV, otherwise the
transmission may be damaged.Shifting: Reverse to Forward
1. Bring the ATV to a complete stop.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Move the drive select lever forward until it
completely stops.4. Release the brake pedal, and then open the
throttle lever gradually.
Shifting: Forward to Reverse
WARNING
EWB00720Improper operation in reverse could make you
hit an obstacle or even a person behind you,
resulting in serious injury. When you shift into
reverse, make sure there are no people or ob-
stacles behind you. When it is safe to proceed,
go slowly.1. Drive select lever
2. Forward “F”
3. Reverse “R”
F
R
2
3
1
U1P066E0.book Page 3 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM