2011 YAMAHA YFM250R-W warning

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7
WARNING
EWB01661Learn 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 ofcontrol.
WHAT TO DO IF...
This section is designed to be a reference guide
only. Be sure to read each section on riding tech-
niques completely.
WHAT TO DO...
If your ATV doesn’t turn when you want it to:
Bring the ATV to a stop and practice the turning
maneuvers again. Be sure you are putting your
weight on the footboard to the outside of the
turn. Position your weight over the front wheels
for better control. (See page 7-13.)
If your ATV begins to tip while turning:
Lean more into the turn to regain balance. If nec-
essary, gradually let off the throttle and/or steer
to the outside of the turn. (See page 7-13.)

If your ATV starts to slide sideways:
Steer in the direction of the slide if you have the
room. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the
slide. (See page 7-22.)
If your ATV can’t make it up a hill you are trying
to climb:
Turn the ATV around if you still have forward
speed. If not, stop, dismount on the uphill side of
the ATV and physically turn the ATV around. If
the ATV starts to slip backwards, DO NOT USE
THE BRAKE PEDAL – the ATV may tip over on
top of you. Dismount the ATV on the uphill side.
(See page 7-14.)
If your ATV is traversing a sloping surface:
Be sure to ride with your weight positioned to-
wards the uphill side of the ATV to maintain
proper balance. If the ATV starts to tip, steer
down the hill (if there are no obstacles in your
way) to regain balance. If you discover that the
ATV is going to tip over, dismount on the uphill
side. (See page 7-18.)
If your ATV encounters shallow water:
Ride slowly and carefully through slow moving
water, watching for obstacles. Be sure to let wa-
ter drain from the ATV and CHECK YOUR
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EBU28782
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR REPAIR
EBU21670Safety is an obligation of the owner. Periodic in-
spection, adjustment and lubrication will keep your
ATV in the safest and best operating condition
possible. The most important points of inspection,
adjustment, and lubrication are explained on the
following pages.
The intervals given in the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart should be considered as a
general guide under normal riding conditions.
However, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER,
TERRAIN, GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, AND
INDIVIDUAL USE, THE MAINTENANCE INTER-
VALS MAY NEED TO BE SHORTENED.
WARNING
EWB01840Never service an engine while it is running.
Moving parts can catch clothing or parts of the
body, causing injury. Electrical components
can cause shocks or start fires. Turn off the en-
gine when performing maintenance unlessotherwise specified. Have a Yamaha dealer
perform the service if you are not familiar with
maintenance work.EBU21730Owner’s manual and tool kit Be sure to put this owner’s manual in the plastic
bag and always carry it on the bottom of the seat
as shown. Put the owner’s tool kit and low-pres-
sure tire gauge under the seat.
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8-2
8The service information included in this manual
and the tools provided in the owner’s tool kit are in-
tended to assist you in the performance of preven-
tive maintenance and minor repairs. However,
additional tools such as a torque wrench may be
necessary to perform certain maintenance work
correctly.
TIPIf you do not have the tools or experience required
for a particular job, have a Yamaha dealer performit for you.
WARNING
EWB01850Never modify this ATV through improper in-
stallation or use of accessories, as it may
cause changes in handling, which in some sit-
uations could lead to an accident. All parts and
accessories added to this ATV should be gen-
uine Yamaha or equivalent components de-
signed for use on this ATV and should be
installed and used according to instructions. If
you have questions, consult an authorizedYamaha ATV dealer.
1. Low-pressure tire gauge
2. Owner’s tool kit
3. Owner’s manual
4. Manual cover123
4
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8-15
8 8. Wash the sponge material gently but thor-
oughly in solvent.
WARNING
EWB01940Always use parts cleaning solvent to clean the
sponge material. Never use low-flash-point
solvents or gasoline to clean the sponge mate-
rial because the engine could catch fire or ex-plode.
9. Squeeze the excess solvent out of the sponge
material and let it dry.
NOTICEECB00440Do not twist the sponge material when squeez-ing it.
10. Check the sponge material and replace it if
damaged.
11. Apply a quality foam air filter oil to the sponge
material.TIPThe sponge material should be wet but not drip-ping.
12. Pull the sponge material over the air filter ele-
ment frame.
1. Sponge material
2. Air filter element frame
1
2
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8-18
85. Install the bolts and tighten them to the speci-
fied torque.
WARNING
EWB02340Do not start the engine when cleaning the
spark arrester, otherwise it could cause injury
to the eyes, burns, carbon monoxide poison-ing, possibly leading to death, and start a fire.
Always let the exhaust system cool prior to
touching exhaust components.EBU23940Adjusting the carburetor The carburetor should be checked and, if neces-
sary, adjusted at the intervals specified in the peri-
odic maintenance and lubrication chart. The
carburetor is an important part of the engine and
requires very sophisticated adjustment. Therefore,
most carburetor adjustments should be left to a
Yamaha dealer, who has the necessary profes-
sional knowledge and experience. The adjustment
described in the following section, however, may
be performed by the owner as part of routine main-
tenance.NOTICEECB00480The carburetor has been set and extensively
tested at the Yamaha factory. Changing these
settings without sufficient technical knowl-
edge may result in poor performance of ordamage to the engine.
1. Gasket
2. Tailpipe
3. BoltTightening torque:
Tailpipe bolt:
11 Nm (1.1 m·kgf, 8.0 ft·lbf)
1 2
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8

Refill with the same type of brake fluid. Mixing
fluids may result in a harmful chemical reaction
and lead to poor braking performance.
Be careful that water does not enter the brake
fluid reservoir when refilling. Water will signifi-
cantly lower the boiling point of the fluid and may
result in vapor lock.
Brake fluid may deteriorate painted surfaces or
plastic parts. Always clean up spilled fluid imme-
diately.
As the brake pads wear, it is normal for the brake
fluid level to gradually go down. However, if the
brake fluid level goes down suddenly, have a
Yamaha dealer check the cause.EBU24291Changing the brake fluid Have a Yamaha dealer change the brake fluid at
the intervals specified in the TIP after the periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart. In addition,
have the oil seals of the master cylinders and cali-
pers as well as the brake hoses replaced at the in-
tervals listed below or whenever they are damaged
or leaking.
Oil seals: Replace every two years.
Brake hoses: Replace every four years.
EBU24393Checking the front brake lever free play The brake lever free play must be checked at the
intervals specified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart. The brake lever should have no
free play as shown. If there is free play, have a
Yamaha dealer check the brake system.
WARNING
EWB02471Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could cause loss of braking ability,
which could lead to an accident.
After servicing:1. Brake lever free play
1
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Make sure the brakes operate smoothly and
that there is no free play.
Make sure the brakes do not drag.
Make sure the brakes are not spongy. All air
must be bled from the brake system.
Replacement of brake components requires
professional knowledge. These proceduresshould be performed by a Yamaha dealer.EBU24591Checking the brake pedal position The brake pedal position must be checked and, if
necessary, adjusted at the intervals specified in the
periodic maintenance and lubrication chart.
The top of the brake pedal should be positioned
40.0 mm (1.57 in) above the top of the frame as
shown. If the brake pedal is not positioned as spec-
ified, have a Yamaha dealer adjust it.
WARNING
EWB02110Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could cause loss of braking ability,
which could lead to an accident.
After servicing:
Make sure the brakes operate smoothly and
that the brake pedal position is correct.
Make sure the brakes do not drag.
Make sure the brakes are not spongy. All air
must be bled from the brake system.
Replacement of brake components requires
professional knowledge. These proceduresshould be performed by a Yamaha dealer.1. Brake pedal position
1
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NOTICEECB00520When tightening the locknut, hold the adjust-
ing bolt with a wrench so that it does not turntogether with the locknut.
WARNING
EWB02090Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could cause the brakes to malfunc-
tion, resulting in reduced braking
performance. This could increase the chance
of a collision or accident. After adjusting the
parking brake free play, block the rear of the
ATV off the ground and spin the rear wheels.
Check to make sure there is no brake drag. If
brake drag is noticed, perform the adjustmentagain.
EBU24740Brake light switches The operation of the brake light switches must be
checked and, if necessary, adjusted at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
The brake light switch for the brake pedal can be
adjusted as follows, but the other brake light
switches should be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer.TIPThe brake light switch is properly adjusted when
the brake light comes on just before braking takeseffect.
Turn the adjusting nut while holding the brake light
switch in place. To make the brake light come on
earlier, turn the adjusting nut in direction (a). To
make the brake light come on later, turn the adjust-
ing nut in direction (b). Tightening torque:
Locknut (rear brake caliper):
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 11 ft·lbf)
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