2012 YAMAHA GRIZZLY 350 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, and turning tech-
niques in this area before trying more difficult ter-
rain.
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 (choke) to the
closed position, and shift the drive select lever into
the forward position, and then release the parking
brake. Apply 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 in
a 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.
As you approach a curve, slow down and begin to
turn the handlebars in the desired direction. As you
do so, put your weight on the footboard to the out-
side of the turn (opposite your desired direction)
and lean your upper body into the turn. Use the
throttle to maintain an even speed through the turn.
This maneuver will let the wheel on the inside of
the turn slip slightly, allowing the ATV to make the
turn properly.
U1NS60E0.book Page 12 Monday, August 1, 2011 4:12 PM

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. For more traction and control for
climbing steeper and/or rougher slopes, select
“
4WD ”. Travel fast enough to maintain momentum,
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 either
brake abruptly. If you are in “
2WD”, apply only the
front brake. When fully stopped, apply the rear
brake as well, and then lock the parking brake. If
you are in “ 4WD”, because all wheels are intercon-
nected by the drive train, applying either brake will
brake all wheels, therefore, avoid sudden applica-
tion of either the front or rear brake as the wheels
on the uphill side could come off the ground. The
ATV could easily tip over backwards. Apply both
the front and rear brakes gradually. When fully
stopped, lock the parking brake and dismount the
ATV immediately on the uphill side, or to a side if
pointed straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and
U1NS60E0.book Page 15 Monday, August 1, 2011 4:12 PM

Light switch .................................................................... 4-4MMain switch .................................................................... 4-1
Maintenance and lubrication chart ................................. 8-5
Maintenance chart, emission control system ................. 8-3
Model label ................................................................... 11-2NNeutral indicator light ..................................................... 4-2OOil temperature warning light ......................................... 4-2
On-Command four-wheel-drive switch ........................... 4-5
Owner’s manual and tool kit ........................................... 8-2PParking ........................................................................... 6-5
Parking brake ................................................................. 4-8
Parking on a slope ......................................................... 6-5
Part locations ................................................................. 3-1RRear brake, adjusting the pedal height, and the pedal
and lever free play ..................................................... 8-30
Reverse indicator light .................................................... 4-2
Riding your ATV ............................................................. 7-1SSafety information .......................................................... 2-1
Seat .............................................................................. 4-13
Shock absorber assemblies, adjusting the front .......... 4-16
Shock absorber assembly, adjusting the rear .............. 4-17
Spark arrester, cleaning ............................................... 8-22
Spark plug, checking ...................................................... 8-9
Specifications ............................................................... 10-1
Speed limiter .................................................................. 4-6
Speedometer .................................................................. 4-3 Starter (choke) ............................................................. 4-13
Start switch ..................................................................... 4-4
Steering shaft, lubricating ............................................. 8-38
Storage ........................................................................... 9-2
Storage compartment ................................................... 4-14
TTail/brake light bulb, replacing ..................................... 8-45
Throttle lever ........................................................... 4-5, 5-4
Throttle lever free play, adjusting ................................. 8-26
Tires ............................................................................... 5-4
Troubleshooting ........................................................... 8-47
Troubleshooting chart .................................................. 8-48VValve clearance ............................................................ 8-27
V-belt case drain plug .................................................. 8-24
V-belt cooling duct check hose .................................... 8-24
Vehicle identification number ....................................... 11-1WWheel hub bearings, checking ..................................... 8-38
Wheel, installing ........................................................... 8-46
Wheel, removing .......................................................... 8-45
U1NS60E0.book Page 2 Monday, August 1, 2011 4:12 PM