2016 YAMAHA VMAX Owners Manual

Safety information
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
Many accidents involve inexperi-
enced operators. In fact, many op-
erators who have been involved in
accidents do not even have a cur-
rent motorcycle license.
• Make sure that you are qualified and that you only lend your mo-
torcycle to other qualified oper-
ators.
• Know your skills and limits. Staying within your limits may
help you to avoid an accident.
• We recommend that you prac- tice riding your motorcycle
where there is no traffic until you
have become thoroughly famil-
iar with the motorcycle and all of
its controls.
 Many accidents have been
caused by error of the motorcycle
operator. A typical error made by
the operator is veering wide on a
turn due to excessive speed or un-
dercornering (insufficient lean an-
gle for the speed).
• Always obey the speed limit and never travel faster than warrant-
ed by road and traffic condi-
tions. • Always signal before turning or
changing lanes. Make sure that
other motorists can see you.
 The posture of the operator and
passenger is important for proper
control.
• The operator should keep both hands on the handlebar and
both feet on the operator foot-
rests during operation to main-
tain control of the motorcycle.
• The passenger should always hold onto the operator, the seat
strap or grab bar, if equipped,
with both hands and keep both
feet on the passenger footrests.
Never carry a passenger unless
he or she can firmly place both
feet on the passenger footrests.
 Never ride under the influence of
alcohol or other drugs.
 This motorcycle is designed for
on-road use only. It is not suitable
for off-road use. Protective Apparel
The majority of fatalities from motorcy-
cle accidents are the result of head in-
juries. The use of a safety helmet is the
single most critical factor in the pre-
vention or reduction of head injuries.
 Always wear an approved helmet.
 Wear a face shield or goggles.
Wind in your unprotected eyes
could contribute to an impairment
of vision that could delay seeing a
hazard.
 The use of a jacket, heavy boots,
trousers, gloves, etc., is effective
in preventing or reducing abra-
sions or lacerations.
 Never wear loose-fitting clothes,
otherwise they could catch on the
control levers, footrests, or wheels
and cause injury or an accident.
 Always wear protective clothing
that covers your legs, ankles, and
feet. The engine or exhaust sys-
tem become very hot during or af-
ter operation and can cause
burns.
 A passenger should also observe
the above precautions.
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Safety information
1-3
1Avoi
d Car bon Monoxi de Poisonin g
All engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide, a deadly gas. Breathing
carbon monoxide can cause head-
aches, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea,
confusion, and eventually death.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odor-
less, tasteless gas which may be pres-
ent even if you do not see or smell any
engine exhaust. Deadly levels of car-
bon monoxide can collect rapidly and
you can quickly be overcome and un-
able to save yourself. Also, deadly lev-
els of carbon monoxide can linger for
hours or days in enclosed or poorly
ventilated areas. If you experience any
symptoms of carbon monoxide poi-
soning, leave the area immediately, get
fresh air, and SEEK MEDICAL TREAT-
MENT.  Do not run engine indoors. Even if
you try to ventilate engine exhaust
with fans or open windows and
doors, carbon monoxide can rap-
idly reach dangerous levels.
 Do not run engine in poorly venti-
lated or partially enclosed areas
such as barns, garages, or car-
ports. 
Do not run engine outdoors where
engine exhaust can be drawn into
a building through openings such
as windows and doors.
Loa din g
Adding accessories or cargo to your
motorcycle can adversely affect stabil-
ity and handling if the weight distribu-
tion of the motorcycle is changed. To
avoid the possibility of an accident, use
extreme caution when adding cargo or
accessories to your motorcycle. Use
extra care when riding a motorcycle
that has added cargo or accessories.
Here, along with the information about
accessories below, are some general
guidelines to follow if loading cargo to
your motorcycle:
The total weight of the operator, pas-
senger, accessories and cargo must
not exceed the maximum load limit.
Operation of an overloa ded vehicle
coul d cause an acci dent. When loading within this weight limit,
keep the following in mind:
 Cargo and accessory weight
should be kept as low and close to
the motorcycle as possible. Se-
curely pack your heaviest items as
close to the center of the vehicle
as possible and make sure to dis-
tribute the weight as evenly as
possible on both sides of the mo-
torcycle to minimize imbalance or
instability.
 Shifting weights can create a sud-
den imbalance. Make sure that
accessories and cargo are se-
curely attached to the motorcycle
before riding. Check accessory
mounts and cargo restraints fre-
quently.
• Properly adjust the suspension for your load (suspension-ad-
justable models only), and
check the condition and pres-
sure of your tires.
• Never attach any large or heavy items to the handlebar, front
fork, or front fender. These
items, including such cargo as
sleeping bags, duffel bags, or
Maximum loa d:
190 kg (419 lb)
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Safety information
1-4
1
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, and
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
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Safety information
1-5
1operator and may limit control
ability, therefore, such accesso-
ries are not recommended.
 Use caution when adding electri-
cal accessories. If electrical ac-
cessories exceed the capacity of
the motorcycle’s electrical sys-
tem, an electric failure could re-
sult, which could cause a
dangerous loss of lights or engine
power.
Aftermarket Tires an d Rims
The tires and rims that came with your
motorcycle were designed to match
the performance capabilities and to
provide the best combination of han-
dling, braking, and comfort. Other
tires, rims, sizes, and combinations
may not be appropriate. Refer to page
6-21 for tire specifications and more in-
formation on replacing your tires.
Transportin g the Motorcycle
Be sure to observe following instruc-
tions before transporting the motorcy-
cle in another vehicle.  Remove all loose items from the
motorcycle. 
Check that the fuel cock (if
equipped) is in the “OFF” position
and that there are no fuel leaks.
 Point the front wheel straight
ahead on the trailer or in the truck
bed, and choke it in a rail to pre-
vent movement.
 Shift the transmission in gear (for
models with a manual transmis-
sion).
 Secure the motorcycle with tie-
downs or suitable straps that are
attached to solid parts of the mo-
torcycle, such as the frame or up-
per front fork triple clamp (and not,
for example, to rubber-mounted
handlebars or turn signals, or
parts that could break). Choose
the location for the straps carefully
so the straps will not rub against
painted surfaces during transport.
 The suspension should be com-
pressed somewhat by the tie-
downs, if possible, so that the mo-
torcycle will not bounce exces-
sively during transport.
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Description
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EAU10411
Left view
1
4
56
7
8
11
9
10
12
13
14
15
2316
1. Headlight (page 6-35)
2. Front fork spring preload adjusting bolt (page 3-26)
3. Front fork rebound damping force adjusting knob (page 3-26)
4. Battery (page 6-31)
5. Owner’s tool kit (page 6-2)
6. Fuel tank cap (page 3-21)
7. Shock absorber assembly spring preload adjusting knob (page 3-28)
8. Luggage strap holder (page 3-30) 9. Final gear oil check bolt (page 6-14)
10.Final gear oil drain bolt (page 6-14)
11.Shock absorber assembly rebound damping force adjusting knob
(page 3-28)
12.Sidestand (page 3-31)
13.Shift pedal (page 3-19)
14.Engine oil drain bolt (page 6-11)
15.Engine oil filter cartridge (page 6-11)
16.Front fork compression damping force adjusting screw (page 3-26)
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Description
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EAU10421
Right view
12 4 6
7
5
3
9
11
8
10
1. Passenger seat (page 3-25)
2. Rear brake fluid reservoir (page 6-25)
3. Luggage strap holder (page 3-30)
4. Rider seat (page 3-25)
5. Fuse box 1 (page 6-34)
6. Radiator cap (page 6-16)
7. Coolant reservoir (page 6-16)
8. Engine oil level check window (page 6-11) 9. Brake pedal (page 3-20)
10.Fuse box 2 (page 6-34)
11.Shock absorber assembly compression damping force adjusting
knob (page 3-28)U2CEE1E0.book Page 2 Thursday, November 19, 2015 10:32 AM

Description
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EAU10431
Controls and instruments
123 4 67 8
9
10
11
5
1. Clutch lever (page 3-18)
2. Left handlebar switches (page 3-17)
3. Clutch fluid reservoir (page 6-27)
4. Speedometer unit (page 3-7)
5. Shift timing indicator light (page 3-6)
6. Front brake fluid reservoir (page 6-25)
7. Right handlebar switches (page 3-17)
8. Brake lever (page 3-19) 9. Throttle grip (page 6-20)
10.Multi-function display (page 3-8)
11.Main switch/steering lock (page 3-2)
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Instrument and control functions
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EAU10978
Immo bilizer systemThis vehicle is equipped with an immo-
bilizer system to help prevent theft by
re-registering codes in the standard
keys. This system consists of the fol-
lowing:
 a code re-registering key (with a
red bow)
 two standard keys (with a black
bow) that can be re-registered
with new codes
 a transponder (which is installed in
the code re-registering key)
 an immobilizer unit
 an ECU 
an immobilizer system indicator
light (See page 3-6.)
The key with the red bow is used to
register codes in each standard key.
Since re-registering is a difficult pro-
cess, take the vehicle along with all
three keys to a Yamaha dealer to have
them re-registered. Do not use the key
with the red bow for driving. It should
only be used for re-registering the
standard keys. Always use a standard
key for driving.
NOTICE
ECA11822
 DO NOT LOSE THE CODE RE-
REGISTERING KEY! CONTACT
YOUR DEALER IMMEDIATELY
IF IT IS LOST! If the co de re-re g-
isterin g key is lost, reg istering
new co des in the stan dar d keys
is impossib le. The stan dar d
keys can still be used to start
the vehicle, however if cod e re-
re gisterin g is require d (i.e., if a
new stan dar d key is mad e or all
keys are lost) the entire immo bi-
lizer system must b e replaced.
Therefore, it is hi ghly recom- men
ded to use either stan dar d
key an d keep the co de re-reg is-
tering key in a safe place.
 Do not su bmerse any key in wa-
ter.
 Do not expose any key to exces-
sively hi gh temperatures.
 Do not place any key close to
ma gnets (this inclu des, but not
limite d to, pro ducts such as
speakers, etc.).
 Do n o

t place items that transmit
electrical si gnals close to any
key.
 Do not place heavy items on any
key.
 Do not grin d any key or alter its
shape.
 Do not d isassemble the plastic
part of any key.
 Do not put two keys of any im-
mo bilizer system on the same
key rin g.
 Keep the stan dar d keys as well
as keys of other immo bilizer
systems away from this vehi-
cle’s cod e re-registering key.
1. Code re-registering key (red bow)
2. Standard keys (black bow)21 2
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