2012 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 125 brake

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-
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7-16
7 mediately on the uphill side or to a side if pointed
straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and remount,
following the procedure described in the Owner’s
Manual. WARNING! Stalling, rolling backwards
or improperly dismounting while climbing a hill
could result in ATV overturning. If you cannot
control the ATV, dismount immediately on the
uphill side.
[EWB01802]
RIDING DOWNHILL
WARNING
EWB01131Going down a hill improperly could cause
overturns or loss of control. Always follow
proper procedures for going down hills as de-
scribed in this Owner’s Manual.
Always check the terrain carefully before
you start down any hill.
Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for
the ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can
overturn more easily on extremely steep hills
than on level surfaces or small hills.
Shift your weight backward and to the up
side of the hill.
Never go down a hill at high speed.
Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-
ble.
Improper braking can cause the wheels on
the uphill side to come off the ground or
cause loss of traction. Gradually apply only
the rear brake when going downhill.
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7-17
7When riding your ATV downhill, shift your weight
as far to the rear and uphill side of the ATV as pos-
sible. Move back on the seat and sit with your arms
straight. Engine compression will do most of the
braking for you.
Use caution while descending a hill with loose or
slippery surfaces. Braking ability and traction may
be adversely affected by these surfaces. Improper
braking may also cause a loss of traction. Gradual-
ly apply only the rear brake.
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
hill. Avoid sharp angles which could allow the ATV
to tip or roll over. Carefully choose your path and
ride no faster than you will be able to react to ob-
stacles which may appear.
CROSSING A SLOPE
WARNING
EWB01632Improperly crossing hills or turning on hills
could cause loss of control or cause the ATV to
overturn.
Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.
Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill.
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7-19
7The ATV can be used to cross slow moving, shal-
low water of up to a maximum of 20 cm (8 in) in
depth. Before entering the water, choose your path
carefully. Enter where there is no sharp drop off,
and avoid rocks or other obstacles which may be
slippery or upset the ATV. Drive slowly and care-
fully.
Test your brakes after leaving the water. If neces-
sary, apply them several times to let friction dry out
the linings. Do not continue to ride your ATV with-
out verifying that you have regained proper brakingability. WARNING! Wet brakes may have re-
duced stopping ability, which could cause loss
of control.
[EWB02621]
After riding your ATV in water, be sure to drain the
trapped water by removing the check hose at the
bottom of the air filter case. Also, remove the V-belt
case drain screw to drain any water that may have
accumulated. NOTICE: Undrained water can
cause damage or improper operation.
[ECB00841]
Wash the ATV in fresh water if it has been operat-
ed in salt water or muddy conditions.
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7-21
7

Learn 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 of
control.Care should be used when riding on loose or slip-
pery surfaces since the ATV may slide. If unex-
pected and uncorrected, sliding could lead to an
accident.
To reduce the tendency for the front wheels to slide
in loose or slippery conditions, positioning your
weight over the front wheels will sometimes help.If the rear wheels of your ATV start to slide side-
ways, control can usually be regained (if there is
room to do so) by steering in the direction of the
slide. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the slide.
With practice, over a period of time, skill at con-
trolled sliding can be developed. The terrain
should be chosen carefully before attempting such
maneuvers, since both stability and control are re-
duced. Bear in mind that sliding maneuvers should
always be avoided on extremely slippery surfaces
such as ice, since all control may be lost.U1PY60E0.book Page 21 Friday, March 11, 2011 9:30 AM

7-22
7 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 7-12.)
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 7-12.)
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 7-20.)
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 USETHE REAR BRAKE – 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 7-17.)
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
BRAKES FOR PROPER OPERATION when
you come out of the water. Do not continue to
ride your ATV until you have regained adequate
braking ability. (See page 7-18.)
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8-1
8
EBU28783
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
EBU21674Periodic inspection, adjustment, and lubrication
will keep your vehicle in the safest and most effi-
cient condition possible. Safety is an obligation of
the vehicle owner/operator. The most important
points of vehicle inspection, adjustment, and lubri-
cation are explained on the following pages.
WARNING
EWB01841Failure to properly maintain the vehicle or per-
forming maintenance activities incorrectly may
increase your risk of injury or death during ser-
vice or while using the vehicle. If you are not fa-
miliar with vehicle service, have a Yamaha
dealer perform the service.
WARNING
EWB02562Turn off the engine when performing mainte-
nance unless otherwise specified.
A running engine has moving parts that can
catch on body parts or clothing and electri-
cal parts that can cause shocks or fires.

Running the engine while servicing can lead
to eye injury, burns, fire, or carbon monoxide
poisoning - possibly leading to death. See
page 2-3 for more information about carbon
monoxide.
WARNING
EWB02690Brake discs, calipers, drums, and linings can
become very hot during use. To avoid possible
burns, let brake components cool before
touching them.The intervals given in the periodic maintenance
charts should be considered as a general guide
under normal riding conditions. However, DE-
PENDING ON THE WEATHER, TERRAIN, GEO-
GRAPHICAL LOCATION, AND INDIVIDUAL
USE, THE MAINTENANCE INTERVALS MAY
NEED TO BE SHORTENED.
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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
1Engine and V-belt
case air filter ele-
ment Clean and replace if necessary.Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
2*Front brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check brake lever free play and adjust if neces-
sary.√√√√√
Replace brake shoes. Whenever worn to the limit
3*Rear brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check brake lever free play and adjust if neces-
sary.√√√√√
Replace brake shoes. Whenever worn to the limit
U1PY60E0.book Page 5 Friday, March 11, 2011 9:30 AM