engine YAMAHA XT1200ZE 2019 Owner's Guide
Page 63 of 122
Operation and important ri din g points
5-3
5
EAU16674
Shiftin g
Shifting gears lets you control the
amount of engine power available for
starting off, accelerating, climbing hills,
etc.
The gear positions are shown in the il-
lustration.
TIP
To shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position ( ), press the shift pedal
down repeatedly until it reaches the
end of its travel, and then slightly raise
it.
NOTICE
ECA10261
Even with the transmission in
the neutral position, d o not
coast for lon g period s of time
with the en gine off, an d d o not
tow the motorcycle for lon g d is-
tances. The transmission is
properly lu bricated  only when
the en gine is runnin g. Ina de-
quate lu brication may  damag e
the transmission.
 Always use the clutch while
chan gin g g ears to avoi d d am-
a g in g the en gine, transmission, an
d d rive train, which are not
d esi gne d to withstan d the
shock of force d shiftin g.
EAU85370To start out an d accelerate
1. Pull the clutch lever to disengage the clutch.
2. Shift the transmission into first gear. The neutral indicator light
should go out.
3. Open the throttle gradually, and at the same time, release the clutch
lever slowly.
4. After starting out, close the throt- tle, 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 part way and gradually release the clutch lever.
7. Follow the same procedure when shifting to the next higher gear.
EAU85380To  decelerate
1. Release the throttle and apply both the front and the rear brakes
smoothly to slow the motorcycle.
2. As the vehicle decelerates, shift to a lower gear.
3. When the engine is about to stall or runs roughly, pull the clutch le-
ver in, use the brakes to slow the
motorcycle, and continue to
downshift as necessary.
4. Once the motorcycle has stopped, the transmission can be
shifted into the neutral position.
1. Gear positions
2. Shift pedal
2
1
1
N 2 3 4
5
6
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Operation and important rid ing points
5-4
5 The neutral indicator light should
come on and then the clutch lever
can be released.
WARNING
EWA17380
Improper  brakin g can cause
loss of control or traction. Al-
ways use b oth brakes an d apply
them smoothly.
 Make sure that the motorcycle
and the en gine have sufficiently
slowe d b efore shiftin g to a low-
er  gear. En gag in g a lower  gear
when the vehicle or en gine
speed  is too hi gh coul d make
the rear wheel lose traction or
the en gine to over-rev. This
coul d cause loss of control, an
acci dent an d injury. It coul d also
cause en gine or  drive train  dam-
a g e.
EAU16811
Tips for re ducin g fuel con-
sumption
Fuel consumption depends largely on
your riding style. Consider the follow-
ing tips to reduce fuel consumption:
 Shift up swiftly, and avoid high en-
gine speeds during acceleration.
 Do not rev the engine while shift-
ing down, and avoid high engine
speeds with no load on the en-
gine.
 Turn the engine off instead of let-
ting it idle for an extended length
of time (e.g., in traffic jams, at traf-
fic lights or at railroad crossings).
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Operation and important ri din g points
5-5
5
EAU16842
En gine  break-in
There is never a more important period
in the life of your engine than the period
between 0 and 1600 km (1000 mi). For
this reason, you should read the fol-
lowing material carefully.
Since the engine is brand new, do not
put an excessive load on it for the first
1600 km (1000 mi). The various parts in
the engine wear and polish themselves
to the correct operating clearances.
During this period, prolonged full-throt-
tle operation or any condition that
might result in engine overheating
must be avoided.
EAU58991
0–1000 km (0–600 mi)
Avoid prolonged operation above 3900
r/min.  NOTICE:  After 1000 km (600
mi) of operation, the en gine oil an d
final  gear oil must  be chan ged , an d
the oil filter cartri dge or element re-
place d.
 [ECA10333]
1000–1600 km (600–1000 mi)
Avoid prolonged operation above 4700
r/min.
1600 km (1000 mi) an d b eyon d
The vehicle can now be operated nor-
mally.
NOTICE
ECA23060
 Keep the en gine spee d out of
the tachometer hi gh-r/min zo-
ne. 
If any en gine trou ble shoul d oc-
cur  durin g the en gine  break-in
period , imme diately have a
Yamaha  dealer check the vehi-
cle.
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Operation and important rid ing points
5-6
5
EAU17214
Parkin g
When parking, stop the engine, and
then remove the key from the main
switch.
WARNING
EWA10312
Since the en gine an d exhaust
system can  become very hot,
park in a place where pe destri-
ans or chil dren are not likely to
touch them an d b e  burne d.
 Do not park on a slope or on soft
groun d, otherwise the vehicle
may overturn, increasin g the
risk of a fuel leak an d fire.
 Do not park near  grass or other
flamma ble materials which
mi ght catch fire.
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-2
6
EAU17303
Emission controls not only function to
ensure cleaner air, but are also vital to
proper engine operation and maximum
performance. In the following periodic
maintenance charts, the services relat-
ed to emissions control are grouped
separately. These services require
specialized data, knowledge, and
equipment. Maintenance, replace-
ment, or repair of the emission control
devices and systems may be per-
formed by any repair establishment or
individual that is certified (if applicable).
Yamaha dealers are trained and equipped to perform these particular
services.
EAU85230
Tool kit
The tool kit is in the location shown.
The information included in this manual
and the tools provided in the tool kit are
intended to assist you in the perfor-
mance of preventive maintenance and
minor repairs. However, a torque
wrench and other tools are necessary
to perform certain maintenance work
correctly.
TIP
If you do not have the tools or experi-
ence required for a particular job, have
your Yamaha dealer perform it for you.
1. Tool kit
1. Hexagon wrench
1
1
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-3
6
EAU71033
Perio dic maintenance charts
TIP
 Items marked with an asterisk should be performed by your Yamaha dealer
because these items require special tools, data, and technical skills.
 From 50000 km (30000 mi), repeat the maintenance intervals starting from
10000 km (6000 mi).
 The annual checks must  be performe d every year, except if a  distance-
b ased  maintenance is performe d instea d.
EAU71071
Perio dic maintenance chart for the emission control system
NO. ITEM
1 *Fuel line • Check fuel hoses for cracks or 
damage.
• Replace if necessary. √√√√√
2 *Spark plu gs • Check condition.
• Adjust gap and clean.
√√
• Replace. √√
3 *Valve clearance • Check and adjust. Every 40000 km (24000 mi)
4 *Fuel injection • Check engine idle speed.
√√√√√√
• Check and adjust synchroniza- tion. √√√√√
5 *Exhaust system • Check for leakage.
• Tighten if necessary.
• Replace gaskets if necessary. √√√√√
6 *Evaporative emis-
sion control sys-
tem • Check control system for dam-
age.
• Replace if necessary. √√X 1000 km
CHECK OR 
MAINTENANCE JOB
X 1000 mi
ODOMETER  READINGS
ANNUAL CHECK
110203040
0.66121824
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-5
6
13 *Chassis fasteners • Make sure that all nuts, bolts 
and screws are properly tight-
ened. √√√√√
14 Brake lever pivot 
shaft
• Lubricate with silicone grease.
√√√√√
15 Brake ped
al pivot 
shaft • Lubricate with lithium-soap-
based grease. √√√√√
16 Clutch lever pivot 
shaft • Lubricate with silicone grease.
√√√√√
17 Shift pe
dal pivot 
shaft • Lubricate with lithium-soap-
based grease. √√√√√
18 Si
destan d, center-
stan d • Check operation.
• Lubricate with lithium-soap-
based grease. √√√√√
19 *Sidestan d switch • Check operation and replace if 
necessary. √√√√√√
20 *Front fork • Check operation and for oil 
leakage.
• Replace if necessary. √√√√
21 *Shock a
bsor ber 
assem bly • Check operation and for oil 
leakage.
• Replace if necessary. √√√√
22 *Rear suspension 
relay arm an
d con-
nectin g arm pivot-
in g points • Check operation.
√√√√
23 En gine oil • Change (warm engine before 
draining).
• Check oil level and vehicle for  oil leakage. √√√√√√
24 En
gine oil filter 
cartri dge •
 Replace.
√√√
25 *Coolin g system • Check coolant level and vehicle 
for coolant leakage. √√√√√
• Change. Every 3 years
NO. ITEM
X 1000 km
CHECK OR 
MAINTENANCE JOB
X 1000 mi
ODOMETER  READINGS
ANNUAL CHECK
110203040
0.66121824
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-9
6
EAU19653
Checkin g the spark plu gs
The spark plugs are important engine
components, which should be
checked periodically, preferably by a
Yamaha dealer. Since heat and depos- its will cause any spark plug to slowly
erode, they should be removed and
checked in accordance with the peri-
odic maintenance and lubrication
chart. In addition, the condition of the
spark plugs can reveal the condition of
the engine.
The porcelain insulator around the
center electrode of each spark plug
should be a medium-to-light tan (the
ideal color when the vehicle is ridden
normally), and all spark plugs installed
in the engine should have the same
color. If any spark plug shows a dis-
tinctly different color, the engine could
be operating improperly. Do not at-
tempt to diagnose such problems
yourself. Instead, have a Yamaha deal-
er check the vehicle.
If a spark plug shows signs of elec-
trode erosion and excessive carbon or
other deposits, it should be replaced.
Before installing a spark plug, the
spark plug gap should be measured
with a wire thickness gauge and, if
necessary, adjusted to specification. Clean the surface of the spark plug
gasket and its mating surface, and
then wipe off any grime from the spark
plug threads.
TIP
If a torque wrench is not available
when installing a spark plug, a good
estimate of the correct torque is 1/4–
1/2 turn past finger tight. However, the
spark plug should be tightened to the
specified torque as soon as possible.
NOTICE
ECA10841
Do not use any tools to remove or in-
stall the spark plu
g cap, otherwise
the i gnition coil coupler may  get
d amag ed . The spark plu g cap may
b e  difficult to remove  because the
ru bber seal on the en d of the cap fits
ti g htly. To remove the spark plu g
cap, simply twist it  back an d forth
while pullin g it out; to install it, twist
it  back an d forth while pushin g it in.
Specified  spark plu g:
NGK/CPR8EB9
1. Spark plug gap
Spark plu g g ap:
0.8–0.9 mm (0.031–0.035 in)
Ti ghtenin g torque:
Spark plug: 13 N·m (1.3 kgf·m, 9.6 lb·ft)
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-10
6
EAU79401
Canister
This model is equipped with a canister
to prevent the discharging of fuel vapor
into the atmosphere. Before operating
this vehicle, make sure to check the
following:
 Check each hose connection.
 Check each hose and canister for
cracks or damage. Replace if
damaged.
 Make sure that the canister
breather hose is not blocked, and
if necessary, clean it.
 Make sure that the canister
breather hose is positioned out-
side of the cowling.
EAU49508
Engine oil
The engine oil level should be checked
regularly. In addition, the oil must be
changed and the oil filter cartridge re-
placed at the intervals specified in the
periodic maintenance chart.
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 add itives. Do
not use oils with a d iesel speci-
fication of “CD” or oils of a hi gh-
er quality than specified . In
a ddition,  do not use oils la bele d
“ENERGY CONSERVING II” or
hi gher.
 Make sure that no forei gn mate-
rial enters the crankcase.
To check the en gine oil level
1. Place the vehicle on the center- stand. A slight tilt to the side can
result in a false reading.
2. Start the engine and warm it up for ten minutes until the engine oil has
reached a normal temperature of
60 °C (140 °F), and then turn the
engine off.
3. Wait a few minutes for the oil level to settle for an accurate reading,
and then check the oil level
1. Canister
2. Canister breather hose
2
1
Recommen ded  en gine oil:
See page 8-1.
Oil quantity: Oil change:3.10 L (3.28 US qt, 2.73 Imp.qt)
With oil filter removal: 3.40 L (3.59 US qt, 2.99 Imp.qt)
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-11
6
through the engine oil level check
window located at the bottom-
right side of the crankcase.
TIP
The engine oil should be between the
minimum and maximum level marks.
4. If the engine oil is at or below the
minimum level mark, remove the
oil filler cap and add oil.
5. Check the engine oil filler cap O- ring. Replace if damaged.
6. Install the engine oil filler cap. To chan
ge the en gine oil (an d filter)
1. Start the engine and allow it to idle for a few minutes to warm up the
oil, and then stop the engine.
2. Place an oil pan under the oil tank to collect the used oil.
3. Remove the engine oil filler cap, the drain bolt and its gasket to
drain the oil from the oil tank.
4. Place an oil pan under the engine to collect the used oil.
5. Remove the engine oil drain bolt and its gasket to drain the oil from
the crankcase.
TIP
Skip steps 6–10 if the oil filter cartridge
is not being replaced.
1. Engine oil level check window
2. Maximum level mark
3. Minimum level mark
4. Engine oil filler cap
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. O-ring
4
2
3
1
2
1
1. Engine oil drain bolt (oil tank)
2. Gasket
1. Engine oil drain bolt (crankcase)
2. Gasket
1
2
1
2
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