2016 YAMAHA VMAX brake

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-25
6
EAU22393
Checkin g 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.
EAU43063
Front brake pa ds
The front brake calipers are equipped
with two sets of brake pads.
Each front brake pad is provided with
one or two wear indicator grooves,
which allow you to check the brake
pad wear without having to disassem-
ble 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 al-
most appears, have a Yamaha dealer
replace the brake pads as a set.
EAU22471
Rear
brake pad s
Each rear 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.
EAU46542
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
1
1
1. Brake pad wear indicator groove
1
1. Minimum level mark
1
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-26
6
Rear
brake
TIPThe rear brake fluid reservoir is located
under the passenger seat. (See page
3-25.)
WARNING
EWA16011
Improper maintenance can result in
loss of b raking a bility. O bserve
these precautions:  Insufficient brake flui d may al-
low air to enter the brake 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 dding a brake fluid
other than DOT 4 may result in a
harmful chemical reaction.
 Be careful that water or d ust
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
cl

o g the ABS hy draulic unit
valves.
NOTICE
ECA17641
Brake flui d may d amage painte d
surfaces or plastic parts. Always
clean up spilled fluid 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 41
U2CEE1E0.book Page 26 Thursday, November 19, 2015 10:32 AM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-27
6
EAU22754
Chan gin g the brake an d
clutch flui dsHave a Yamaha dealer change the
brake and clutch fluids at the intervals
specified in the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart. In addition, have
the oil seals of the brake and clutch
master cylinders and calipers as well
as the brake and clutch hoses replaced
at the intervals listed below or whenev-
er they are damaged or leaking.
 Oil seals: Replace every two
years.
 Brake and clutch hoses: Replace
every four years.
EAU23098
Checkin g an d lu bricatin g the
cab lesThe operation of all control cables and
the condition of the cables should be
checked before each ride, and the ca-
bles and cable ends should be lubri-
cated if necessary. If a cable is
damaged or does not move smoothly,
have a Yamaha dealer check or re-
place it. WARNING! Dama ge to the
outer housin g of cab les may result
in internal rustin g an d cause inter-
ference with cab le movement. Re-
place damag ed cab les as soon as
possi ble to prevent unsafe con di-
tions.
[EWA10712] EAU23115
Checkin
g an d lu bricatin g the
throttle grip an d ca bleThe operation of the throttle grip
should be checked before each ride. In
addition, the cable should be lubricat-
ed by a Yamaha dealer at the intervals
specified in the periodic maintenance
chart.
The throttle cable is equipped with a
rubber cover. Make sure that the cover
is securely installed. Even though the
cover is installed correctly, it does not
completely protect the cable from wa-
ter entry. Therefore, use care not to
pour water directly onto the cover or
cable when washing the vehicle. If the
cable or cover becomes dirty, wipe
clean with a moist cloth.
Recommen ded lu bricant:
Yamaha cable lubricant or other
suitable cable lubricant
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-28
6
EAU44276
Checkin g an d lu bricatin g the
b rake an d shift pe dalsThe operation of the brake and shift
pedals should be checked before each
ride, and the pedal pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
Brake pe dal
Shift pe dal
EAU43602
Checkin g an d lu bricatin g the
b rake an d clutch leversThe operation of the brake and clutch
levers should be checked before each
ride, and the lever pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
Brake lever
Clutch lever
Recommen ded lu bricant:
Lithium-soap-based grease
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-30
6
EAU23273
Checkin g the front forkThe condition and operation of the
front fork must be checked as follows
at the intervals specified in the periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart.
To check the con dition
Check the inner tubes for scratches,
damage and excessive oil leakage.
To check the operation 1. Place the vehicle on a level surfa- ce and hold it in an upright posi-
tion. WARNING! To avoi d injury,
securely support the vehicle so
there is no dan ger of it fallin g
over.
[EWA10752]
2. While applying the front brake, push down hard on the handle-
bars several times to check if the
front fork compresses and re-
bounds smoothly.
NOTICE
ECA10591
If any damag e is foun d or the front
fork does not operate smoothly,
have a Yamaha d ealer check or re-
pair it.
EAU23285
Checkin g the steerin gWorn or loose steering bearings may
cause danger. Therefore, the operation
of the steering must be checked as fol-
lows at the intervals specified in the
periodic maintenance and lubrication
chart.
1. Raise the front wheel off the ground. (See page 6-39.)
WARNING! To avoid injury, se-
curely support the vehicle so
there is no d anger of it fallin g
over.
[EWA10752]
2. Hold the lower ends of the front fork legs and try to move them for-
ward and backward. If any free
play can be felt, have a Yamaha
dealer check or repair the steer-
ing.
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-37
6
EAU46405
Replacin g the auxiliary li ght
b ul bIf the auxiliary light bulb burns out, re-
place it as follows.
1. Remove the headlight unit. (See page 6-35.)
2. Remove the auxiliary light bulb socket (together with the bulb) by
turning it counterclockwise.
3. Remove the burnt-out bulb by pulling it out of the socket. 4. Insert a new bulb into the socket.
5. Install the socket (together with
the bulb) by turning it clockwise.
6. Install the headlight unit.
EAU70540
Brake/tail li ghtThis model is equipped with an LED-
type brake/tail light.
If the brake/tail light does not come on,
have a Yamaha dealer check it.
1. Auxiliary light bulb socket
1
1. Auxiliary light bulb
1
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Motorcycle care and stora ge
7-2
7
off any
deter gent resi due usin g
plenty of water, as it is harmful
to plastic parts.
 Do not use any harsh chemical
prod ucts on plastic parts. Be
sure to avoi d usin g cloths or
spon ges which have b een in
contact with stron g or a brasive
cleanin g prod ucts, solvent or
thinner, fuel ( gasoline), rust re-
movers or inhi bitors, brake flui d,
antifreeze or electrolyte.
 Do not use hi gh-pressure wash-
ers or steam-jet cleaners since
they cause water seepag e and
d eterioration in the followin g ar-
eas: seals (of wheel an d swin g-
arm bearin gs, fork an d b rakes),
electric components (couplers,
connectors, instruments,
switches an d li ghts), breather
hoses an d vents.
 For motorcycles equippe d with
a win dshiel d: Do not use stron g
cleaners or har d spon ges as
they will cause dullin g or
sc r

atchin g. Some cleanin g
compoun ds for plastic may
leave scratches on the win d- shiel
d. Test the pro duct on a
small hi dden part of the win d-
shiel d to make sure that it does
not leave any marks. If the win d-
shiel d is scratche d, use a quality
plastic polishin g compoun d af-
ter washing .
After normal useRemove dirt with warm water, a mild
detergent, and a soft, clean sponge,
and then rinse thoroughly with clean
water. Use a toothbrush or bottlebrush
for hard-to-reach areas. Stubborn dirt
and insects will come off more easily if
the area is covered with a wet cloth for
a few minutes before cleaning.
After riding in the rain, near the sea oron salt-sprayed roadsSince sea salt or salt sprayed on roads
during winter are extremely corrosive
in combination with water, carry out
the following steps after each ride in
the rain, near the sea or on salt-
sprayed roads.
TIPSalt sprayed on roads in the winter
may remain well into spring.1. Clean the motorcycle with cold
water and a mild detergent, after
the engine has cooled down.
NOTICE: Do not use warm wa-
ter since it increases the corro-
sive action of the salt.
[ECA10792]
2. After drying the motorcycle, apply a corrosion protection spray on all
metal, including chrome- and
nickel-plated, surfaces (except the
titanium mufflers) to prevent cor-
rosion.
Cleaning the titanium mufflersThis model is equipped with titanium
mufflers, which require the following
special care.  Use only a soft, clean cloth or
sponge with mild detergent and
water to clean the titanium muf-
flers. However, if the mufflers can-
not be thoroughly cleaned with
mild detergent, alkaline products
and a soft brush may be used.
U2CEE1E0.book Page 2 Thursday, November 19, 2015 10:32 AM

Motorcycle care and stora ge
7-3
7 
Never use compounds or other
special treatments to clean the ti-
tanium mufflers, as they will re-
move the finish on the outer
surface of the mufflers.
 Even the smallest amounts of oil,
such as from oily towels or finger-
prints, will leave stains on the tita-
nium mufflers, which can be
removed with a mild detergent.
 Note that the thermally induced
discoloring of the portion of the
exhaust pipe leading into the tita-
nium mufflers is normal and can-
not be removed.
After cleaning 1. Dry the motorcycle with a chamois or an absorbing cloth.
2. Immediately dry the drive chain and lubricate it to prevent it from
rusting.
3. Use a chrome polish to shine chrome, aluminum and stainless-
steel parts. 4. To prevent corrosion, it is recom-
mended to apply a corrosion pro-
tection spray on all metal,
including chrome- and nickel-plat-
ed, surfaces.
5. Use spray oil as a universal clean- er to remove any remaining dirt.
6. Touch up minor paint damage caused by stones, etc.
7. Wax all painted surfaces.
8. Let the motorcycle dry completely before storing or covering it.
WARNING
EWA11132
Contaminants on the brakes or tires
can cause loss of control.  Make sure that there is no oil or
wax on the brakes or tires.
 If necessary, clean the brake
d iscs an d b rake linin gs with a
re gular brake disc cleaner or
acetone, an d wash the tires with
warm water an d a mil d d eter-
g ent. Before ri din g at hi gher
speed s, test the motorcycle’s
b rakin g performance an d cor-
nerin g b ehavior.
NOTICE
ECA10801
 Apply spray oil an d wax spar-
in gly an d make sure to wipe off
any excess.
 Never apply oil or wax to any
rubber an d plastic parts, but
treat them with a suitab le care
prod uct.
 Avoi d usin g a brasive polishin g
compoun ds as they will wear
away the paint.TIP Consult a Yamaha dealer for ad-
vice on what products to use.
 Washing, rainy weather or humid
climates can cause the headlight
lens to fog. Turning the headlight
on for a short period of time will
help remove the moisture from the
lens.
U2CEE1E0.book Page 3 Thursday, November 19, 2015 10:32 AM