2011 YAMAHA YFZ450R brake pads

Accessories and loading ............................ 6-6
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 ................................... 7-13
RIDING DOWNHILL.................................. 7-16
CROSSING A SLOPE............................... 7-18
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW
WATER ................................................... 7-19
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 ....................... 8-2
Periodic maintenance chart for
the emission control system ..................... 8-3
General maintenance and
lubrication chart ........................................ 8-5
Removing and installing the cowling and
panels ....................................................... 8-9Checking the spark plug ...........................8-12
Engine oil and oil filter element .................8-13
Coolant .....................................................8-19
Cleaning the air filter element ...................8-20
Cleaning the spark arrester ......................8-24
Adjusting the throttle lever free play .........8-26
Valve clearance ........................................8-27
Brakes .......................................................8-27
Checking the front and rear brake pads ...8-27
Checking the brake fluid level ...................8-29
Changing the brake fluid ...........................8-30
Checking the front brake lever free play ...8-30
Checking the brake pedal height ..............8-30
Adjusting the parking brake free play .......8-31
Brake light switches ..................................8-32
Adjusting the clutch lever free play ...........8-33
Drive chain slack .......................................8-34
Lubricating the drive chain ........................8-36
Checking and lubricating the cables .........8-37
Checking and lubricating the brake and
clutch levers ............................................8-38
Checking the shift pedal ...........................8-38
Checking and lubricating the brake
pedal .......................................................8-38
Checking the wheel hub bearings .............8-39
Lubricating the swingarm pivots ...............8-39
U18P64E0.book Page 2 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

5-2
5
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.5-4, 8-27, 8-29, 8-30
Rear 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.5-4, 8-27, 8-29, 8-30
ClutchCheck operation, and correct if necessary.
Lubricate cable if necessary.
Check lever free play, and adjust if necessary.8-33
Throttle leverMake sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate cable and lever hous-
ing if necessary.
Check lever free play, and adjust if necessary.5-5, 8-26
Control cablesMake sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate if necessary. 8-37
Drive chainCheck chain slack, and adjust if necessary.
Check chain condition. Lubricate if necessary.5-5, 8-34, 8-36
Wheels and tiresCheck wheel condition, and replace if damaged.
Check tire condition and tread depth. Replace if necessary.
Check air pressure. Correct if necessary.5-5
Shift pedalMake sure that operation is smooth.
Correct if necessary.8-38
Brake pedal Make sure that operation is smooth. Lubricate pedal pivoting point if
necessary.8-38 ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
U18P64E0.book Page 2 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

5-4
5
EBU19541Fuel Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-9.)EBU19560Engine oil Make sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-13.)EBU19631Coolant Make sure that the coolant is at the specified level.
Add coolant as necessary. (See page 8-19.)TIPThe coolant level must be checked on a cold en-
gine since the level varies with engine tempera-
ture.EBU19711Front and rear brakes Brake lever and brake pedal
Check that there is no free play in the brake le-
ver. If there is free play, have a Yamaha dealer
check the brake system.

Check for correct brake pedal height. (See page
8-30.) If the pedal height is incorrect, have a
Yamaha dealer adjust it.
Check the operation of the lever and pedal. They
should move smoothly and there should be a
firm feeling when the brakes are applied. If not,
have a Yamaha dealer check the brake system.
Brake fluid level
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-29.)
Brake fluid leakage
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
pipe joints or brake fluid reservoirs. Apply the
brakes firmly for one minute. If there is any leak-
age, have a Yamaha dealer check the brake sys-
tem.
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 for wear. (See page 8-27.)Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
U18P64E0.book Page 4 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

8-5
8
EBU21865General maintenance and lubrication chart TIP
For ATVs not equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the month maintenance intervals.
For ATVs equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the km (mi) or hours maintenance inter-
vals. However, keep in mind that if the ATV isn’t used for a long period of time, the month maintenance
intervals should be followed.
Items marked with an asterisk should be performed by a Yamaha dealer as they require special tools,
data and technical skills.NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1300
(800)2500
(1600)2500
(1600)5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320
1 Air filter elementClean and replace if necessary.Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
2*ClutchCheck operation and adjust if necessary.√ √√√
3*Front brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
4*Rear brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
U18P64E0.book Page 5 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

8-27
8 The throttle lever free play should measure 2.0–
4.0 mm (0.08–0.16 in) at the throttle lever. Period-
ically check the throttle lever free play and, if nec-
essary, adjust it as follows.
1. Slide the rubber cover back.
2. Loosen the locknut.
3. To increase the throttle lever free play, turn
the throttle lever free play adjusting bolt in di-
rection (a). To decrease the throttle lever free
play, turn the adjusting bolt in direction (b).
4. Tighten the locknut.5. Slide the rubber cover to its original position.
EBU24060Valve clearance The valve clearance changes with use, resulting in
improper air-fuel mixture and/or engine noise. To
prevent this from occurring, the valve clearance
must be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.EBU29601Brakes Replacement of brake components requires pro-
fessional knowledge. Brake service should be per-
formed by a Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
EWB02571Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could lead to a loss in braking ability
and an accident.EBU24130Checking the front and rear brake pads The front and rear brake pads must be checked for
wear at the intervals specified in the periodic main-
tenance and lubrication chart.
1. Rubber cover
2. Throttle lever free play adjusting bolt
3. Locknut
4. Throttle lever free play
3 2
4 (a)(b)
1
U18P64E0.book Page 27 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

8-28
8
EBU29560Front brake pads
Each brake pad is provided with wear indicator
grooves, which allow you to check the brake pad
wear without having to disassemble the brake. To
check the brake pad wear, check the wear indica-
tor grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that the wear indicator grooves have almost disap-
peared, have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.TIPThe wheels need to be removed to check the
brake pads. (See page 8-47.)
EBU29831Rear brake pads
Each brake pad is provided with wear indicator
grooves, which allow you to check the brake pad
wear without having to disassemble the brake. To
check the brake pad wear, check the wear indica-
tor grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that the wear indicator grooves have almost disap-
peared, have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.
1. Wear indicator groove
1
1. Wear indicator groove
1
U18P64E0.book Page 28 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

8-29
8
EBU29500Checking the brake fluid level Insufficient brake fluid may allow air to enter the
brake system, possibly causing it to become inef-
fective.
Before riding, check that the brake fluid is above
the minimum level mark and replenish if neces-
sary. A low brake fluid level may indicate worn
brake pads and/or brake system leakage. If the
brake fluid level is low, be sure to check the brake
pads for wear and the brake system for leakage.
Front brakeRear brake
TIPTo check the rear brake fluid level, remove the
seat. (See page 4-10.)Observe these precautions:
When checking the fluid level, make sure that
the top of the brake fluid reservoir is level.
Use only the recommended quality brake fluid,
otherwise the rubber seals may deteriorate,
causing leakage and poor braking performance.
1. Minimum level mark
1
1. Minimum level markRecommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
1
U18P64E0.book Page 29 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM

8-30
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.
EBU24394Checking 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.EBU24613Checking the brake pedal height The brake pedal height must be checked and, if
necessary, adjusted at the intervals specified in the
periodic maintenance and lubrication chart.1. No brake lever free play
1
U18P64E0.book Page 30 Thursday, May 13, 2010 6:00 PM