2021 YAMAHA KODIAK 450 wheel

8-13
8As 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 footboard 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.
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
EWB01672Climbing hills improperly can cause overturns
or loss of control. Use proper riding techniques
described in this Owner’s Manual.
1. Lean towards inside of turn.
2. Support your weight on the outer footboard.UBEY60E0.book Page 13 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-15
8Do 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. For more traction and control for
climbing steeper and/or rougher slopes, select
“4WD” or 4WD-LOCK (“DIFF. LOCK”). Travel fast
enough to maintain momentum, but not so fast
that you cannot react to changes in the terrain as
you climb.
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 footboards
and leaning forward over the handlebars. When-
ever 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 either
brake abruptly. If you are in “2WD”, apply only the
front brake. When fully stopped, apply the rear
brake as well, and then shift to the park position. If
you are in “4WD”, because all wheels are inter-
connected by the drive train, applying either brake
will brake all wheels, therefore, avoid sudden ap-
plication of either the front or rear brake as the
wheels on the uphill side could come off the
ground. The ATV could easily tip over backwards.
Apply both the front and rear brakes gradually.
When fully stopped, shift to the park position and
dismount the ATV immediately on the uphill side,
or to a side if pointed straight uphill. Turn the ATV
UBEY60E0.book Page 15 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-16
8
around and remount, following the procedure de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
WARNING! Stall-
ing, 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]RIDING DOWNHILL
WARNING
EWB01622Going 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
cause loss of traction. Apply brakes gradual-
ly. If in “2WD”, apply only the rear brake.
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. Engine compression will do most of
the braking for you. For maximum engine com-
pression braking effect, select the low-range posi-
tion and change to “4WD” before beginning to
descend the hill.
UBEY60E0.book Page 16 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-17
8Use 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.
When this ATV is in “4WD”, all wheels (front and
rear) are interconnected by the drive train. This
means that applying either the front brake or the
rear brake will brake all wheels. When descending
hills, using either brake lever or the brake pedal
will brake the wheels on the downhill side. Avoid
sudden application of either the front or rear brake
because the wheels on the uphill side could come
off the ground. Apply both the front and rear
brakes gradually.
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.
UBEY60E0.book Page 17 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-18
8

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.
As 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.
UBEY60E0.book Page 18 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-21
8accident. Be sure to keep your feet firmly mounted
on the footboards at all times. Avoid jumping the
ATV as loss of control and damage to the ATV may
result.
SLIDING AND SKIDDING
WARNING
EWB01663Skidding or sliding improperly may cause you
to lo s e c o n tr o l o f th is A T V . Y o u ma y a ls o r e g a i n
traction unexpectedly, which may cause the
ATV to overturn.

Learn to safely control skidding or sliding by
practicing at low speeds and on level,
smooth terrain.
 On extremely slippery surfaces, such as ice,
go slowly and be very cautious in order to re-
duce the chance of skidding or sliding out of
control. Care should be used when riding on loose or slip-
pery surfaces since the ATV may slide. If unex-
pected and uncorrected, sliding could lead to an
accident. To reduce the tendency for the front wheels to
slide in loose or slippery conditions, positioning
your weight over the front wheels will sometimes
help.
If the rear wheels of your ATV start to slide side-
ways, control can usually be regained (if there is
room to do so) by steering in the direction of the
slide. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the slide.UBEY60E0.book Page 21 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-22
8
With practice, over a period of time, skill at con-
trolled sliding can be developed. The terrain
should be chosen carefully before attempting
such maneuvers, since both stability and control
are reduced. Bear in mind that sliding maneuvers
should always be avoided on extremely slippery
surfaces such as ice, since all control may be lost.
WHAT TO DO IF...
This section is designed to be a reference guide
only. Be sure to read each section on riding tech-
niques completely. WHAT TO DO...

If your ATV doesn’t turn when you want it to:
Bring the ATV to a stop and practice the turning
maneuvers again. Be sure you are putting your
weight on the footboard to the outside of the
turn. Position your weight over the front wheels
for better control. (See page 8-12.)
 If your ATV begins to tip while turning:
Lean more into the turn to regain balance. If
necessary, gradually let off the throttle and/or
steer to the outside of the turn. (See page 8-12.)
 If your ATV starts to slide sideways:
Steer in the direction of the slide if you have the
room. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the
slide. (See page 8-21.)
 If your ATV can’t make it up a hill you are trying
to climb:
Turn the ATV around if you still have forward
speed. If not, stop, dismount on the uphill side
of the ATV and physically turn the ATV around.
If the ATV starts to slip backwards, DO NOT
USE THE REAR BRAKE IF THE ATV IS IN
“2WD” – the ATV may tip over on top of you.
Dismount the ATV on the uphill side. (See page
8-13.)
UBEY60E0.book Page 22 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

9-6
9
4*Rear brake • Check operation and correct if necessary.
• Check brake lever and pedal free play, and adjust
if necessary. √√√√√
• Check brake friction plate wear and replace if necessary. √ √√√
5 *Brake hoses • Check for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary. √√√√
• Replace. Every 4 years
6 *Brake fluid • Change. Every 2 years
7 *Wheels • Check runout and for damage, and replace if nec-
essary. √ √√√
8 *Tires • Check tread depth and for damage, and replace if
necessary.
• Check air pressure and balance, and correct if necessary. √ √√√
9 *Wheel hub bearings • Check for looseness or damage, and replace if
necessary. √ √√√
10 *V- b e l t • Check for wear, cracks or other damage, and re-
place if necessary. √ √√√
11 *Drive shaft univer-
sal joint • Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.
√√√
NO.
ITEM CHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOB INITIAL
EVERY
Whichev-
er comes first month136612
km (mi) 240
(150) 1300
(800) 2500
(1600) 2500
(1600) 5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320UBEY60E0.book Page 6 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM