Page 36 of 94

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-21
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
EAU44993
Storage compartments
Front storage compartments A and
B
To open a front storage compartment,
slide the lever up, and then pull on the
lever.
WARNING! Do not store heavy
items in these compartments.
[EWA14861]
To close the front storage compart-
ments, push the lid into the original po-
sition.
Rear storage compartment
A helmet can be stored in the rear stor-
age compartment under the seat. (See
page 3-19.) To store a helmet in the
rear storage compartment, place the
helmet upside down with the front fac-
ing the left side.
NOTICE:
Keep the
following points in mind when using
the storage compartment. Since the
storage compartment accumulates
heat when exposed to the sun, do
not store anything susceptible to
heat inside it. To avoid humidity
from spreading through the storage
compartment, wrap wet articles in a
plastic bag before storing them in
the compartment. Since the storage
1. Storage compartment opening lever
2. Front storage compartment A
1
2
1. Storage compartment opening lever
2. Front storage compartment B
1. Storage compartment lid
1
2
1
1. Storage compartment lid
1
Page 37 of 94

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-22
2
34
5
6
7
8
9 compartment may get wet while the
scooter is being washed, wrap any
articles stored in the compartment
in a plastic bag. Do not keep any-
thing valuable or breakable in the
storage compartment. Do not leave
the seat open for an extended period
of time, otherwise the light may
cause the battery to discharge.
[ECA16081]
NOTICE:
The shaded area is not a
storage compartment. To prevent
damaging the seat hinges, do not
place any items in this area.
[ECA16091]
TIP
Some helmets cannot be stored in
the rear storage compartment be-cause of their size or shape.
Do not leave your scooter unat-
tended with the seat open.
WARNING
EWA11241
Do not exceed the load limit of
5 kg (11 lb) for the rear storage
compartment.
Do not exceed the maximum
load of XP500 194 kg (428 lb)
XP500A 190 kg (419 lb) for the
vehicle.
EAU44970
Rear view mirrors
The rear view mirrors of this vehicle can
be folded backward for parking in nar-
row spaces. Fold the mirrors back to
their original position before riding.
WARNING
EWA14371
Be sure to fold the rear view mirrors
back to their original position before
riding.
1. Rear storage compartment
2. Shaded area
1
2
1. Parking position
2. Riding position
1
1 2
2
Page 38 of 94

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-23
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
EAU46021
Shock absorber assembly
WARNING
EWA10221
This shock absorber assembly con-
tains highly pressurized nitrogen
gas. Read and understand the fol-
lowing information before handling
the shock absorber assembly.
Do not tamper with or attempt to
open the cylinder assembly.
Do not subject the shock ab-
sorber assembly to an open
flame or other high heat source.
This may cause the unit to ex-
plode due to excessive gas
pressure.
Do not deform or damage the
cylinder in any way. Cylinder
damage will result in poor
damping performance.
Do not dispose of a damaged or
worn-out shock absorber as-
sembly yourself. Take the shock
absorber assembly to a Yamaha
dealer for any service.
EAU15304
Sidestand
The sidestand is located on the left side
of the frame. Raise the sidestand or
lower it with your foot while holding the
vehicle upright.
TIP
The built-in sidestand switch is part of
the ignition circuit cut-off system, which
cuts the ignition in certain situations.
(See page 3-24 for an explanation of
the ignition circuit cut-off system.)
WARNING
EWA10241
The vehicle must not be ridden with
the sidestand down, or if the side-
stand cannot be properly moved up
(or does not stay up), otherwise the
sidestand could contact the ground
and distract the operator, resulting
in a possible loss of control.
Yamaha’s ignition circuit cut-off
system has been designed to assist
the operator in fulfilling the respon-
sibility of raising the sidestand be-
fore starting off. Therefore, check
this system regularly and have a
Yamaha dealer repair it if it does not
function properly.
Page 40 of 94

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-25
1
2
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4
5
6
7
8
9
With the engine turned off:
1. Move the sidestand down.
2. Make sure that the engine stop switch is turned on.
3. Turn the key on.
4. Keep the front or rear brake applied.
5. Push the start switch.
Does the engine start?
With the engine still off:
6. Move the sidestand up.
7. Keep the front or rear brake applied.
8. Push the start switch.
Does the engine start?
With the engine still running:
9. Move the sidestand down.
Does the engine stall?
The system is OK. The scooter can be ridden.The sidestand switch may not be working correctly.
The scooter should not be ridden until
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
The brake switch may not be working correctly.
The scooter should not be ridden until
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
The sidestand switch may not be working correctly.
The scooter should not be ridden until
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
YES NO YES NO NO YES
If a malfunction is noted, have a Yamaha
dealer check the system before riding.
WARNING
Page 41 of 94

4-1
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3
45
6
7
8
9
FOR YOUR SAFETY – PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EAU15596
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
EWA11151
Failure to inspect or maintain the vehicle properly increases the possibility of an accident or equipment 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 CHECKS PAGE
Fuel
• Check fuel level in fuel tank.
• Refuel if necessary.
• Check fuel line for leakage.3-17
Engine oil
• Check oil level in engine.
• If necessary, add recommended oil to specified level.
• Check vehicle for oil leakage.6-11
Chain drive oil
• Check vehicle for oil leakage. 6-14
Coolant
• Check coolant level in reservoir.
• If necessary, add recommended coolant to specified level.
• Check cooling system for leakage.6-15
Front brake
• Check operation.
• If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hydraulic system.
• Check brake pads for wear.
• Replace if necessary.
• Check fluid level in reservoir.
• If necessary, add recommended brake fluid to specified level.
• Check hydraulic system for leakage.6-21, 6-22, 6-23
Page 43 of 94

5-1
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9
OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
EAU15951
Read the Owner’s Manual carefully to
become familiar with all controls. If
there is a control or function you do not
understand, ask your Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
EWA10271
Failure to familiarize yourself with
the controls can lead to loss of con-
trol, which could cause an accident
or injury.
EAU48020
TIP
This model is equipped with a lean an-
gle sensor to stop the engine in case of
a turnover. In this case, the multi-func-
tion display indicates error code 30, but
this is not a malfunction. Turn the key to
“OFF” and then to “ON” to clear the er-
ror code. Failing to do so will prevent
the engine from starting even though
the engine will crank when pushing the
start switch.
EAU36514
Starting the engine
NOTICE
ECA10250
See page 5-4 for engine break-in in-
structions prior to operating the ve-
hicle for the first time.
In order for the ignition circuit cut-off
system to enable starting, the side-
stand must be up.
See page 3-24 for more information.
1. Turn the key to “ON” and make
sure that the engine stop switch is
set to “ ”.
The following warning lights, indi-
cator light and indicators should
come on for a few seconds, then
go off.
Engine trouble warning light
ABS warning light (for ABS mod-
els)
Immobilizer system indicator light
V-belt replacement indicator
Oil change indicator
NOTICE
ECA15023
If a warning light, indicator light or
indicator does not go off, see pages
Page 44 of 94

OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
5-2
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
93-3, 3-6, 3-9, 3-10 for the correspond-
ing warning light, indicator light or
indicator circuit check.
2. Close the throttle completely.
3. Start the engine by pushing the
start switch while applying the front
or rear brake.
If the engine does not start, re-
lease the start switch, wait a few
seconds, and then try again. Each
starting attempt should be as short
as possible to preserve the bat-
tery. Do not crank the engine more
than 10 seconds on any one at-
tempt.
NOTICE
ECA11042
For maximum engine life, never ac-
celerate hard when the engine is
cold!
EAU45091
Starting off
1. While pulling the rear brake lever
with your left hand and holding the
grab bar with your right hand, push
the scooter off the centerstand.
2. Sit astride the seat, and then ad-
just the rear view mirrors.
3. Switch the turn signals on.
4. Check for oncoming traffic, and
then slowly turn the throttle grip (on
the right) in order to take off.
5. Switch the turn signals off.
EAU16780
Acceleration and deceleration
The speed can be adjusted by opening
and closing the throttle. To increase the
speed, turn the throttle grip in direction
(a). To reduce the speed, turn the throt-
tle grip in direction (b).
1. Grab bar
1
(a)(b)
Page 45 of 94

OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
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EAU16793
Braking
WARNING
EWA10300
Avoid braking hard or suddenly
(especially when leaning over to
one side), otherwise the scooter
may skid or overturn.
Railroad crossings, streetcar
rails, iron plates on road con-
struction sites, and manhole
covers become extremely slip-
pery when wet. Therefore, slow
down when approaching such
areas and cross them with cau-
tion.
Keep in mind that braking on a
wet road is much more difficult.
Ride slowly down a hill, as brak-
ing downhill can be very diffi-
cult.
1. Close the throttle completely.
2. Apply both front and rear brakes
simultaneously while gradually in-
creasing the pressure.
Front
Rear
EAU16820
Tips for reducing fuel
consumption
Fuel consumption depends largely on
your riding style. Consider the following
tips to reduce fuel consumption:
Avoid high engine speeds during
acceleration.
Avoid high engine speeds with no
load on the engine.
Turn the engine off instead of let-
ting it idle for an extended length of
time (e.g., in traffic jams, at traffic
lights or at railroad crossings).