2012 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 125 parking brake

7-12
7 Select 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. With the
engine idling, return the starter knob to the closed
position and shift the drive select lever into the for-
ward position, then release the parking brake. Ap-
ply the throttle slowly and smoothly.
The centrifugal clutch will engage and you will start
to accelerate. If the throttle is applied too abruptly,
the front wheels may lift off the ground, resulting ina loss of directional control. Avoid higher speeds
until you are thoroughly familiar with the operation
of your ATV.
When slowing down or stopping, release the throt-
tle and apply the brakes smoothly and evenly. Im-
proper use of the brakes can cause the tires to lose
traction, reducing control and increasing the possi-
bility 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,
the ATV will resist turning. A special turning tech-
nique must be used to allow the ATV to make turns
quickly and easily. It is essential that this skill be
learned first at low speed.
U1PY60E0.book Page 12 Friday, March 11, 2011 9:30 AM

7-15
7Do not attempt to climb hills until you have mas-
tered basic maneuvers on flat ground. Always
check the terrain carefully before attempting any
hill. In all cases avoid inclines with slippery or loose
surfaces, or obstacles that might cause you to lose
control.
To climb a hill, you need traction, momentum, and
steady throttle. Travel fast enough to maintain mo-
mentum, but not so fast that you cannot react to
changes in the terrain as you climb.
It is important when climbing a hill to make sure
that your weight is transferred forward on the ATV.
This can be accomplished by leaning forward and,on steeper inclines, standing on the footboards
and leaning forward over the handlebars. Whenev-
er possible, ride straight up hills.
Slow down when you reach the crest of the hill if
you cannot see clearly what is on the other side –
there could be another person, an obstacle, or a
sharp drop-off. Use common sense and remember
that some hills are too steep for you to climb or de-
scend.
If you are climbing a hill and you find that you have
not properly judged your ability to make it to the
top, you should turn the ATV around while you still
have forward motion (provided you have the room
to do so) and go down the hill.
If your ATV has stalled or stopped and you believe
you can continue up the hill, restart carefully to
make sure you do not lift the front wheels which
could cause you to lose control. If you are unable
to continue up the hill, dismount the ATV on the up-
hill side. Physically turn the ATV around and then
descend the hill.
If you start to roll backwards, DO NOT apply the
rear brake, and apply the front brake gradually.
The ATV could easily tip over backwards. When
fully stopped, apply the rear brake as well, and
then lock the parking brake. Dismount the ATV im-
U1PY60E0.book Page 15 Friday, March 11, 2011 9:30 AM

NNeutral indicator light ..................................................... 4-2OOwner’s manual and tool kit ........................................... 8-2PParking ........................................................................... 6-5
Parking brake ................................................................. 4-5
Parking on a slope ......................................................... 6-5
Part locations ................................................................. 3-1RReverse indicator light .................................................... 4-2
Riding your ATV ............................................................. 7-1SSafety information .......................................................... 2-1
Seat .............................................................................. 4-10
Spark arrester, cleaning ............................................... 8-23
Spark plug, checking ...................................................... 8-9
Specifications ............................................................... 10-1
Speed limiter .................................................................. 4-4
Starter (choke) ............................................................. 4-10
Start switch ..................................................................... 4-3
Steering shaft, lubricating ............................................. 8-40
Storage ........................................................................... 9-2
Suspension, lubricating the lower arm pivots ............... 8-39TTail/brake light bulb, replacing ..................................... 8-47
Throttle lever ........................................................... 4-3, 5-3
Throttle lever free play, adjusting ................................. 8-26
Tires ............................................................................... 5-3
Transmission oil .................................................... 5-3, 8-14
Troubleshooting ........................................................... 8-49
Troubleshooting chart .................................................. 8-50
VValve clearance ............................................................ 8-27
V-belt case drain screw ................................................ 8-24
Vehicle identification number ....................................... 11-1WWheel hub bearings, checking ..................................... 8-38
Wheel, installing ........................................................... 8-48
Wheel, removing .......................................................... 8-47
U1PY60E0.book Page 2 Friday, March 11, 2011 9:30 AM