2-1
2
Safety information
EAU41469
Be a Responsible Owner
As the vehicle’s owner, you are re-
sponsible for the safe and proper oper-
ation of your motorcycle.
Motorcycles are single-track vehicles.
Their safe use and operation are de-
pendent upon the use of proper riding
techniques as well as the expertise of
the operator. Every operator should
know the following requirements be-
fore riding this motorcycle.
He or she should: Obtain thorough instructions from
a competent source on all aspects
of motorcycle operation.
Observe the warnings and mainte-
nance requirements in this Own-
er’s Manual.
Obtain qualified training in safe
and proper riding techniques.
Obtain professional technical ser-
vice as indicated in this Owner’s
Manual and/or when made neces-
sary by mechanical conditions.
Never operate a motorcycle with-
out proper training or instruction.
Take a training course. Beginners
should receive training from a cer-
tified instructor. Contact an autho-
rized motorcycle dealer to find out
about the training courses nearest
you.
Safe Ri din g
Perform the pre-operation checks
each time you use the vehicle to make
sure it is in safe operating condition.
Failure to inspect or maintain the vehi-
cle properly increases the possibility of an accident or equipment damage.
See page 5-1 for a list of pre-operation
checks.
This motorcycle is designed for
off-road use only, therefore, it is il-
legal to operate it on public
streets, roads, or highways, even
a dirt or gravel one. Off-road use
on public lands may be illegal.
Please check local regulations be-
fore riding.
This motorcycle is designed to
carry the operator only. No pas-
sengers.
The failure of motorists to detect
and recognize motorcycles in traf-
fic is the predominating cause of
automobile/motorcycle accidents.
Many accidents have been
caused by an automobile driver
who did not see the motorcycle.
Making yourself conspicuous ap-
pears to be very effective in reduc-
ing the chance of this type of
accident.
Therefore:
• Wear a brightly colored jacket.
• Use extra caution when you are approaching and passing
through intersections, since in-
tersections are the most likely
places for motorcycle accidents
to occur.
• Ride where other motorists can see you. Avoid riding in another
motorist’s blind spot.
• Never maintain a motorcycle without proper knowledge.
Contact an authorized motorcy-
cle dealer to inform you on ba-
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Safety information
2-3
2
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.
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, an
d
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 that
would impair the performance 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 suspen-
sion travel, steering travel or con-
trol operation.
• Accessories fitted to the han- dlebar or the front fork area can
create instability due to improp-
er weight distribution. If acces-
sories 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. Wind may at-
U1SN86E0.book Page 3 Wednesday, June 7, 2017 10:21 AM
Instrument and control functions
4-11
4 tration. The longer distance A
is, the lower the spring pre-
load; the shorter distance A
is, the higher the spring pre-
load. With each complete
turn of the adjusting nut, dis-
tance A is changed by 1.5
mm (0.06 in).
3. Tighten the locknut to the speci- fied torque. NOTICE: Always
ti g hten the locknut ag ainst the
a d justin g nut, and then tighten
the locknut to the specified
torque.
[ECA10122]
Re boun d d ampin g force
To increase the rebound damping for-
ce and thereby harden the rebound
damping, turn the adjusting screw in
direction (a). To decrease the rebound
damping force and thereby soften the
rebound damping, turn the adjusting
screw in direction (b).
Compression dampin g force
To increase the compression damping
force and thereby harden the com-
pression damping, turn the adjusting
screw in direction (a). To decrease the
1. Distance A
Sprin g preloa d:
Minimum (soft): Distance A = 218.5 mm (8.60 in)
Standard: Distance A = 207.0 mm (8.15 in)
(YZ85LW_ZAF, YZ85LWJ)
212.0 mm (8.35 in)
(YZ85LW_AUT/BEL/CHE/CYP/C
ZE/DEU/DNK/ESP/FIN/FRA/GBR
/GRC/HRV/HUN/IRL/ITA/NLD/N
OR/POL/PRT/SVK/SVN/SWE/TU
R)
215.0 mm (8.46 in) (YZ85, YZ85J)
Maximum (hard): Distance A = 202.5 mm (7.97 in)
Ti ghtenin g torque:
Locknut: 35 N·m (3.5 kgf·m, 26 lb·ft)
1. Rebound damping force adjusting screw
Re boun d d ampin g settin g:
Minimum (soft): 20 click(s) in direction (b)*
Standard: 12
(YZ85LW_AUT/BEL/CHE/CYP/C
ZE/DEU/DNK/ESP/FIN/FRA/GBR
/GRC/HRV/HUN/IRL/ITA/NLD/N
OR/POL/PRT/SVK/SVN/SWE/TU
R)
6 (YZ85, YZ85J)
7 (YZ85LW_ZAF, YZ85LWJ)
click(s) in direction (b)*
Maximum (hard): 1 click(s) in direction (b)*
* With the adjusting screw fully turned in direction (a)
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Instrument and control functions
4-12
4
compression damping force and there-
by soften the compression damping,
turn the adjusting screw in direction (b).
TIP
To obtain a precise adjustment, it is
advisable to check the actual total
number of clicks or turns of each
damping force adjusting mechanism.
This adjustment range may not exactly
match the specifications listed due to
small differences in production.
WARNING
EWA10222
This shock ab
sorber assem bly con-
tains hig hly pressurize d nitro gen
g as. Rea d an d un derstan d the fol-
lowin g information before han dlin g
the shock a bsor ber assem bly.
Do not tamper with or attempt
to open the cylind er assembly.
Do not su bject the shock a b-
sor ber assem bly to an open
flame or other hi gh heat source.
This may cause the unit to ex-
plo de due to excessive gas
pressure.
Do not deform or damag e the
cylin der in any way. Cylin der
d amag e will result in poor
d ampin g performance.
Do not dispose of a dama ged or
worn-out shock a bsor ber
as-
sem bly yourself. Take the shock
a b sor ber assem bly to a Yamaha
d ealer for any service.
1. Compression damping force adjusting
screw
Compression dampin g settin g:
Minimum (soft): 15 click(s) in direction (b)*
Standard: 12
(YZ85LW_AUT/BEL/CHE/CYP/C
ZE/DEU/DNK/ESP/FIN/FRA/GBR
/GRC/HRV/HUN/IRL/ITA/NLD/N
OR/POL/PRT/SVK/SVN/SWE/TU
R)
7 (YZ85LW_ZAF, YZ85LWJ)
9 (YZ85, YZ85J) click(s) in direc-
tion (b)*
Maximum (hard): 1 click(s) in direction (b)*
* With the adjusting screw fully turned in direction (a)
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Operation and important ri din g points
6-1
6
EAU15952
Read the Owner’s Manual carefully to
become familiar with all controls. If
there is a control or function you do not
understand, ask your Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
EWA10272
Failure to familiarize yourself with
the controls can lead to loss of con-
trol, which coul d cause an acci dent
or injury.
EAU41308
Startin g an d warmin g up a
col d en gine
1. Turn the fuel cock lever to “ON”.
2. Shift the transmission into the
neutral position.
3. Turn the starter (choke) on and completely close the throttle. (See
page 4-7.)
4. Start the engine by pushing the kickstarter lever down.
5. When the engine is warm, turn the starter (choke) off.
TIP
The engine is warm when it responds
quickly to the throttle with the starter
(choke) turned off.
NOTICE
ECA11043
For maximum en gine life, never ac-
celerate har d when the en gine is
col d!
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Operation and important ri din g points
6-3
6
an
d d rive train, which are not
d esi gne d to withstan d the
shock of force d shifting .
EAU16691To start out an d accelerate
1. Pull the clutch lever to disengage the clutch.
2. Shift the transmission into first gear.
3. Open the throttle gradually and si- multaneously release the clutch
lever slowly.
4. Once the motorcycle has reached a speed high enough to change
gears, close the throttle, and at the
same time, quickly pull the clutch
lever in.
5. Shift the transmission into second gear. (Make sure not to shift the
transmission into the neutral posi-
tion.)
6. Open the throttle halfway and gradually release the clutch lever.
7. Follow the same procedure when
shifting to the next gear.
EAU16711To decelerate
1. Close the throttle and apply both the front and the rear brakes to
slow the motorcycle.
2. Downshift through the gears and shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position when the motorcycle
is almost completely stopped.
EAU41505
Engine break-in
WARNING
EWA10322
Failure to properly maintain the vehi-
cle or performin g maintenance ac-
tivities incorrectly may increase
your risk of injury or death durin g
service or while usin g the vehicle. If
you are not familiar with vehicle ser-
vice, have a Yamaha d ealer perform
service.
1. Before starting the engine, fill the fuel tank with a break-in oil-fuel
mixture as follows.
2. Start and warm up the engine. Check the operation of the con-
trols and the engine stop switch.
(See page 4-1.)
3. Operate the motorcycle in the low- er gears at moderate throttle
openings for five to eight minutes.
Stop the engine and check the
spark plug condition (see page
7-6); it will show a rich condition
during break-in.
4. Allow the engine to cool. Restart the engine and operate the motor-
cycle as in the step above for five
minutes. Then, very briefly shift to
the higher gears and check the
full-throttle response. Stop the en-
gine and check the spark plug.
5. After again allowing the engine to cool, restart and run the motorcy-
cle for five more minutes. Full
throttle and the higher gears may
Recommen ded 2-stroke en gine oil:
See page 9-1.
Mixin g ratio ( gasoline to oil):
15:1
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Operation and important rid ing points
6-4
6 be used, but sustained full-throttle
operation should be avoided.
Stop the engine and check the
spark plug again.
6. Allow the engine to cool, remove the cylinder head and cylinder,
and inspect the piston and cylin-
der. Remove any high spots on
the piston with #600-grit wet
sandpaper. Clean all components
and carefully reassemble the cyl-
inder head and cylinder.
7. Drain the break-in oil-fuel mixture from the fuel tank and refill with
the specified mix. (See page 4-4.)
8. Start the engine and check the op- eration of the motorcycle through-
out its entire operating range.
Stop the engine and check the
spark plug condition. Restart the
motorcycle and ride it for about 10
to 15 more minutes. The motorcy-
cle will now be ready to ride nor-
mally.
After the engine break-in period, thor-
oughly check the motorcycle for loose
parts, oil leakage and any other prob-
lems. Be sure to inspect and make ad-
justments thoroughly, especially cable
and drive chain slack and loose
spokes. In addition, check all fittings
and fasteners for looseness, and tight-
en if necessary.
NOTICE
ECA15561
When any of the following parts
have been replaced , they must
b e broken in.
Cylin der or crankshaft:
A bout one hour of b reak-in op-
eration is necessary. Piston, rin
gs or transmission
g ears:
These parts require a bout 30
minutes of b reak-in operation at
half-throttle or less. O bserve the
con dition of the en gine carefully
d urin g operation.
If any en gine trou ble shoul d oc-
cur durin g the en gine break-in
perio d, imme diately have a
Yamaha dealer check the vehi-
cle.
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-23
7
EAU23018
Cleanin g an d lu bricatin g the
d rive 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 b e lubricated
after washin g the motorcycle, ri din g
in the rain or ri din g in wet areas.
1. Remove all dirt and mud from the
drive chain with a brush or cloth.
TIP
For a thorough cleaning, have a
Yamaha dealer remove the drive chain and soak it in solvent.
2. Spray Yamaha chain lubricant or other suitable chain lubricant on
the entire chain, making sure that
all side plates and rollers have
been sufficiently oiled.
EAU23098
Checkin g an d lu bricatin g the
ca bles
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! 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]
Recommen ded lu bricant:
Yamaha cable lubricant or other
suitable cable lubricant
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