2014 YAMAHA XJ6-S Owners Manual

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-20
6
EAU21385
Checking the throttle grip free
playThe throttle grip free play should mea-
sure 3.0–5.0 mm (0.12–0.20 in) at the
inner edge of the throttle grip. Periodi-
cally check the throttle grip free play
and, if necessary, have a Yamaha deal-
er adjust it.
EAU21402
Valve clearanceThe valve clearance changes with use,
resulting in improper air-fuel mixture
and/or engine noise. To prevent this
from occurring, the valve clearance
must be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer
at the intervals specified in the periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart.
EAU21779
TiresTires are the only contact between the
vehicle and the road. Safety in all con-
ditions of riding depends on a relatively
small area of road contact. Therefore, it
is essential to maintain the tires in good
condition at all times and replace them
at the appropriate time with the speci-
fied tires.
Tire air pressure
The tire air pressure should be
checked and, if necessary, adjusted
before each ride.
WARNING
EWA10504
Operation of this vehicle with im-
proper tire pressure may cause se-
vere injury or d eath from loss of
control.  The tire air pressure must be
checked and a djuste d on col d
tires (i.e., when the temperature
of the tires equals the am bient
temperature).
 The tire air pressure must be
a d juste d in accor dance with the
ri din g spee d an d with the total
1. Throttle grip free play
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-21
6wei
ght of ri der, passen ger, car-
g o, an d accessories approve d
for this mo del.
WARNING
EWA10512
Never overloa d your vehicle. Opera-
tion of an overloa ded vehicle coul d
cause an acci dent.
Tire inspection
The tires must be checked before each
ride. If the center tread depth reaches
the specified limit, if the tire has a nail
or glass fragments in it, or if the side-
wall is cracked, have a Yamaha dealer
replace the tire immediately.TIPThe tire tread depth limits may differ
from country to country. Always com-
ply with the local regulations.
WARNING
EWA10472
 Have a Yamaha dealer replace
excessively worn tires. Besi des
b ein g ille gal, operatin g the vehi-
cle with excessively worn tires
d ecreases rid ing sta bility an d
can lead to loss of control.
 The replacement of all wheel
and b rake-relate d parts, inclu d-
in g the tires, shoul d b e left to a
Yamaha dealer, who has the
necessary professional knowl-
e dge an d experience to do so.
 Ride at mo derate speed s after
chan gin g a tire since the tire
surface must first be “ broken
in” for it to develop its optimal
characteristics.
Tire air pressure (measure d on col d
tires): Up to 90 k g (198 l b) loa d:
Front:
225 kPa (2.25 kgf/cm², 33 psi)
Rear: 250 kPa (2.50 kgf/cm², 36 psi)
90 k g (198 l b) to maximum load :
Front: 250 kPa (2.50 kgf/cm², 36 psi)
Rear: 290 kPa (2.90 kgf/cm², 42 psi)
Hi gh-spee d ri din g:
Front: 225 kPa (2.25 kgf/cm², 33 psi)
Rear:
250 kPa (2.50 kgf/cm², 36 psi)
Maximum loa d*:
XJ6S 189 kg (417 lb)
XJ6SA 184 kg (406 lb)
* Total weight of rider, passenger, car- go and accessories
1. Tire sidewall
2. Tire tread depthMinimum tire trea d d epth (front an d
rear): 1.6 mm (0.06 in)
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-22
6
Tire information
This motorcycle is equipped with tube-
less tires, tire air valves and cast
wheels.
Tires age, even if they have not been
used or have only been used occasion-
ally. Cracking of the tread and sidewall
rubber, sometimes accompanied by
carcass deformation, is an evidence of
ageing. Old and aged tires shall be
checked by tire specialists to ascertain
their suitability for further use.
WARNING
EWA10482

The front an d rear tires shoul d
b e of the same make an d d e-
si gn, otherwise the han dlin g
characteristics of the motorcy-
cle may b e different, which
coul d lea d to an acci dent.
 Always make sure that the valve
caps are securely installe d to
prevent air pressure leaka ge.
 Use only the tire valves an d
valve cores liste d below to
avoi d tire deflation during a
hi gh-spee d ri de.After extensive tests, only the tires list-
ed below have been approved for this
model by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
WARNING
EWA10601
This motorcycle is fitte d with super-
hi gh-spee d tires. Note the followin g
points in or der to make the most ef-
ficient use of these tires.  Use only the specified replace-
ment tires. Other tires may run
the dan ger of bursting at super
hi gh spee ds.
 Bran d-new tires can have a rel-
atively poor grip on certain roa d
surfaces until they have been
1. Tire air valve
2. Tire air valve core
3. Tire air valve cap with seal
Front tire:
Size:
120/70 ZR17M/C (58W)
Manufacturer/model:
BRIDGESTONE/BT021
DUNLOP/ROADSMART
Rear tire:
Size: 160/60 ZR17M/C (69W)
Manufacturer/model:
BRIDGESTONE/BT021
DUNLOP/ROADSMART
FRONT and REAR:
Tire air valve: TR412
Valve core:
#9100 (original)
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-23
6“
b roken in”. Therefore, it is a d-
visa ble before doin g any hi gh-
speed ridin g to ri de conserva-
tively for approximately 100 km
(60 mi) after installin g a new tire.
 The tires must b e warmed up
b efore a hi gh-spee d run.
 Always a djust the tire air pres-
sure accor din g to the operating
con ditions.
EAU21963
Cast wheelsTo maximize the performance, durabil-
ity, and safe operation of your vehicle,
note the following points regarding the
specified wheels.
 The wheel rims should be
checked for cracks, bends, warp-
age or other damage before each
ride. If any damage is found, have
a Yamaha dealer replace the
wheel. Do not attempt even the
smallest repair to the wheel. A de-
formed or cracked wheel must be
replaced.
 The wheel should be balanced
whenever either the tire or wheel
has been changed or replaced. An
unbalanced wheel can result in
poor performance, adverse han-
dling characteristics, and a short-
ened tire life.
EAU47591
Adjustin g the clutch lever free
playThe clutch lever free play should mea-
sure 10.0–15.0 mm (0.39–0.59 in) as
shown. Periodically check the clutch
lever free play and, if necessary, adjust
it as follows.
To increase the clutch lever free play,
turn the clutch lever free play adjusting
bolt at the clutch lever in direction (a).
To decrease the clutch lever free play,
turn the adjusting bolt in direction (b).1. Clutch lever free play adjusting bolt
2. Clutch lever free play
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-24
6
TIPIf the specified clutch lever free play
cannot be obtained as described
above, proceed as follows.1. Fully turn the adjusting bolt at theclutch lever in direction (a) to loos-
en the clutch cable.
2. Remove cowling B. (See page 6-8.)
3. Loosen the locknut further down the clutch cable.
4. To increase the clutch lever free play, turn the clutch lever free play
adjusting nut in direction (a). To
decrease the clutch lever free
play, turn the adjusting nut in di-
rection (b). 5. Tighten the locknut.
6. Install the cowling.
EAU37914
Checkin
g the brake lever free
playThere should be no free play at the
brake lever end. If there is free play,
have a Yamaha dealer inspect the
brake system.
WARNING
EWA14212
A soft or spon gy feelin g in the b rake
lever can in dicate the presence of
air in the hy draulic system. If there is
air in the hy draulic system, have a
Yamaha dealer blee d the system be-
fore operatin g the vehicle. Air in the
hy draulic system will diminish the
1. Locknut
2. Clutch lever free play adjusting nut
1
2
(a)
(b)
1. No brake lever free play
1
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-25
6b
rakin g performance, which may re-
sult in loss of control and an acci-
d ent.
EAU57070
Brake li ght switchesFor non-ABS mo dels
The brake light, which is activated by
the brake pedal and brake lever,
should come on just before braking
takes effect. If necessary, adjust the
rear brake light switch as follows, but
the front brake light switch should be
adjusted by a Yamaha dealer.
Turn the rear brake light switch adjust-
ing nut while holding the rear brake
light switch in place. To make the
brake light come on earlier, turn the ad- justing nut in direction (a). To make the
brake light come on later, turn the ad-
justing nut in direction (b).
For ABS mo
dels
The brake light, which is activated by
the brake pedal and brake lever,
should come on just before braking
takes effect. If necessary, have a
Yamaha dealer adjust the brake light switches.1. Rear brake light switch
2. Rear brake light switch adjusting nut
1
2(a)
(b)
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-26
6
EAU22393
Checking the front an d rear
b rake pa dsThe front and rear brake pads must be
checked for wear at the intervals spec-
ified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.
EAU22421
Front brake pad s
Each front brake pad is provided with a
wear indicator groove, which allows
you to check the brake pad wear with-
out having to disassemble the brake.
To check the brake pad wear, check
the wear indicator groove. If a brake
pad has worn to the point that the wear indicator groove has almost disap-
peared, have a Yamaha dealer replace
the brake pads as a set.
EAU46292
Rear
brake pa ds
Each rear brake pad is provided with
wear indicator grooves, which allow
you to check the brake pad wear with-
out having to disassemble the brake.
To check the brake pad wear, check
the wear indicator grooves. If a brake
pad has worn to the point that a wear
indicator groove almost appears, have
a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.
EAU43113
Checkin g the brake flui d levelBefore riding, check that the brake fluid
is above the minimum level mark.
Check the brake fluid level with the top
of the reservoir level. Replenish the
brake fluid if necessary.
Front brake
1. Brake pad wear indicator groove
11
1. Brake pad wear indicator groove1
1
1. Minimum level mark
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PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-27
6Rear
brake
TIPThe rear brake fluid reservoir is located
behind panel A. (See page 6-8.)
WARNING
EWA16011
Improper maintenance can result in
loss of brakin g a bility. O bserve
these precautions:  Insufficient brake flui d may al-
low air to enter the b rake sys-
tem, re ducin g brakin g
performance. 
Clean the filler cap before re-
movin g. Use only DOT 4 b rake
flui d from a seale d container.
 Use only the specified b rake flu-
i d ; otherwise, the ru bber seals
may deteriorate, causin g leak-
a g e.
 Refill with the same type of
brake flui d. A ddin g a brake flui d
other than DOT 4 may result in a
harmful chemical reaction.
 Be careful that water or dust
d oes not enter the brake flui d
reservoir when refillin g. Water
will si gnificantly lower the boil-
in g point of the flui d an d may re-
sult in vapor lock, an d d ir
t may
clo g the ABS hy draulic unit
valves.
NOTICE
ECA17641
Brake flui d may damag e painted
surfaces or plastic parts. Always
clean up spille d flui d imme diately.As the brake pads wear, it is normal for
the brake fluid level to gradually go
down. A low brake fluid level may indi-
cate worn brake pads and/or brake system leakage; therefore, be sure to
check the brake pads for wear and the
brake system for leakage. If the brake
fluid level goes down suddenly, have a
Yamaha dealer check the cause before further riding.
1. Minimum level markSpecifie d b rake flui d:
DOT 4
1
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