2011 YAMAHA YZF-R6 ESP

1-1
1
SAFETY INFORMATION
EAU10287
Be a Responsible Owner
As the vehicle’s owner, you are respon-
sible for the safe and proper operation
of your motorcycle.
Motorcycles are single-track vehicles.
Their safe use and operation are de-
pendent upon the use of proper riding
techniques as well as the expertise of
the operator. Every operator should
know the following requirements before
riding this motorcycle.
He or she should:

Obtain thorough instructions from
a competent source on all aspects
of motorcycle operation.


Observe the warnings and mainte-
nance requirements in this Own-
er’s Manual.


Obtain qualified training in safe
and proper riding techniques.


Obtain professional technical ser-
vice as indicated in this Owner’s
Manual and/or when made neces-
sary by mechanical conditions.Safe Riding
Perform the pre-operation checks each
time you use the vehicle to make sure it
is in safe operating condition. Failure to
inspect or maintain the vehicle properly
increases the possibility of an accident
or equipment damage. See page 4-1
for a list of pre-operation checks.


This motorcycle is designed to car-
ry the operator and a passenger.


The failure of motorists to detect
and recognize motorcycles in traf-
fic is the predominating cause of
automobile/motorcycle accidents.
Many accidents have been caused
by an automobile driver who did
not see the motorcycle. Making
yourself conspicuous appears to
be very effective in reducing the
chance of this type of accident.
Therefore:
Wear a brightly colored jacket.
Use extra caution when you are
approaching and passing
through intersections, since in-
tersections are the most likely
places for motorcycle accidents
to occur.Ride where other motorists can
see you. Avoid riding in another
motorist’s blind spot.


Many accidents involve inexperi-
enced operators. In fact, many op-
erators who have been involved in
accidents do not even have a cur-
rent motorcycle license.
Make sure that you are qualified
and that you only lend your mo-
torcycle to other qualified opera-
tors.
Know your skills and limits.
Staying within your limits may
help you to avoid an accident.
We recommend that you prac-
tice riding your motorcycle
where there is no traffic until you
have become thoroughly famil-
iar with the motorcycle and all of
its controls.


Many accidents have been caused
by error of the motorcycle opera-
tor. A typical error made by the op-
erator is veering wide on a turn
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SAFETY INFORMATION
1-4
1 Aftermarket Parts, Accessories, and
Modifications
While you may find aftermarket prod-
ucts similar in design and quality to
genuine Yamaha accessories, recog-
nize that some aftermarket accessories
or modifications are not suitable be-
cause of potential safety hazards to you
or others. Installing aftermarket prod-
ucts or having other modifications per-
formed to your vehicle that change any
of the vehicle’s design or operation
characteristics can put you and others
at greater risk of serious injury or death.
You are responsible for injuries related
to changes in the vehicle.
Keep the following guidelines in mind,
as well as those provided under “Load-
ing” when mounting accessories.


Never install accessories or carry
cargo that would impair the perfor-
mance of your motorcycle. Care-
fully inspect the accessory before
using it to make sure that it does
not in any way reduce ground
clearance or cornering clearance,limit suspension travel, steering
travel or control operation, or ob-
scure lights or reflectors.
Accessories fitted to the handle-
bar or the front fork area can
create instability due to improper
weight distribution or aerody-
namic changes. If accessories
are added to the handlebar or
front fork area, they must be as
lightweight as possible and
should be kept to a minimum.
Bulky or large accessories may
seriously affect the stability of
the motorcycle due to aerody-
namic effects. Wind may at-
tempt to lift the motorcycle, or
the motorcycle may become un-
stable in cross winds. These ac-
cessories may also cause
instability when passing or being
passed by large vehicles.
Certain accessories can dis-
place the operator from his or
her normal riding position. This
improper position limits the free-
dom of movement of the opera-tor and may limit control ability,
therefore, such accessories are
not recommended.


Use caution when adding electri-
cal accessories. If electrical acces-
sories exceed the capacity of the
motorcycle’s electrical system, an
electric failure could result, which
could cause a dangerous loss of
lights or engine power.
Aftermarket Tires and Rims
The tires and rims that came with your
motorcycle were designed to match the
performance capabilities and to provide
the best combination of handling, brak-
ing, and comfort. Other tires, rims, siz-
es, and combinations may not be
appropriate. Refer to page 6-20 for tire
specifications and more information on
replacing your tires.
Transporting the Motorcycle
Be sure to observe following instruc-
tions before transporting the motorcy-
cle in another vehicle.


Remove all loose items from the
motorcycle.
U13SE3E0.book Page 4 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 4:39 PM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-4
3
EAU49391
Indicator lights and warning
lights
EAU11030
Turn signal indicator lights“”
and“”
The corresponding indicator light flash-
es when the turn signal switch is
pushed to the left or right.
EAU11060
Neutral indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the
transmission is in the neutral position.
EAU11080
High beam indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the
high beam of the headlight is switched
on.
EAU11254
Oil level warning light“”
This warning light comes on if the en-
gine oil level is low.
The electrical circuit of the warning light
can be checked by turning the key to
“ON”. The warning light should come
on for a few seconds, and then go off.
If the warning light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the warning light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.TIP

Even if the oil level is sufficient, the
warning light may flicker when
riding on a slope or during sudden
acceleration or deceleration, but
this is not a malfunction.


This model is also equipped with a
self-diagnosis device for the oil
level detection circuit. If a problem
is detected in the oil level detection
circuit, the following cycle will be
repeated until the malfunction is
corrected: The oil level warning
light will flash ten times, then go off
for 2.5 seconds. If this occurs,
have a Yamaha dealer check the
vehicle.
EAU11365
Fuel level warning light“”
This warning light comes on when the
fuel level drops below approximately
3.5 L (0.92 US gal, 0.77 Imp.gal). When
this occurs, refuel as soon as possible.
The electrical circuit of the warning light
can be checked by turning the key to
“ON”. The warning light should come
on for a few seconds, and then go off.
If the warning light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the warning light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.
1. Left turn signal indicator light“”
2. Neutral indicator light“”
3. High beam indicator light“”
4. Right turn signal indicator light“”
5. Fuel level warning light“”
6. Oil level warning light“”
7. Coolant temperature warning light“”
8. Shift timing indicator light
9. Engine trouble warning light“”
10.Immobilizer system indicator light
km/h
TRIP A
˚C
12 34 5
6
7
8
9 10
U13SE3E0.book Page 4 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 4:39 PM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-28
3 on the passenger seat, remove the
passenger seat, unhook the straps
from the hooks, and then install the
seat with the straps hanging out from
under the passenger seat. (See page
3-20.)
EAU41941
EXUP system This model is equipped with Yamaha’s
EXUP (EXhaust Ultimate Power valve)
system. This system boosts engine
power by means of a valve that regu-
lates the inner diameter of the exhaust
pipe. The EXUP system valve is con-
stantly adjusted in accordance with the
engine speed by a computer-controlled
servomotor.NOTICE
ECA15610
The EXUP system has been set and
extensively tested at the Yamaha
factory. Changing these settings
without sufficient technical knowl-
edge may result in poor perfor-
mance of or damage to the engine.
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.TIPThe built-in sidestand switch is part of
the ignition circuit cut-off system, which
cuts the ignition in certain situations.
(See page 3-29 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
U13SE3E0.book Page 28 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 4:39 PM

OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
5-2
5
NOTICE
ECA11833
If a warning or indicator light does
not come on initially when the key is
turned to “ON”, or if a warning or in-
dicator light remains on, see page
3-4 for the corresponding warning
and indicator light circuit check.2. Shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position. The neutral indicator
light should come on. If not, ask a
Yamaha dealer to check the elec-
trical circuit.
3. Start the engine by pushing the
start switch.
If the engine fails to start, release
the start switch, wait a few sec-
onds, 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!
EAU16671
Shifting Shifting gears lets you control the
amount of engine power available for
starting off, accelerating, climbing hills,
etc.
The gear positions are shown in the il-
lustration.TIPTo shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position, press the shift pedal down
repeatedly until it reaches the end of its
travel, and then slightly raise it.
NOTICE
ECA10260


Even with the transmission in
the neutral position, do not
coast for long periods of time
with the engine off, and do not
tow the motorcycle for long dis-
tances. The transmission is
properly lubricated only when
the engine is running. Inade-
quate lubrication may damage
the transmission.


Always use the clutch while
changing gears to avoid damag-
ing the engine, transmission,
and drive train, which are not
designed to withstand the
shock of forced shifting.
1. Shift pedal
2. Neutral position
U13SE3E0.book Page 2 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 4:39 PM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-28
6To prevent this from occurring,
keep the drive chain slack with-
in the specified limits.
[ECA10571]
TIPUsing the alignment marks on each
drive chain puller, make sure that both
chain pullers are in the same position
for proper wheel alignment. Use the
end of the swingarm as the reference
point for the alignment marks.3. Tighten the axle nut to the speci-
fied torque.4. Tighten the adjusting bolts in direc-
tion (a) to their specified torque.
5. Tighten the locknuts to their speci-
fied torque.
EAU23025
Cleaning and lubricating the
drive chain The drive chain must be cleaned and
lubricated at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart, otherwise it will quickly wear
out, especially when riding in dusty or
wet areas. Service the drive chain as
follows.NOTICE
ECA10583
The drive chain must be lubricated
after washing the motorcycle, riding
in the rain or riding in wet areas.1. Clean the drive chain with kero-
sene and a small soft brush.
NOTICE: To prevent damaging
the O-rings, do not clean the
drive chain with steam cleaners,
high-pressure washers or inap-
propriate solvents.
[ECA11121]
2. Wipe the drive chain dry.
3. Thoroughly lubricate the drive
chain with a special O-ring chain
lubricant. NOTICE: Do not use
engine oil or any other lubri-
cants for the drive chain, as they
1. Drive chain slack adjusting bolt
2. LocknutTightening torque:
Axle nut:
110 Nm (11 m·kgf, 80 ft·lbf)
(a)
(b)
12
Tightening torque:
Drive chain slack adjusting bolt:
2.0 Nm (0.20 m·kgf, 1.4 ft·lbf)
Tightening torque:
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 12 ft·lbf)
U13SE3E0.book Page 28 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 4:39 PM

MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
7-1
7
EAU37833
Matte color caution NOTICE
ECA15192
Some models are equipped with
matte colored finished parts. Be
sure to consult a Yamaha dealer for
advice on what products to use be-
fore cleaning the vehicle. Using a
brush, harsh chemical products or
cleaning compounds when cleaning
these parts will scratch or damage
their surface. Wax also should not
be applied to any matte colored fin-
ished parts.
EAU26023
Care While the open design of a motorcycle
reveals the attractiveness of the tech-
nology, it also makes it more vulnera-
ble. Rust and corrosion can develop
even if high-quality components are
used. A rusty exhaust pipe may go un-
noticed on a car, however, it detracts
from the overall appearance of a motor-
cycle. Frequent and proper care does
not only comply with the terms of the
warranty, but it will also keep your mo-
torcycle looking good, extend its life
and optimize its performance.
Before cleaning
1. Cover the muffler outlet with a
plastic bag after the engine has
cooled down.
2. Make sure that all caps and covers
as well as all electrical couplers
and connectors, including the
spark plug caps, are tightly in-
stalled.
3. Remove extremely stubborn dirt,
like oil burnt onto the crankcase,
with a degreasing agent and a
brush, but never apply such prod-ucts onto seals, gaskets, sprock-
ets, the drive chain and wheel
axles. Always rinse the dirt and de-
greaser off with water.
Cleaning
NOTICE
ECA11142


Avoid using strong acidic wheel
cleaners, especially on spoked
wheels. If such products are
used on hard-to-remove dirt, do
not leave the cleaner on the af-
fected area any longer than in-
structed. Also, thoroughly rinse
the area off with water, immedi-
ately dry it, and then apply a cor-
rosion protection spray.


Improper cleaning can damage
plastic parts (such as cowlings,
panels, windshields, headlight
lenses, meter lenses, etc.) and
the mufflers. Use only a soft,
clean cloth or sponge with wa-
ter to clean plastic. However, if
the plastic parts cannot be thor-
oughly cleaned with water, di-
luted mild detergent with water
may be used. Be sure to rinse
U13SE3E0.book Page 1 Tuesday, June 8, 2010 4:39 PM