2016 YAMAHA YZF-R125 maintenance

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-21
6
EAU22046
Adjusting the clutch lever free
play
Measure the brake lever free play as
shown.
Periodically check the clutch lever free
play and, if necessary, adjust it as fol-
lows.
1. Slide the rubber cover back at the
clutch lever.
2. Loosen the locknut.
3. To increase the clutch lever free
play, turn the clutch lever free play
adjusting bolt in direction (a). To
decrease the clutch lever free
play, turn the adjusting bolt in di-
rection (b).
TIP
If the specified clutch lever free play
could be obtained as described above,
skip steps 4…7.
4. Fully turn the adjusting bolt at the
clutch lever in direction (a) to loos-
en the clutch cable.
5. Loosen the locknut at the crank-
case.6. 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).
7. Tighten the locknut at the crank-
case.
8. Tighten the locknut at the clutch
lever and then slide the rubber
cover to its original position.
1. Clutch lever free play adjusting bolt
2. Clutch lever free play
Clutch lever free play:
10.0–15.0 mm (0.39–0.59 in)
1. Locknut
2. Clutch lever free play adjusting nut (crank-
case)
U5D7E6E0.book Page 21 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-22
6
EAUT1223
Checking the front brake lever
free play
Measure the front brake lever free play
as shown.
Periodically check the brake lever free
play and, if necessary, have a Yamaha
dealer check the brake system.
WARNING
EWA10642
An incorrect brake lever free play in-
dicates a hazardous condition in the
brake system. Do not operate the
vehicle until the brake system has
been checked or repaired by a
Yamaha dealer.
EAUM1355
Adjusting the brake pedal free
play
Measure the brake pedal free play as
shown.
Periodically check the brake pedal free
play and, if necessary, have a Yamaha
dealer adjust it.
WARNING
EWAM1031
An incorrect brake pedal free play
indicates a hazardous condition in
the brake system. Do not operate
the motorcycle until the brake sys-
tem has been checked or repaired
by a Yamaha dealer.
1. Brake lever free play
Front brake lever free play:
2.0–5.0 mm (0.08–0.20 in)
ZAUM1179
INFOINFO
1. Brake pedal free play
Brake pedal free play:
3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in)
U5D7E6E0.book Page 22 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-23
6
EAUM3541
Brake light switches
For ABS models
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 non-ABS models
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 check the brake light
switches.
EAU22393
Checking the front and rear
brake pads
The front and rear brake pads must be
checked for wear at the intervals spec-
ified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.
EAU22421Front brake pads
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.
1. Rear brake light switch
2. Rear brake light switch adjusting nut
ZAUM1230
2
(a)(b)
1. Wear indicator groove
ZAUM1180
1
U5D7E6E0.book Page 23 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-24
6
EAU22501Rear brake pads
Check each rear brake pad for damage
and measure the lining thickness. If a
brake pad is damaged or if the lining
thickness is less than 1.5 mm (0.06 in),
have a Yamaha dealer replace the
brake pads as a set.EAU40262
Checking the brake fluid level
Before 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
Rear brake
WARNING
EWA16011
Improper maintenance can result in
loss of braking ability. Observe
these precautions:
Insufficient brake fluid may al-
low air to enter the brake sys-
tem, reducing braking
performance.
1. Lining thickness
1. Minimum level mark
1. Minimum level mark
Specified brake fluid:
DOT 4
ZAUM1181
INFOINFO
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-25
6 Clean the filler cap before re-
moving. Use only DOT 4 brake
fluid from a sealed container.
Use only the specified brake flu-
id; otherwise, the rubber seals
may deteriorate, causing leak-
age.
Refill with the same type of
brake fluid. Adding a brake fluid
other than DOT 4 may result in a
harmful chemical reaction.
Be careful that water or dust
does not enter the brake fluid
reservoir when refilling. Water
will significantly lower the boil-
ing point of the fluid and may re-
sult in vapor lock, and dirt may
clog the ABS hydraulic unit
valves.
NOTICE
ECA17641
Brake fluid may damage painted
surfaces or plastic parts. Always
clean up spilled fluid immediately.
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.
EAU22733
Changing the brake fluid
Have a Yamaha dealer change the
brake fluid at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart. In addition, have the oil seals
of the master cylinders and calipers as
well as the brake hoses replaced at the
intervals listed below or whenever they
are damaged or leaking.
Oil seals: Replace every two
years.
Brake hoses: Replace every four
years.
U5D7E6E0.book Page 25 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-26
6
EAU22762
Drive chain slack
The drive chain slack should be
checked before each ride and adjusted
if necessary.
EAUM3551To check the drive chain slack
1. Place the motorcycle on the side-
stand.
TIP
When checking and adjusting the drive
chain slack, there should be no weight
on the motorcycle.
2. Shift the transmission into the
neutral position.
3. Measure the drive chain slack at
the arrow mark on the swingarm
as shown in the illustration.
4. If the drive chain slack is incorrect,
adjust it as follows.
EAU34318To adjust the drive chain slack
Consult a Yamaha dealer before ad-
justing the drive chain slack.
1. Loosen the axle nut and the lock-
nut on each side of the swingarm.2. To tighten the drive chain, turn the
drive chain slack adjusting bolt on
each side of the swingarm in di-
rection (a). To loosen the drive
chain, turn the adjusting bolt on
each side of the swingarm in di-
rection (b), and then push the rear
wheel forward. NOTICE: Improp-
er drive chain slack will over-
load the engine as well as other
vital parts of the motorcycle and
can lead to chain slippage or
breakage. To prevent this from
occurring, keep the drive chain
slack within the specified limits.
[ECA10572]
TIP
Using the alignment marks on each
side of the swingarm, make sure that
both drive chain pullers are in the same
position for proper wheel alignment.
3. Tighten the axle nut, then the lock-
nuts to their specified torques.
Drive chain slack:
35.0–45.0 mm (1.38–1.77 in)
1. Drive chain slack
ZAUM1182
1. Axle nut
2. Drive chain slack adjusting bolt
3. Locknut
4. Alignment marks
ZAUM1183
U5D7E6E0.book Page 26 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-27
6 4. 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
Cleaning and lubricating the
drive chain
The 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 be lubricated
after washing the motorcycle, riding
in the rain or riding in wet areas.
1. Clean the drive chain with kero-
sene and a small soft brush.
NOTICE: To prevent damaging
the O-rings, do not clean the
drive chain with steam cleaners,
high-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
engine oil or any other lubri-
cants for the drive chain, as they
may contain substances that
could damage the O-rings.
[ECA11112]
Tightening torques:
Axle nut:
85 Nm (8.5 m·kgf, 61 ft·lbf)
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 12 ft·lbf)
U5D7E6E0.book Page 27 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM

Periodic maintenance and adjustment
6-28
6
EAU23098
Checking and lubricating the
cables
The 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! Damage to the
outer housing of cables may result
in internal rusting and cause inter-
ference with cable movement. Re-
place damaged cables as soon as
possible to prevent unsafe condi-
tions.
[EWA10712]EAU23115
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cable
The 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.
Recommended lubricant:
Yamaha cable lubricant or other
suitable cable lubricant
U5D7E6E0.book Page 28 Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:25 AM