2012 YAMAHA XJ6F ESP

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SAFETY INFORMATION
EAU1028B
Be a Responsible Owner
As the vehicle’s owner, you are re-
sponsible for the safe and proper oper-
ation 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 be-
fore 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. 
Never operate a motorcycle with-
out proper training or instruction.
Take a training course. Beginners
should receive training from a cer-
tified instructor. Contact an autho-
rized motorcycle dealer to find out
about the training courses nearest
you.
Safe Ri din g
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 vehi-
cle 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
carry the operator and a passen-
ger.
 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 ap- pears to be very effective in reduc-
ing 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.
• Never maintain a motorcycle without proper knowledge.
Contact an authorized motorcy-
cle dealer to inform you on ba-
sic motorcycle maintenance.
Certain maintenance can only
be carried out by certified staff.U1CWE4E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 2:59 PM

SAFETY INFORMATION
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tents, can create unstable han-
dling or a slow steering re-
sponse.
 This vehicle is not desi gne d to
pull a trailer or to be attached to
a si decar.
Genuine Yamaha Accessories
Choosing accessories for your vehicle
is an important decision. Genuine
Yamaha accessories, which are avail- able only from a Yamaha dealer, have
been designed, tested, and approved
by Yamaha for use on your vehicle.
Many companies with no connection
to Yamaha manufacture parts and ac-
cessories or offer other modifications
for Yamaha vehicles. Yamaha is not in
a position to test the products that
these aftermarket companies produce.
Therefore, Yamaha can neither en-
dorse nor recommend the use of ac-
cessories not sold by Yamaha or
modifications not specifically recom-
mended by Yamaha, even if sold and
installed by a Yamaha dealer. Aftermarket Parts, Accessories, an
d
Mo difications
While you may find aftermarket prod-
ucts similar in design and quality to
genuine Yamaha accessories, recog-
nize that some aftermarket accesso-
ries or modifications are not suitable
because of potential safety hazards to
you or others. Installing aftermarket
products or having other modifications
performed 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 per-
formance of your motorcycle.
Carefully 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 opera-
tion, or obscure lights or reflec-
tors.
• Accessories fitted to the han- dlebar or the front fork area can
create instability due to improp-
er 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
unstable in cross winds. These
accessories may also cause in-
stability 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
freedom of movement of the
U1CWE4E0.book Page 4 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 2:59 PM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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
Do not tamper with or attempt
to open the cylin der assem bly.
 Do not su bject the shock a b-
sor ber assem bly to an open
flame or other hi gh heat source.
This may cause the unit to ex-
plod e due to excessive gas
pressure.
 Do not d eform or damag e the
cylin der in any way. Cylin der
d amag e will result in poor
d ampin g performance.
 Do not d ispose of a damag ed or
worn-out shock a bsor ber as-
sem bly yourself. Take the shock
a b sor ber assem bly to a Yamaha
d ealer for any service.
EAU15306
Si destan dThe 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 situa-
tions. (See the following section for an
explanation of the ignition circuit cut-
off system.)
WARNING
EWA10242
The vehicle must not b e ridden with
the si destan d d own, or if the si de-
stan d cannot b e properly move d up
(or does not stay up), otherwise the
si destan d coul d contact the groun d
an d d istract the operator, resultin g
in a possib le loss of control.
Yamaha’s ig nition circuit cut-off
system has been desi gne d to assist
the operator in fulfillin g the respon-
si bility of raisin g the si destan d b e-
fore startin g off. Therefore, check this system re
gularly an d have a
Yamaha dealer repair it if it does not
function properly.
U1CWE4E0.book Page 22 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 2:59 PM

OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
5-2
5a warnin
g or in dicator li ght remains
on, see pa ge 3-4 for the correspon d-
in g warnin g an d in dicator li ght cir-
cuit check.
For ABS models:The ABS warning light should
come on when the main switch is
turned to “ON” and then go off af-
ter traveling at a speed of 10 km/h
(6 mi/h) or higher.
NOTICE
ECA17682
If the ABS warnin g lig ht does not
come on an d then g o off as ex-
plaine d a bove, see pa ge 3-4 for the
warnin g lig ht circuit check.2. Shift the transmission into the
neutral position. The neutral indi-
cator light should come on. If not,
ask a Yamaha dealer to check the
electrical 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 battery. Do not crank the engine
more than 10 seconds on any one
attempt.
NOTICE
ECA11043
For maximum en
gine life, never ac-
celerate har d when the en gine is
col d!
EAU16673
Shiftin gShifting 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.1. Shift pedal
2. Neutral position
1
N
2 3
4
5
6
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2
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
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5. Take the motorcycle off the cen-
terstand, and then put the side-
stand down.
6. Tighten the axle nut, and then tighten the locknuts to the speci-
fied torques.
7. Make sure that the drive chain pullers are in the same position,
the drive chain slack is correct,
and the drive chain moves
smoothly.
EAU23026
Cleanin g an d lu bricatin g the
d rive chainThe 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
ECA10584
The drive chain must b e lubricate d
after washin g the motorcycle, ri din g
in the rain or ri din g in wet areas.1. Clean the drive chain with kero-
sene and a small soft brush.
NOTICE: To prevent d amaging
the O-rin gs, do not clean the
d rive chain with steam cleaners,
hi gh-pressure washers or inap-
propriate solvents.
[ECA11122]
2. Wipe the drive chain dry.
3. Thoroughly lubricate the drive chain with a special O-ring chain
lubricant. NOTICE: Do not use
en gine oil or any other lu bri-
cants for the d rive chain, as they may contain su
bstances that
coul d damag e the O-rin gs.
[ECA11112]
1. Drive chain puller
2. Alignment marksTi ghtenin g torques:
Axle nut: 90 Nm (9.0 m·kgf, 65 ft·lbf)
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 12 ft·lbf)
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MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE7-1
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EAU37834
Matte color cautionNOTICE
ECA15193
Some models are equipped with
matte colored finished parts. Be
sure to consult a Yamaha dealer for
a d vice on what prod ucts to use be-
fore cleanin g the vehicle. Usin g a
b rush, harsh chemical pro ducts or
cleanin g compoun ds when cleanin g
these parts will scratch or damag e
their surface. Wax also shoul d not
b e applie d to any matte colored fin-
ishe d parts.
EAU54661
CareWhile 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 mo-
torcycle. Frequent and proper care
does not only comply with the terms of
the warranty, but it will also keep your
motorcycle looking good, extend its
life and optimize its performance.
Before cleanin g
1. Cover the muffler outlet with a plastic bag after the engine has
cooled down.
2. Make sure that all caps and cov- ers as well as all electrical cou-
plers 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
degreaser off with water.
Cleanin g
NOTICE
ECA10773
Avoi d usin g stron g aci dic wheel
cleaners, especially on spoked
wheels. If such pro ducts are
use d on har d-to-remove dirt, do
not leave the cleaner on the af-
fected area any lon ger than in-
structed . Also, thorou ghly rinse
the area off with water, immed i-
ately dry it, an d then apply a cor-
rosion protection spray.
 Improper cleanin g can d amage
plastic parts (such as cowlin gs,
panels, win dshiel ds, hea dlig ht
lenses, meter lenses, etc.) an d
the mufflers. Use only a soft,
clean cloth or spon ge with wa-
ter to clean plastic. However, if
the plastic parts cannot be thor-
ou ghly cleaned with water, di-
lute d mil d d eter gent with water
may be used . Be sure to rinse
U1CWE4E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, August 6, 2014 2:59 PM