2017 YAMAHA YZ85 suspension

Table of contents
Location of important la bels ........... 1-1
Safety information ............................ 2-1
Description ....................................... 3-1
Left view ......................................... 3-1
Right view ....................................... 3-2
Controls and instruments ............... 3-3
Instrument an d control functions ... 4-1
Handlebar switch............................ 4-1
Clutch lever .................................... 4-1
Shift pedal ...................................... 4-2
Brake lever...................................... 4-2
Brake pedal .................................... 4-3
Fuel tank cap .................................. 4-3
Fuel ................................................. 4-4
Fuel tank breather hose.................. 4-6
Fuel cock ........................................ 4-6
Starter (choke) knob ....................... 4-7
Kickstarter ...................................... 4-7
Seat ................................................ 4-8
Adjusting the front fork ................... 4-8
Front fork bleeding ....................... 4-10
Adjusting the shock absorber assembly ................................... 4-10
Removable sidestand ................... 4-13
For your safety – pre-operation
checks ............................................... 5-1
Operation an d important ri din g
points ................................................ 6-1
Starting and warming up a cold engine ......................................... 6-1
Starting a warm engine .................. 6-2
Shifting ........................................... 6-2
Engine break-in .............................. 6-3
Parking ........................................... 6-5
Perio dic maintenance an d
a d justment ........................................ 7-1
Periodic maintenance and lubrication chart .......................... 7-2
Checking the spark plug ................ 7-6
Transmission oil.............................. 7-7 Coolant ............................................ 7-8
Cleaning the air filter element ....... 7-10
Adjusting the carburetor ............... 7-12
Adjusting the engine idling
speed ......................................... 7-13
Adjusting the throttle grip free play ............................................ 7-13
Tires .............................................. 7-14
Spoke wheels ................................ 7-16
Adjusting the clutch lever free play ............................................ 7-17
Checking the brake lever free play ............................................ 7-18
Checking the shift pedal ............... 7-18
Checking the front and rear brake
pads ........................................... 7-19
Checking the brake fluid level ....... 7-20
Changing the brake fluid ............... 7-21
Drive chain slack ........................... 7-21
Cleaning and lubricating the
drive chain ................................. 7-23
Checking and lubricating the cables ........................................ 7-23
Checking and lubricating the throttle grip and cable ............... 7-24
Checking and lubricating the
brake and clutch levers ............. 7-24
Checking and lubricating the brake pedal ................................ 7-25
Lubricating the rear suspension.... 7-25
Lubricating the swingarm pivots ... 7-26
Checking the front fork ................. 7-26
Checking the steering ................... 7-27
Checking the wheel bearings ........ 7-27
Supporting the motorcycle ........... 7-28
Front wheel ................................... 7-28
Rear wheel .................................... 7-29
Troubleshooting ............................ 7-31
Troubleshooting charts ................. 7-32
Motorcycle care an d stora ge .......... 8-1
Matte color caution ......................... 8-1
Care................................................. 8-1
Storage............................................ 8-3
U1SN85E0.book Page 1 Friday, June 10, 2016 1:20 PM

Safety information
2-4
2tempt to lift the motorcycle, or
the motorcycle may become
unstable in cross winds.
• Certain accessories can dis- place the operator from his or
her normal riding position. This
improper position limits the
freedom of movement of the
operator 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
7-14 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.
U1SN85E0.book Page 4 Friday, June 10, 2016 1:20 PM

Instrument and control functions
4-10
4
EAU51651
Front fork blee din g
WARNING
EWA10201
Always blee d b oth fork le gs, other-
wise poor han dlin g an d loss of sta-
b ility may result.
When riding in extremely rough condi-
tions, the air temperature and pressure
in the front fork will rise. This will in-
crease the spring preload and harden
the front suspension. If this occurs,
bleed the front fork as follows.
1. Lift the front wheel off the ground according to the procedure on
page 7-28.
TIP
When bleeding the front fork, there
should be no weight on the front end of
the vehicle.
2. Remove the bleed screws and al-low all of the air to escape from
each fork leg.
3. Install the bleed screws.
4. Lower the front wheel so that it is on the ground, install the remov-
able sidestand, and then rest the
motorcycle on it.
EAU41335
Adjustin g the shock a bsor ber
assem bly
This shock absorber assembly is
equipped with a spring preload adjust-
ing nut, a rebound damping force ad-
justing screw and a compression
damping force adjusting screw.
NOTICE
ECA10102
To avoi d d amag ing the mechanism,
d o not attempt to turn b eyond the
maximum or minimum settin gs.
Sprin g preloa d
Adjust the spring preload as follows. 1. Loosen the locknut.
2. To increase the spring preload and thereby harden the suspen-
sion, turn the adjusting nut in di-
rection (a). To decrease the spring
preload and thereby soften the
suspension, turn the adjusting nut
in direction (b).
 A special wrench can be ob-
tained at a Yamaha dealer to
make this adjustment.
 The spring preload setting is
determined by measuring
distance A, shown in the illus-
1. Bleed screw1. Locknut
2. Spring preload adjusting nut
U1SN85E0.book Page 10 Friday, June 10, 2016 1:20 PM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-5
7
EAU42012
TIP
 Hydraulic brake service
• Regularly check and, if necessary, correct the brake fluid levels.
• Every two years replace the internal components of the brake master cyl- inders and calipers, and change the brake fluid.
• Replace the brake hoses every four years and if cracked or damaged.
NO. ITEM ROUTINEAfter
break-in
Everyrace
Every
third race
Every
fifth race
As
required
23 *Shock absorber
assembly Check operation and adjust.√√ Tighten if necessary.
Lubricate with lithium-soap-based
grease.
√√ ∗
24 *Drive chain roller
and support guide Check for wear or damage.√ Replace if necessary.
25
*Rear suspension Check operation and tighten if
necessary.√√
Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√
Check operation, free play, and tighten if necessary.√√
26 *
Steering head Clean and lubricate with
lithium-soap-based grease.√
Replace bearings.√ Check tire air pressure, wheel runout, spokes for looseness, and tires for
wear.
√√
Tighten sprocket bolts if necessary.√√
27 *Tires and wheels
Check wheel bearings for looseness.√ Lubricate wheel bearings with
lithium-soap-based grease.√
Replace wheel bearings.√
28 *Moving parts and ca-
bles Lubricate.√√
29 *
Throttle grip Check operation.√√ Check throttle grip free play, and
adjust if necessary.
Lubricate cable and grip housing.
After washing the motorcycle or riding in the rain.∗
U1SN85E0.book Page 5 Friday, June 10, 2016 1:20 PM

Specifications
9-2
9
Caster angle:26.0 ° (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
26.3 ° (YZ85, YZ85H)
Trail: 88 mm (3.5 in) (YZ85, YZ85H)
99 mm (3.9 in) (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
Front tire:
Type:With tube
Size:
70/100-17 40M (YZ85, YZ85H)
70/100-19 42M (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
Manufacturer/model:
DUNLOP/MX51F
Rear tire:
Type: With tube
Size: 90/100-14 49M (YZ85, YZ85H)
90/100-16 52M (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
Manufacturer/model: DUNLOP/MX51
Tire air pressure (measure d on col d
tires):
Front:
100 kPa (1.00 kgf/cm², 15 psi)
Rear:
100 kPa (1.00 kgf/cm², 15 psi)
Front wheel:
Wheel type:Spoke wheel
Rim size:
17 x 1.40 (YZ85, YZ85H)
19 x 1.40 (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
Rear wheel:
Wheel type:Spoke wheel
Rim size: 14 x 1.60 (YZ85, YZ85H)
16 x 1.85 (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
Front brake:
Type:
Hydraulic single disc brake
Specified brake fluid: DOT 4
Rear brake:
Type:
Hydraulic single disc brake
Specified brake fluid: DOT 4
Front suspension:
Type:Telescopic fork
Spring:
Coil spring
Shock absorber: Hydraulic damper
Wheel travel: 275 mm (10.8 in)
Rear suspension:
Type:Swingarm (link suspension)
Spring: Coil spring
Shock absorber: Gas-hydraulic damper
Wheel travel:
282 mm (11.1 in) (YZ85, YZ85H)
287 mm (11.3 in) (YZ85LW, YZ85LWH)
Electrical system:
Ignition system:CDI
U1SN85E0.book Page 2 Friday, June 10, 2016 1:20 PM

11-1
11
Index
A
Air filter element, cleaning .................... 7-10
B
Brake and clutch levers, checking and
lubricating ........................................... 7-24
Brake fluid, changing ............................ 7-21
Brake fluid level, checking .................... 7-20
Brake lever .............................................. 4-2
Brake lever free play, checking............. 7-18
Brake pedal............................................. 4-3
Brake pedal, checking and lubricating ........................................... 7-25
C
Cables, checking and lubricating ......... 7-23
Carburetor, adjusting ............................ 7-12
Care ........................................................ 8-1
Clutch lever ............................................. 4-1
Clutch lever free play, adjusting ........... 7-17
Coolant ................................................... 7-8
D
Drive chain, cleaning and lubricating .... 7-23
Drive chain slack................................... 7-21
E
Engine break-in....................................... 6-3
Engine idling speed .............................. 7-13
Engine serial number ............................ 10-1
Engine, starting a warm .......................... 6-2
Engine stop switch ................................. 4-1
F
Front and rear brake pads, checking.... 7-19
Front fork, adjusting................................ 4-8
Front fork, bleeding .............................. 4-10
Front fork, checking .............................. 7-26
Fuel ......................................................... 4-4
Fuel cock ................................................ 4-6
Fuel tank breather hose .......................... 4-6
Fuel tank cap .......................................... 4-3
H
Handlebar switch .................................... 4-1
I
Identification numbers .......................... 10-1
K
Kickstarter............................................... 4-7
L
Labels, location....................................... 1-1
M
Matte color, caution ................................ 8-1
P
Parking .................................................... 6-5
Part locations .......................................... 3-1 Periodic maintenance and lubrication
chart ..................................................... 7-2
R
Rear suspension, lubricating ................ 7-25
S
Safety information .................................. 2-1
Seat ........................................................ 4-8
Shifting ................................................... 6-2
Shift pedal .............................................. 4-2
Shift pedal, checking ............................ 7-18
Shock absorber assembly, adjusting ... 4-10
Sidestand ............................................. 4-13
Spark plug, checking ............................. 7-6
Specifications ......................................... 9-1
Starter (choke) knob ............................... 4-7
Starting and warming up a cold engine .................................................. 6-1
Steering, checking................................ 7-27
Storage ................................................... 8-3
Supporting the motorcycle................... 7-28
Swingarm pivots, lubricating ................ 7-26
T
Throttle grip and cable, checking and lubricating .......................................... 7-24
Throttle grip free play, adjusting........... 7-13
Tires ...................................................... 7-14
Transmission oil ..................................... 7-7
Troubleshooting ................................... 7-31
Troubleshooting charts ........................ 7-32
V
Vehicle identification number ............... 10-1
W
Wheel bearings, checking .................... 7-27
Wheel (front) ......................................... 7-28
Wheel (rear) .......................................... 7-29
Wheels .................................................. 7-16
U1SN85E0.book Page 1 Friday, June 10, 2016 1:20 PM