2021 YAMAHA KODIAK 450 weight

3-2
3
Never operate at speeds too fast for your skills
or the riding conditions. Always go at a speed
that is proper for the terrain, visibility, operating
conditions, and your experience.
 Never attempt wheelies, jumps, or other stunts.
 Always inspect your ATV each time you use it to
make sure it is in safe operating condition. Al-
ways follow the inspection and maintenance
procedures and schedules described in this
manual.
 Always keep both hands on the handlebars and
both feet on the footboards of the ATV during
operation.
 Always go slowly and be extra careful when op-
erating on unfamiliar terrain. Always be alert to
changing terrain conditions when operating the
ATV.
 Never operate on excessively rough, slippery or
loose terrain until you have learned and prac-
ticed the skills necessary to control the ATV on
such terrain. Always be especially cautious on
these kinds of terrain.
 Always follow proper procedures for turning as
described in this manual. Practice turning at low
speeds before attempting to turn at faster
speeds and never turn at excessive speeds. 
Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for the
ATV or for your abilities. Practice on smaller hills
before attempting larger hills.
 Always follow proper procedures for climbing
hills as described in this manual. Check the ter-
rain carefully before you start up any hill. Never
climb hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces. Shift your weight forward. Never open
the throttle suddenly. Never go over the top of a
hill at high speed.
 Always follow proper procedures for going
down hills and for braking on hills as described
in this manual. Check the terrain carefully before
you start down any hill. Shift your weight back-
ward. Never go down a hill at high speed. Avoid
going down a hill at an angle that would cause
the vehicle to lean sharply to one side. Go
straight down the hill where possible.
 Always follow proper procedures for crossing
the side of a hill as described in this manual.
Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces. 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
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3-5
3
ungrounded or broken wiring. Visually check
for broken wiring and leaking fuel. Leaking
fuel can be confirmed by the odor of gasoline.
4. Once immediate safety hazards are con- firmed not to exist, you may remove your hel-
met to more closely inspect your vehicle.
Check for external signs of wear, broken
parts, fluid leaks, cracks in the frame, sus-
pension damage, wheel damage, and so on.
Fuel, oil, and coolant usually give off a notice-
able odor.
5. If your vehicle will not restart or if it is unsafe to ride, then turn off all vehicle systems (en-
gine stop switch, main switch, and fuel cock),
and then signal or go for help.
Aftermarket Parts, Accessories, and Modifica-
tions
While you may find aftermarket products similar in
design and quality to genuine Yamaha accesso-
ries, recognize that some aftermarket accessories
or modifications are not suitable because of po-
tential safety hazards to you or others. Installing
aftermarket products or having other modifica-
tions 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 re-
lated to changes in the vehicle. Keep the following
guidelines in mind, as well as those found in the
Loading section (page 7-6) when mounting acces-
sories.

Never install accessories that would impair the
performance of your ATV. Carefully inspect the
accessory before using it to make sure that it
does not in any way reduce ground clearance,
limit suspension travel, steering travel or control
operation.
 Accessories fitted to the ATV can create insta-
bility due to improper weight distribution.
 Bulky or large accessories may seriously affect
the stability of the ATV.
 Certain accessories can displace the operator
from his or her normal riding position. This im-
proper position limits the freedom of movement
of the operator and may limit control ability,
therefore, such accessories are not recom-
mended.
 Use caution when adding electrical accesso-
ries. If electrical accessories exceed the capac-
ity of the ATV’s electrical system, an electric
failure could result, which could cause a dan-
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5-20
5Do not exceed the load limit of 2.0 kg (4 lb) for
the storage compartment.
 Do not exceed the maximum load of 240.0 kg
(530 lb) for the ATV.
EBU18964Front carrierDo not exceed the load limit of 40.0 kg (88 lb) for
the front carrier.
 Do not exceed the maximum load of 240.0 kg
(530 lb) for the ATV.
EBU18974Rear carrierDo not exceed the load limit of 80.0 kg (176 lb)
for the rear carrier.
 Do not exceed the maximum load of 240.0 kg
(530 lb) for the ATV.EBU1914AFront and rear shock absorbers The spring preload can be adjusted to suit the rid-
er’s weight and the riding conditions.
WARNING
EWB00401Always adjust the shock absorber assemblies
on the left and right side to the same setting.
Uneven adjustment can cause poor handling
and loss of stability, which could lead to an ac-
cident. Adjust the spring preload as follows.
Turn the spring preload adjusting ring in direction
(a) to increase the spring preload and thereby
harden the suspension, and in direction (b) to de-
crease the spring preload and thereby soften the
suspension.
Align the appropriate notch in the adjusting ring
with the position indicator on the shock absorber.
1. Storage compartment
1
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6-5
6control or rollover. Tire pressure below the
minimum specified could also cause the tire to
dislodge from the rim under severe driving
conditions.
[EWB04120]
OPERATING TIRE PRESSURE (cold):
No cargo or trailer:
Front: (Recommended)35.0 kPa (0.350 kgf/cm², 5.0 psi)
Rear: (Recommended) 30.0 kPa (0.300 kgf/cm², 4.4 psi)
Front: (Minimum) 32.0 kPa (0.320 kgf/cm², 4.6 psi)
Rear: (Minimum) 27.0 kPa (0.270 kgf/cm², 4.0 psi)
With cargo or trailer: Front: (Recommended)50.0 kPa (0.500 kgf/cm², 7.3 psi)
Rear: (Recommended) 50.0 kPa (0.500 kgf/cm², 7.3 psi)
Front: (Minimum) 45.0 kPa (0.450 kgf/cm², 6.5 psi)
Rear: (Minimum) 45.0 kPa (0.450 kgf/cm², 6.5 psi)
Maximum load: Veh i cl e:240.0 kg (530 lb)
The vehicle’s maximum load is the com-
bined weight of the rider, accessories, car-
go, and trailer tongue weight.
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7-7
7

Never exceed the weight limits shown. An over-
loaded ATV can be unstable.
 Do not exceed the maximum tongue weight.
You can measure tongue weight with a bath-
room scale. Put the tongue of the loaded trailer
on the scale with the tongue at hitch height. Ad-
just the load in the trailer, if necessary, to reduce the weight on the hitch. If you are carrying cargo
and towing a trailer, include the tongue weight
in the maximum ATV load limit.
 Load cargo on the carriers as close to the center
of the ATV as possible. Put cargo at the rear of
the front carrier, at the front of the rear carrier,
and center it.
 Tie down cargo securely to the carriers. Make
sure cargo in the trailer cannot move around. A
shifting load can cause an accident.
 Make sure the load does not interfere with con-
trols or your ability to see where you are going.
 Ride more slowly than you would without a
load. The more weight you carry, the slower you
should go. Although conditions vary, it is good
practice not to exceed low range whenever you
are carrying heavier loads or when towing a
trailer.
 Allow more braking distance. A heavier ATV
takes longer to stop.
 Avoid making sharp turns unless at very slow
speeds.
 Avoid hills and rough terrain. Choose terrain
carefully. Added weight affects the stability and
handling of the ATV.
MAXIMUM LOADING LIMIT
ATV loading limit (total weight of rider, car-
go, accessories, and tongue):240.0 kg (530 lb)
Front carrier: 40.0 kg (88 lb)
Rear carrier: 80.0 kg (176 lb)
Storage compartment: 2.0 kg (4 lb)
Tr a i l e r h i t c h : Pulling load (total weight of trailer and
cargo): 5880 N (600 kgf, 1322 lbf)
Tongue weight (vertical weight on trailer
hitch point): 147 N (15 kgf, 33 lbf)
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8-6
8
fully opening, even when the throttle lever is
pushed to the maximum. Turning in the adjusting
screw limits the maximum engine power available
and decreases the maximum speed of the ATV.
Turning in the adjusting screw decreases top
speed, and turning it out increases top speed.
(See page 5-13.)
Loading and accessories
WARNING
EWB01463Improper loading or towing can increase the
risk of loss of control, an overturn, or other ac-
cident. To reduce the risk of an accident: 
Do not exceed the maximum loading limits
for the vehicle (see “MAXIMUM LOADING
LIMIT” in this section or vehicle labeling).
 Keep weight on racks centered side to side,
and as low as possible. Be sure cargo is se-
cured – a loose load could change handling
unexpectedly.
 Make sure the load does not interfere with
your control or ability to see where you are
going.
 Tie down cargo in the trailer securely. Make
sure cargo in the trailer cannot move around.
A shifting load can cause an accident.
 Reduce speed and allow more room to stop.
A heavier vehicle takes longer to stop.
 Avoid hills and rough terrain. Choose terrain
carefully. Use extreme caution when towing
or carrying a load on inclines.
 Turn gradually and go slowly.
Take extra precautions when driving with a load or
trailer. Follow these instructions and always use
common sense and good judgment when carrying
cargo or towing a trailer.
1. Adjusting screwUBEY60E0.book Page 6 Monday, July 27, 2020 10:46 AM

8-7
8Drive more slowly than you would without a load.
The more weight you carry, the slower you should
go. Although conditions vary, it is good practice to
drive slowly (shift into first gear or low drive if avail-
able on this model) whenever you are carrying
heavier loads or when towing a trailer. During operation
Always keep your feet on the footboards during
operation; otherwise, they may contact the rear
wheels.
WARNING! Removing even one hand or
foot can reduce your ability to control the ATV
or could cause you to lose your balance and
fall off of the ATV. If you remove a foot from a
footboard, your foot or leg may come into con-
tact with the rear wheels, which could injure
you or cause an accident.
[EWB01472]
Avoid wheelies and jumping. WARNING! At-
tempting wheelies, jumps, and other stunts in-
creases the chance of an accident, including
MAXIMUM LOADING LIMIT
ATV loading limit (total weight of cargo, rid-
er, accessories, and tongue):240.0 kg (530 lb)
Front carrier: 40.0 kg (88 lb)
Rear carrier: 80.0 kg (176 lb)
Storage compartment: 2.0 kg (4 lb)
Trailer hitch: Pulling load (total weight of trailer and
cargo):5880 N (600 kgf, 1322 lbf)
Tongue weight (vertical weight on trailer
hitch point): 147 N (15 kgf, 33 lbf)
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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