2011 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 250 brakes

EBU17420
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND
SPECIFICATION LABELS ............................ 1-1
SAFETY INFORMATION .............................. 2-1
DESCRIPTION .............................................. 3-1
Left view ...................................................... 3-1
Right view.................................................... 3-1
Controls and instruments ............................ 3-2
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL
FUNCTIONS .................................................. 4-1
Main switch ................................................ 4-1
Indicator lights ............................................ 4-2
Handlebar switches .................................... 4-2
Throttle lever .............................................. 4-3
Speed limiter .............................................. 4-4
Front brake lever ........................................ 4-4
Brake pedal and rear brake lever ............... 4-5
Parking brake ............................................. 4-6
Shift pedal .................................................. 4-6
Drive select lever ........................................ 4-7
Recoil starter .............................................. 4-7
Fuel tank cap .............................................. 4-7Fuel .............................................................4-8
Fuel cock ....................................................4-9
Starter (choke) ..........................................4-11
Seat ..........................................................4-11
Storage compartment ...............................4-12
Front carrier ..............................................4-13
Rear carrier ...............................................4-13
Adjusting the rear shock absorber
assembly .................................................4-14
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS ..........................5-1
Fuel .............................................................5-3
Engine oil ....................................................5-3
Final gear oil ...............................................5-3
Front and rear brakes .................................5-3
Throttle lever ...............................................5-4
Tires ............................................................5-4
Chassis fasteners .......................................5-6
Instruments, lights and switches .................5-6
Battery ........................................................5-6
OPERATION...................................................6-1
Starting a cold engine .................................6-1
Starting a warm engine ...............................6-3U1P066E0.book Page 1 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM

Operating the drive select lever and
driving in reverse ...................................... 6-3
Shifting ....................................................... 6-4
Engine break-in .......................................... 6-6
Parking ....................................................... 6-7
Parking on a slope ..................................... 6-7
Accessories and loading ............................ 6-8
RIDING YOUR ATV ...................................... 7-1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ATV............... 7-2
RIDE WITH CARE AND GOOD
JUDGMENT .............................................. 7-2
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU RIDE ............. 7-9
TURNING YOUR ATV .............................. 7-12
CLIMBING UPHILL ................................... 7-14
RIDING DOWNHILL.................................. 7-16
CROSSING A SLOPE............................... 7-17
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW
WATER ................................................... 7-18
RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN ........... 7-20
SLIDING AND SKIDDING ......................... 7-21
WHAT TO DO IF... .................................... 7-22
WHAT TO DO... ........................................ 7-22
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND
ADJUSTMENT ............................................... 8-1
Owner’s manual and tool kit ....................... 8-2Periodic maintenance chart for the
emission control system ...........................8-3
General maintenance and lubrication
chart ..........................................................8-5
Checking the spark plug .............................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter element .................8-11
Final gear oil .............................................8-18
Cleaning the air filter element ...................8-20
Cleaning the spark arrester ......................8-24
Adjusting the carburetor ............................8-25
Adjusting the engine idling speed .............8-26
Adjusting the throttle lever free play .........8-27
Valve clearance ........................................8-27
Adjusting the drive select lever safety
system cable ...........................................8-28
Brakes .......................................................8-28
Checking the front brake pads and rear
brake shoes ............................................8-28
Checking the brake fluid level ...................8-29
Changing the brake fluid ...........................8-30
Checking the front brake lever free play ...8-30
Adjusting the brake pedal height and
free play, and the rear brake lever free
play .........................................................8-31
Brake light switches ..................................8-34
Adjusting the clutch free play ....................8-35
Checking and lubricating the cables .........8-35
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2-3
2speed when climbing a hill. If you stall or roll
backwards, follow the special procedure for
braking described in this manual. Dismount on
the uphill side or to a side if pointed straight up-
hill. Turn the ATV around and remount, following
the procedure described in this manual.

Always check for obstacles before operating in a
new area.
Never attempt to operate over large obstacles,
such as large rocks or fallen trees. Always follow
proper procedures when operating over obsta-
cles as described in this manual.
Always be careful when skidding or sliding.
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 con-
trol.
Never operate an ATV in fast flowing water or in
water deeper than that recommended in this
manual. Remember that wet brakes may have
reduced stopping ability. Test your brakes after
leaving water. If necessary, apply them several
times to let friction dry out the linings.

Always be sure there are no obstacles or people
behind you when you operate in reverse. When
it is safe to proceed in reverse, go slowly.
Always use the size and type of tires specified in
this manual.
Always maintain proper tire pressure as de-
scribed in this manual.
Never modify an ATV through improper installa-
tion or use of accessories.
Never exceed the stated load capacity for an
ATV. Cargo should be properly distributed and
securely attached. Reduce speed and follow in-
structions in this manual for carrying cargo or
pulling a trailer. Allow greater distance for brak-
ing.
WARNING
EWB00071Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
All engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide,
a deadly gas. Breathing carbon monoxide can
cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nau-
sea, confusion, and eventually death.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless,
tasteless gas which may be present even if you
do not see or smell any engine exhaust. Deadly
levels of carbon monoxide can collect rapidly
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4-6
4
EBU18460Parking brake Use the parking brake before starting the engine or
parking the ATV, especially on a slope. Apply the
rear brake lever and push down the lock plate to
apply the parking brake. Squeeze the rear brake
lever to release the parking brake.
WARNING
EWB00220
Always set the parking brake before starting
the engine. The ATV could start moving un-
expectedly if the parking brake is not ap-
plied. This could cause loss of control or a
collision.

Always be sure you have released the park-
ing brake before you begin to ride. The brake
could overheat if you ride the ATV without re-
leasing the parking brake. You could lose
braking performance which could cause an
accident. You could also wear out the brakes
prematurely.EBU18550Shift pedal This ATV is equipped with a constant-mesh 5-
speed transmission. The shift pedal is located on
the left side of the engine. Neutral is at the bottom
position.
1. Parking brake lock plate
1. Shift pedal
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5-3
5
EBU19541Fuel Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-8.)EBU19560Engine oil Make sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-11.)EBU19590Final gear oil Make sure that the final gear oil is at the specified
level. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-18.)EBU27671Front and rear brakes Brake levers and brake pedal
Check that there is no free play in the front brake
lever. If there is free play, have a Yamaha dealer
check the brake system.
Check for correct free play in the rear brake lever
and brake pedal. If the free play is incorrect, ad-
just it. (See page 8-31.)

Check operation of the levers and pedal. They
should move smoothly and there should be a
firm feeling when the brake is applied. If not,
have a Yamaha dealer check them.
Brake fluid level (front brake)
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-29.)
Brake fluid leakage (front brake)
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
hose, joint or brake fluid reservoir of the front
brake. Apply the brake firmly for one minute. If the
lever moves slowly inward, there may be a leak in
the brake system. If there is any leakage, the brake
system should be 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 brake pads and shoes for wear. (See page
8-28.)Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
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6-5
6
EBU20611To start out and accelerate
1. Release the throttle lever.NOTICEECB00200Always close the throttle before shifting gears,
otherwise damage to the engine and drive train
may result.2. Shift into first gear and release the shift pedal.3. Open the throttle gradually. WARNING! Al-
ways open the throttle gradually. Opening
the throttle abruptly would increase the
chance of an accident. It could make the
ATV wheelie or overturn.
[EWB00741]
4. Once the ATV has attained adequate speed,
release the throttle lever.
5. Shift into second gear and release the shift
pedal.
6. Open the throttle gradually.
7. Follow the same procedure when shifting to
the next higher gear.EBU20650To decelerate
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.
WARNING
EWB00710Make sure the engine has sufficiently slowed
before shifting to a lower gear. Engaging a low-
er gear when the engine speed is too high
1. Shift pedal
2. Neutral positionU1P066E0.book Page 5 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM

6-7
6
NOTICEECB00220If any engine trouble should occur during the
engine break-in period, immediately have a
Yamaha dealer check the ATV.EBU20722Parking When parking the ATV, shift into first gear, stop the
engine, apply the parking brake, and then turn the
fuel cock to “OFF”.
EBU20844Parking on a slope
WARNING
EWB00851Avoid 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 into first gear, stop the engine, ap-
ply the parking 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 first gear, bring the
ATV to a stop by applying the brakes.
2. Stop the engine.
3. With the rear brake lever applied, apply the
parking brake and slowly release the brake le-
ver.
4. Turn the fuel cock to “OFF”.
1. Parking brake lock plateU1P066E0.book Page 7 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM

7-12
7Select 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. As you
get on the ATV, be sure not to accidentally move
the shift pedal. With the engine idling, lift the shift
pedal to the 1st gear position and then release the
parking brake. Apply the throttle slowly and
smoothly. The centrifugal clutch will engage and
you will start to accelerate. Once the ATV has at-
tained adequate speed, release the throttle and lift
the shift pedal to the 2nd gear position. Release
the shift pedal and apply the throttle smoothly.
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 ap-
plying the throttle, the front wheels may lift off
the ground, resulting in a loss of directional
control.
[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 ATV
WARNING
EWB01771Always 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,
U1P066E0.book Page 12 Thursday, August 5, 2010 4:15 PM