2017 YAMAHA YFM700R Owners Manual

7-11
7
Select a large, flat, unpaved area to become famil-
iar with your ATV. Make sure that this area is free
of obstacles and other riders. You should practice
control of the throttle, brakes, shifting procedures,
and turning techniques in this area before trying
more difficult terrain.
Set the parking brake and follow the instruction on
page 6-1 to start the engine. Once it has warmed
up you are ready to begin riding your ATV. As you
get on the ATV, be sure not to accidentally move
the shift pedal. With the engine idling, pull the
clutch lever to disengage the clutch and shift into
1st gear, and then release the parking brake.
Open the throttle gradually, and at the same time,
release the clutch lever slowly. Once the ATV has
attained adequate speed, release the throttle lever
and at the same time, quickly pull in the clutch le-
ver and shift into 2nd gear. Open the throttle part
way and gradually release the clutch.
WARNING!
If the throttle is applied too abruptly or if the
throttle is not released during shifting, or if the
shift pedal is not released before applying the
throttle, the front wheels may lift off the
ground, resulting in a loss of directional con- trol.
[EWB02632]

NOTICE: Do not shift gears without
releasing the throttle. Damage to the engine or
drive train may occur.
[ECB01072]
Use this same procedure as you move into the
higher gears. Be sure to coordinate the use of the
throttle and shift pedal properly.
Avoid higher speeds until you are thoroughly fa-
miliar with the operation of your ATV.
When slowing down or stopping, release the
throttle and apply the brakes smoothly and evenly.
As you slow down, shift to a lower gear. Be sure
that the engine has sufficiently slowed before en-
gaging a lower gear. Improper use of the brakes or
shifting can cause the tires to lose traction, reduc-
ing control and increasing the possibility of an ac-
cident.
TURNING YOUR ATV
WARNING
EWB01772Always follow proper procedures for turning as
described in this Owner’s Manual. Practice
turning at low speeds before attempting to turn
at faster speeds. Do not turn at speeds too fast
for your skills or the conditions. ATV could go
out of control, causing a collision or overturn.
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7-12
7To achieve maximum traction on unpaved surfac-
es, the two rear wheels turn together at the same
speed. Therefore, unless the wheel on the inside
of the turn is allowed to slip or lose some traction,
the ATV will resist turning. A special turning tech-
nique must be used to allow the ATV to make
turns quickly and easily. It is essential that this skill
be learned first at low speed.
As you approach a curve, slow down and begin to
turn the handlebars in the desired direction. As
you do so, put your weight on the footrest to the
outside of the turn (opposite your desired direc-
tion) and lean your upper body into the turn. Use
the throttle to maintain an even speed through the
turn. This maneuver will let the wheel on the inside
of the turn slip slightly, allowing the ATV to make
the turn properly.
This procedure should be practiced at slow speed
many times in a large unpaved area with no obsta-
cles. If an incorrect technique is used, your ATV
may continue to go straight. If the ATV doesn’t
turn, come to a stop and then practice the proce-
dure again. If the riding surface is slippery or
loose, it may help to position more of your weight
over the front wheels by moving forward on the
seat.
1. Lean towards inside of turn.
2. Support your weight on the outer footrest.
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7-13
7
Once you have learned this technique, you should
be able to perform it at higher speeds or in tighter
curves.
Improper riding procedures such as abrupt throt-
tle changes, excessive braking, incorrect body
movements, or too much speed for the sharpness
of the turn may cause the ATV to tip. If the ATV be-
gins to tip over to the outside while negotiating a
turn, lean more to the inside. It may also be nec-
essary to gradually let off on the throttle and steer
to the outside of the turn to avoid tipping over.
Remember: Avoid higher speeds until you are
thoroughly familiar with the operation of your ATV.
CLIMBING UPHILL
WARNING
EWB01592Climbing hills improperly can cause overturns
or loss of control. Use proper riding techniques
described in this Owner’s Manual.

Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for
the ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can
overturn more easily on extremely steep hills
than on level surfaces or small hills.
 Always check the terrain carefully before you
start up any hill. Never climb hills with exces-
sively slippery or loose surfaces. 
Shift your weight forward.
 Never open the throttle suddenly or make
sudden gear changes. The ATV could flip
over backwards.
 Never go over the top of any hill at high
speed. An obstacle, a sharp drop, or another
vehicle or person could be on the other side
of the hill.
 Never attempt to turn the ATV around on any
hill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning
on any hill.
 Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill if pos-
sible. When crossing the side of a hill, shift
your weight to the uphill side of the ATV.

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7-14
7Do not attempt to climb hills until you have mas-
tered basic maneuvers on flat ground. Always
check the terrain carefully before attempting any
hill. In all cases avoid inclines with slippery or
loose surfaces, or obstacles that might cause you
to lose control.
To climb a hill, you need traction, momentum, and
steady throttle. Travel fast enough to maintain mo-
mentum, but not so fast that you cannot react to
changes in the terrain as you climb.
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7-15
7
It is important when climbing a hill to make sure
that your weight is transferred forward on the ATV.
This can be accomplished by leaning forward and,
on steeper inclines, standing on the footrests and
leaning forward over the handlebars. Whenever
possible, ride straight up hills.
Slow down when you reach the crest of the hill if
you cannot see clearly what is on the other side –
there could be another person, an obstacle, or a
sharp drop-off. Use common sense and remem-
ber that some hills are too steep for you to climb
or descend.
If you are climbing a hill and you find that you have
not properly judged your ability to make it to the
top, you should turn the ATV around while you still
have forward motion (provided you have the room
to do so) and go down the hill.
If your ATV has stalled or stopped and you believe
you can continue up the hill, restart carefully to
make sure you do not lift the front wheels which
could cause you to lose control. If you are unable
to continue up the hill, dismount the ATV on the
uphill side. Physically turn the ATV around and
then descend the hill. If you start to roll backwards, DO NOT apply the
rear brake, and apply the front brake gradually.
The ATV could easily tip over backwards. When
fully stopped, apply the rear brake as well, and
then lock the parking brake. Dismount the ATV im-
mediately on the uphill side or to a side if pointed
straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and remount,
following the procedure described in the Owner’s
Manual.
WARNING! Stalling, rolling backwards
or improperly dismounting while climbing a hill
could result in ATV overturning. If you cannot
control the ATV, dismount immediately on the
uphill side.
[EWB01803]
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7-16
7RIDING DOWNHILL
WARNING
EWB01132Going down a hill improperly could cause over-
turns or loss of control. Always follow proper
procedures for going down hills as described
in this Owner’s Manual.
Always check the terrain carefully before you
start down any hill. 
Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for
the ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can
overturn more easily on extremely steep hills
than on level surfaces or small hills.
 Shift your weight backward and to the up
side of the hill.
 Never go down a hill at high speed.
 Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-
ble.
 Improper braking can cause the wheels on
the uphill side to come off the ground or cau-
se loss of traction. Gradually apply only the
rear brake when going downhill.
When riding your ATV downhill, shift your weight
as far to the rear and uphill side of the ATV as pos-
sible. Move back on the seat and sit with your
arms straight. Choose a low gear which will allow
the engine compression to do most of the braking
for you.
Use caution while descending a hill with loose or
slippery surfaces. Braking ability and traction may
be adversely affected by these surfaces. Improper
braking may also cause a loss of traction. Gradu-
ally apply only the rear brake.
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7-17
7
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
hill. Avoid sharp angles which could allow the ATV
to tip or roll over. Carefully choose your path and
ride no faster than you will be able to react to ob-
stacles which may appear.
CROSSING A SLOPE
WARNING
EWB01633Improperly crossing hills or turning on hills
could cause loss of control or cause the ATV to
overturn.

Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
 Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.
 Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill.
 Shift your weight to the uphill side of the ATV.
 Never attempt to turn the ATV around on any
hill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning
on any hill. Traversing a sloping surface on your ATV requires
you to properly position your weight to maintain
proper balance. Be sure that you have learned the
basic riding skills on flat ground before attempting
to cross a sloping surface. Avoid slopes with slip-
pery surfaces or rough terrain that may upset your
balance.
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7-18
7As you travel across a slope, lean your body in the
uphill direction. It may be necessary to correct the
steering when riding on loose surfaces by pointing
the front wheels slightly uphill. When riding on
slopes, be sure not to make sharp turns either up
or down hill.
If your ATV does begin to tip over, gradually steer
in the downhill direction if there are no obstacles
in your path. As you regain proper balance, grad-
ually steer again in the direction you wish to travel.
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW WATER
WARNING
EWB01642Operating this vehicle through deep or fast-
flowing water can lead to loss of control or an
overturn. To reduce your risk of drowning or
other injuries, use care when crossing through
water. Never operate this ATV water deeper
than the depth specified in your Owner’s Man-
ual, as tires may float, increasing the risk of an
overturn. The ATV can be used to cross slow moving, shal-
low water of up to a maximum of 35 cm (14 in) in
depth. Before entering the water, choose your
path carefully. Enter where there is no sharp drop
off, and avoid rocks or other obstacles which may
be slippery or upset the ATV. Drive slowly and
carefully.
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