2020 YAMAHA YZF-R1 engine oil

Operation and important ri din g points
6-2
6
EAU88420
Startin g the en gineThe ignition circuit cut-off system will
enable starting when:
 the transmission is in the neutral
position or
 the transmission is in gear, the
sidestand is up, and the clutch le-
ver is pulled.
To start the engine1. Turn the main switch on and set the engine stop switch to the run
position.
2. Confirm the indicator and warning light(s) come on for a few sec-
onds, and then go off. (See page
4-5.)TIPDo not start the engine if the mal-
function indicator light remains on.
 The oil pressure and coolant tem-
perature warning light should
come on and stay on until the en-
gine is started. 
The ABS warning light should
come on and stay on until the ve-
hicle reaches a speed of 10 km/h
(6 mi/h).
NOTICE
ECA24110
If a warnin g or in dicator li ght does
not work as d escribed a bove, have a
Yamaha dealer check the vehicle.3. Shift the transmission into the
neutral position.
4. Start the engine by pushing the start switch.
5. Release the start switch when the engine starts, or after 5 seconds.
Wait 10 seconds before pressing
the switch again to allow battery
voltage to restore.NOTICE
ECA11043
For maximum en gine life, never ac-
celerate har d when the en gine is
col d!
EAU68221
TIPThis model is equipped with:
 an inertial measurement unit
(IMU). This unit stops the engine in
case of a turnover. Turn the main
switch off and then on before at-
tempting to restart the engine.
Failing to do so will prevent the en-
gine from starting even though the
engine will crank when pushing
the start switch.
 an engine auto-stop system. The
engine stops automatically if left
idling for 20 minutes. If the engine
stops, simply push the start
switch to restart the engine.
UB3LE0E0.book Page 2 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-7
7
20 Si destan d • Check operation.
• Lubricate with lithium-soap-
based grease. √√√√√
21 *Sidestan d switch • Check operation and replace if
necessary. √√√√√√
22 *Front fork • Check operation and for oil leak-
age.
• Replace if necessary. √√√√
23 *Shock a
bsor ber as-
sem bly • Check operation and for oil leak-
age.
• Replace if necessary. √√√√
24 *Rear suspension re-
lay arm an
d con-
nectin g arm
pivotin g points • Check operation.
√√√√
25 En gine oil • Change (warm engine before
draining).
• Check oil level and vehicle for oil leakage. √√√√√√
26 En
gine oil filter car-
tri dge • Replace.
√√√
27 *Coolin g system • Check coolant level and vehicle
for coolant leakage. √√√√√
• Change. Every 3 years
28 *EXUP system • Check operation, cable free play
and pulley position. √√√
29 *Front an
d rear
b rake switches • Check operation.
√√√√√√
NO. ITEM CHECK OR MAINTENANCE JOB
ODOMETER READING
ANNUAL
CHECK
1000 km
(600 mi) 10000 km
(6000 mi) 20000 km
(12000 m
i)30000 km
(18000 mi) 40000 km
(24000 mi)
UB3LE0E0.book Page 7 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-14
7
EAU66536
En gine oil an d oil filter car-
tri dgeThe engine oil level should be checked
before each ride. In addition, the oil
must be changed and the oil filter car-
tridge replaced at the intervals speci-
fied in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.
To check the en gine oil level
1. Place the vehicle on a level sur- face and hold it in an upright posi-
tion. A slight tilt to the side can
result in a false reading.
2. Start the engine, warm it up for several minutes, and then turn it
off.
3. Wait a few minutes for the oil level to settle for an accurate reading,
and then check the oil level
through the check window locat-
ed at the bottom-left side of the
crankcase.TIPThe engine oil should be between the
minimum and maximum level marks.
4. If the engine oil is at or below theminimum level mark, add suffi-
cient oil of the recommended type
to raise it to the correct level.TIPCheck the oil filler cap O-ring for dam-
age, and replace it if necessary.To chan ge the en gine oil
1. Start the engine, warm it up for several minutes, and then turn it
off.
2. Place an oil pan under the engine to collect the used oil. 3. Remove the engine oil filler cap,
the engine oil drain bolt and its
gasket to drain the oil from the
crankcase.1. Engine oil level check window
2. Maximum level mark
3. Minimum level mark
2
3
1
1. Engine oil filler cap
1. Engine oil drain bolt
2. Gasket
12
UB3LE0E0.book Page 14 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-15
7 4. Install the engine oil drain bolt and
its new gasket, and then tighten
the bolt to the specified torque.
5. Refill with the specified amount of the recommended engine oil.
TIPBe sure to wipe off spilled oil on any
parts after the engine and exhaust sys-
tem have cooled down.NOTICE
ECA11621
In or der to prevent clutch slip-
pa ge (since the en gine oil also
lu bricates the clutch), do not
mix any chemical additives. Do not use oils with a
diesel speci-
fication of “CD” or oils of a hi gh-
er quality than specifie d. In
a ddition, do not use oils la beled
“ENERGY CONSERVING II” or
hi gher.
 Make sure that no forei gn mate-
rial enters the crankcase.
6. Check the oil filler cap O-ring for damage, and replace it if neces-
sary.
7. Install and tighten the oil filler cap. 8. Start the engine, and then let it idle
for several minutes while checking
it for oil leakage. If oil is leaking,
immediately turn the engine off
and check for the cause.
TIPAfter the engine is started, the oil pres-
sure and coolant temperature warning
light should go off if the oil level is suf-
ficient.NOTICE
ECA22490
If the oil pressure an d coolant tem-
perature warnin g lig ht flickers or re-
mains on even if the oil level is
correct, immed iately turn the en gine
off an d have a Yamaha d ealer check
the vehicle.9. Turn the engine off, wait a few minutes for the oil level to settle for
an accurate reading, and then
check the oil level and correct it if
necessary.
Tightenin g torque:
Engine oil drain bolt: 23 N·m (2.3 kgf·m, 17 lb·ft)
Recommen ded en gine oil:
Full synthetic
10W-40, 15W-50
Oil quantity: Oil change:3.90 L (4.12 US qt, 3.43 Imp.qt)
With oil filter removal: 4.10 L (4.33 US qt, 3.61 Imp.qt)
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. O-ring
12
UB3LE0E0.book Page 15 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-16
7
To chan
ge the en gine oil an d replace
the oil filter cartri dge
1. Remove cowling A and panel C. (See page 7-9.)
2. Follow steps 1–3 of the “To change the engine oil” section for
the oil draining procedure.
3. Remove the oil filter cartridge with an oil filter wrench.
TIPAn oil filter wrench is available at a
Yamaha dealer.4. Apply a thin coat of clean engine oil to the O-ring of the new oil filter
cartridge.
TIPMake sure that the O-ring is properly
seated.5. Install the new oil filter cartridgewith an oil filter wrench, and then
tighten it to the specified torque
with a torque wrench. 6. Follow steps 4–9 of the “To
change the engine oil” section for
the oil filling procedure.
7. Install the cowling and panel.
1. Oil filter cartridge
2. Oil filter wrench
1
2
1. O-ring
1
1. Torque wrench
Tightenin g torque:
Oil filter cartridge: 17 N·m (1.7 kgf·m, 13 lb·ft)
1
UB3LE0E0.book Page 16 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
7-17
7
EAU85450
Why Yamalu beYAMALUBE oil is a Genuine YAMAHA
Part born of the engineers’ passion
and belief that engine oil is an impor-
tant liquid engine component. We form
teams of specialists in the fields of me-
chanical engineering, chemistry, elec-
tronics and track testing, and have
them develop the engine together with
the oil it will use. Yamalube oils take full
advantage of the base oil’s qualities
and blend in the ideal balance of addi-
tives to make sure the final oil clears
our performance standards. Thus,
Yamalube mineral, semisynthetic and synthetic oils have their own distinct
characters and value. Yamaha’s expe-
rience gained over many years of re-
search and development into oil since
the 1960’s helps make Yamalube the
best choice for your Yamaha engine.
EAUS1203
CoolantThe coolant level should be checked
regularly. In addition, the coolant must
be changed at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance chart.TIPIf genuine Yamaha coolant is not avail-
able, use an ethylene glycol antifreeze
containing corrosion inhibitors for alu-
minum engines and mix with distilled
water at a 1:1 ratio.
EAU66512
To check the coolant level
Since the coolant level varies with en-
gine temperature, check when the en-
gine is cold. 1. Park the vehicle on a level surface. 2. With the vehicle in an upright posi-
tion, look at the coolant level in the
reservoir.
3. If the coolant is at or below the minimum level mark, remove
cowling B to access the coolant
reservoir. (See page 7-9.)
4. Remove the coolant reservoir cap. WARNING! Remove only the
coolant reservoir cap. Never at-
tempt to remove the ra diator
cap when the en gine is hot.
[EWA15162]
Recommen ded coolant:
YAMALUBE coolant
Coolant quantity: Coolant reservoir (max level mark):0.25 L (0.26 US qt, 0.22 Imp.qt)
Radiator (including all routes): 2.25 L (2.38 US qt, 1.98 Imp.qt)
1. Maximum level mark
2. Minimum level mark
FULL
LOW
1
2
UB3LE0E0.book Page 17 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Motorcycle care and stora ge
8-3
8 will
become slippery, which
coul d cause loss of control.
Thorou ghly clean the surfaces
of these parts before operatin g
the vehicle.
[EWA20650]
5. Treat rubber, vinyl, and unpainted plastic parts with a suitable care
product.
6. Touch up minor paint damage caused by stones, etc.
7. Wax all painted surfaces using a non-abrasive wax or use a detail
spray for motorcycles.
8. When finished cleaning, start the engine and let it idle for several
minutes to help dry any remaining
moisture.
9. If the headlight lens has fogged up, start the engine and turn on
the headlight to help remove the
moisture.
10. Let the vehicle dry completely be- fore storing or covering it.NOTICE
ECA26320
Do not apply wax to ru bber or
unpainte d plastic parts. 
Do not use a brasive polishin g
compoun ds as they will wear
away the paint.
 Apply sprays an d wax sparin gly.
Wipe off excess afterwar ds.
WARNING
EWA20660
Contaminants left on the b rakes or
tires can cause loss of control.  Make sure there is no lu bricant
or wax on the brakes or tires.
 If necessary, wash the tires with
warm water an d a mil d d eter-
g ent.
 If necessary, clean the brake
d iscs an d pa ds with brake
cleaner or acetone.
 Before ri din g at hi gher spee ds,
test the vehicle’s b raking per-
formance an d cornerin g b ehav-
ior.
EAU83450
Cleanin g the titanium muffler
This model is equipped with a titanium
muffler which requires special care.
Use only a soft cloth or sponge and
mild detergent with water to clean the
muffler. This should remove finger- prints and other oil stains. If necessary,
an alkaline pH cleaning product and
soft brush may be used. However, do
not use abrasive compounds or spe-
cial treatments to clean the muffler, as
these will wear away the protective fin-
ish.
TIPThe thermally induced discoloring of
the exhaust pipe leading into the titani-
um muffler is normal and cannot be re-
moved.
UB3LE0E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM

Motorcycle care and stora ge
8-4
8
EAU83472
Stora geAlways store the vehicle in a cool, dry
place. If necessary, protect it against
dust with a porous cover. Be sure the
engine and the exhaust system are
cool before covering the vehicle. If the
vehicle often sits for weeks at a time
between uses, the use of a quality fuel
stabilizer is recommended after each
fill-up.NOTICE
ECA21170
 Storin g the vehicle in a poorly
ventilate d room or coverin g it
with a tarp, while it is still wet,
will allow water an d humi dity to
seep in an d cause rust.
 To prevent corrosion, avoi d
d amp cellars, sta bles ( because
of the presence of ammonia)
an d areas where stron g chemi-
cals are store d.Lon g term stora ge
Before storing the vehicle long term (60
days or more): 1. Make all necessary repairs and
perform any outstanding mainte-
nance.
2. Follow all instructions in the Care section of this chapter.
3. Fill up the fuel tank, adding fuel stabilizer according to product in-
structions. Run the engine for 5
minutes to distribute treated fuel
through the fuel system.
4. For vehicles equipped with a fuel cock: Turn the fuel cock lever to
the off position.
5. For vehicles with a carburetor: To prevent fuel deposits from build-
ing up, drain the fuel in the carbu-
retor float chamber into a clean
container. Retighten the drain bolt
and pour the fuel back into the fuel
tank.
6. Use a quality engine fogging oil according to product instructions
to protect internal engine compo-
nents from corrosion. If engine
fogging oil is not available, per-
form the following steps for each
cylinder:a. Remove the spark plug cap and spark plug. b. Pour a teaspoonful of engine
oil into the spark plug bore.
c. Install the spark plug cap onto the spark plug, and then place
the spark plug on the cylinder
head so that the electrodes are
grounded. (This will limit spark-
ing during the next step.)
d. Turn the engine over several times with the starter. (This will
coat the cylinder wall with oil.)
WARNING! To prevent dam-
a g e or injury from sparkin g,
make sure to groun d the
spark plu g electro des while
turnin g the en gine over.
[EWA10952]
e. Remove the spark plug cap
from the spark plug, and then
install the spark plug and the
spark plug cap.
7. Lubricate all control cables, piv- ots, levers and pedals, as well as
the sidestand and centerstand (if
equipped).
8. Check and correct the tire air pressure, and then lift the vehicle
so that all wheels are off the
ground. Otherwise, turn the
UB3LE0E0.book Page 4 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 12:05 PM