warning YAMAHA XVS125 2004 Owners Manual

IMPORTANT MANUAL INFORMATION
EAU10150
Particularly important information is distinguished in this manual by the following notations:
NOTE:


This manual should be considered a permanent part of this motorcycle and should remain with it even if the motorcycle
is subsequently sold.

Yamaha continually seeks advancements in product design and quality. Therefore, while this manual contains the most
current product information available at the time of printing, there may be minor discrepancies between your motorcycle
and this manual. If you have any questions concerning this manual, please consult your Yamaha dealer.
WARNING

EWA10030
PLEASE READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY AND COMPLETELY BEFORE OPERATING THIS MOTORCYCLE.The Safety Alert Symbol means ATTENTION! BECOME ALERT! YOUR SAFETY IS INVOLVED!
Failure to follow WARNING instructions could result in se
vere injur
y or death
to the motorcy-
cle operator, a bystander, or a person inspecting or repairing the motorcycle.
A CAUTION indicates special precautions that must be taken to avoid damage to the motor-
cycle.
A NOTE provides key information to make procedures easier or clearer.
WARNING
CAUTION:NOTE:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY INFORMATION ............. 1-1
DESCRIPTION ............................. 2-1
Left view ..................................... 2-1
Right view................................... 2-2
Controls and instruments ........... 2-3
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL
FUNCTIONS ................................ 3-1
Main switch/steering lock .......... 3-1
Indicator and warning lights ...... 3-2
Speedometer unit ...................... 3-2
Anti-theft alarm (optional) .......... 3-3
Handlebar switches ................... 3-3
Clutch lever ............................... 3-4
Shift pedal ................................. 3-5
Brake lever ................................ 3-5
Brake pedal ............................... 3-5
Fuel tank cap ............................. 3-6
Fuel ........................................... 3-6
Fuel cock ................................... 3-7
Starter (choke) lever “
1
” .......... 3-8
Helmet holder ............................ 3-9
Adjusting the shock absorber
assemblies .............................. 3-9
Sidestand ................................ 3-10
Ignition circuit cut-off system ... 3-10PRE-OPERATION CHECKS ........ 4-1
Pre-operation check list ............. 4-2
OPERATION AND IMPORTANT
RIDING POINTS .......................... 5-1
Starting a cold engine ............... 5-1
Starting a warm engine ............. 5-2
Shifting ...................................... 5-2
Tips for reducing fuel
consumption ............................ 5-3
Engine break-in ......................... 5-4
Parking ...................................... 5-4
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND
MINOR REPAIR ........................... 6-1
Owner’s tool kit ......................... 6-1
Periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart ....................... 6-2
Removing and installing
panels ..................................... 6-5
Checking the spark plugs .......... 6-6
Engine oil and oil filter
element ................................... 6-8
Cleaning the air filter
element ................................. 6-10
Adjusting the carburetor .......... 6-11
Adjusting the engine idling
speed .................................... 6-12Adjusting the throttle cable free
play ....................................... 6-12
Adjusting the valve
clearance .............................. 6-13
Tires ........................................ 6-13
Spoke wheels .......................... 6-15
Adjusting the clutch lever free
play ....................................... 6-16
Adjusting the brake lever free
play ....................................... 6-17
Adjusting the brake pedal
position and free play ............ 6-17
Adjusting the rear brake light
switch .................................... 6-19
Checking the front brake pads
and rear brake shoes ............ 6-19
Checking the brake fluid
level ....................................... 6-20
Changing the brake fluid ......... 6-21
Drive chain slack ..................... 6-21
Lubricating the drive chain ...... 6-23
Checking and lubricating the
cables .................................... 6-23
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cable ........... 6-24
Checking and lubricating the
brake and shift pedals ........... 6-24

1-1
1
SAFETY INFORMATION
EAU10250
MOTORCYCLES ARE SINGLE
TRACK VEHICLES. THEIR SAFE
USE AND OPERATION ARE DEPEN-
DENT UPON THE USE OF PROPER
RIDING TECHNIQUES AS WELL AS
THE EXPERTISE OF THE OPERA-
TOR. EVERY OPERATOR SHOULD
KNOW THE FOLLOWING REQUIRE-
MENTS BEFORE RIDING THIS MO-
TORCYCLE.
HE OR SHE SHOULD:

OBTAIN THOROUGH INSTRUC-
TIONS FROM A COMPETENT
SOURCE ON ALL ASPECTS OF
MOTORCYCLE OPERATION.

OBSERVE THE WARNINGS
AND MAINTENANCE REQUIRE-
MENTS IN THE OWNER’S MAN-
UAL.

OBTAIN QUALIFIED TRAINING
IN SAFE AND PROPER RIDING
TECHNIQUES.

OBTAIN PROFESSIONAL TECH-
NICAL SERVICE AS INDICATED
BY THE OWNER’S MANUAL
AND/OR WHEN MADE NECES-SARY BY MECHANICAL CONDI-
TIONS.
Safe riding

Always make pre-operation
checks. Careful checks may help
prevent an accident.

This motorcycle is designed to car-
ry the operator and a passenger.

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 appears to
be very effective in reducing the
chance of this type of accident.

Therefore:

Wear a brightly colored jacket.

Use extra caution when ap-
proaching and passing through
intersections, since intersec-
tions are the most likely places
for motorcycle accidents to oc-
cur.

Ride where other motorists can
see you. Avoid riding in another
motorist’s blind spot.

Many motorcycle accidents in-
volve inexperienced operators. In
fact, many operators who have
been involved in accidents do not
even have a current motorcycle li-
cense.

Make sure that you are qualified
and that you only lend your mo-
torcycle to other qualified opera-
tors.

Know your skills and limits.
Staying within your limits may
help you to avoid an accident.

We recommend that you prac-
tice riding your motorcycle
where there is no traffic until you
have become thoroughly famil-
iar with the motorcycle and all of
its controls.

Many motorcycle accidents have
been caused by error of the motor-
cycle operator. A typical error
made by the operator is veering

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-1
2
34
5
6
7
8
9

EAU10460
Main switch/steering lock
The main switch/steering lock controls
the ignition and lighting systems, and is
used to lock the steering. The various
positions are described below.
EAU10630
ON
All electrical systems are supplied with
power, and the engine can be started.
The key cannot be removed.
EAU10660
OFF
All electrical systems are off. The key
can be removed.
EAU10680
LOCK
The steering is locked, and all electrical
systems are off. The key can be re-
moved.
To lock the steering
Turn the handlebars all the way to the
left.
1. Push the key in from the “OFF” po-
sition, and then turn it to “LOCK”
while still pushing it.
2. Remove the key.
To unlock the steeringPush the key in, and then turn it to
“OFF” while still pushing it.
WARNING

EWA10060
Never turn the key to “OFF” or
“LOCK” while the vehicle is moving,
otherwise the electrical systems will
be switched off, which may result in
loss of control or an accident. Make
sure that the vehicle is stopped be-
fore turning the key to “OFF” or
“LOCK”.
EAU10880
(Parking)
The steering is locked, and the taillight
and auxiliary light are on, but all other
electrical systems are off. The key can
be removed.
The steering must be locked before the
key can be turned to “ ”.
CAUTION:

ECA11020
Do not use the parking position for
an extended length of time, other-
wise the battery may discharge.
OFFON
LOCKPPUSH
IGNITION
ON
OFF
LOCK
(Parking)
.
1. Push.
2. Turn.
12

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

EAU11001
Indicator and warning lights
EAU11020
Turn signal indicator light “”
This indicator light flashes when the
turn signal switch is pushed to the left or
right.
EAU11060
Neutral indicator light “”
This indicator light comes on when the
transmission is in the neutral position.
EAU11080
High beam indicator light “”
This indicator light comes on when the
high beam of the headlight is switched
on.
EAU11490
Engine trouble warning light “”
This warning light comes on or flashes
when an electrical circuit monitoring the
engine is defective. When this occurs,
have a Yamaha dealer check the
self-diagnosis system.
NOTE:

This warning light comes on for a few
seconds when the key is turned to
“ON”, but this does not indicate a mal-
function.
EAU11640
Speedometer unit
The speedometer unit is equipped with
a speedometer, an odometer and a
tripmeter. The speedometer shows
riding speed. The odometer shows the
total distance traveled. The tripmeter
shows the distance traveled since it
was last set to zero with the reset knob.
The tripmeter can be used to estimate
the distance that can be traveled with a
full tank of fuel. This information will en-
able you to plan future fuel stops.
1. High beam indicator light “”
2. Turn signal indicator light “”
3. Neutral indicator light “”
4. Engine trouble warning light “”
12 34
km/h

1. Speedometer
2. Odometer
3. Tripmeter
4. Reset knob
2040600
km/h80
100
120140160
1
23
4

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

EAU13000
Fuel tank cap
To remove the fuel tank cap
Insert the key into the lock and turn it 1/
4 turn clockwise. The lock will be re-
leased and the fuel tank cap can be re-
moved.
To install the fuel tank cap
1. Push the fuel tank cap into position
with the key inserted in the lock.
2. Turn the key counterclockwise to
the original position, and then re-
move it.
NOTE:

The fuel tank cap cannot be installed
unless the key is in the lock. In addition,
the key cannot be removed if the cap is
not properly installed and locked.
WARNING

EWA11140
Make sure that the fuel tank cap is
properly installed before riding.
EAU13210
Fuel
Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in
the tank. Fill the fuel tank to the bottom
of the filler tube as shown.
WARNING

EWA10880

Do not overfill the fuel tank, oth-
erwise it may overflow when the
fuel warms up and expands.

Avoid spilling fuel on the hot en-
gine.
CAUTION:

ECA10070
Immediately wipe off spilled fuel
with a clean, dry, soft cloth, since
1. Unlock.
1

1. Fuel tank filler tube
2. Fuel level
1
2

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-9
2
34
5
6
7
8
9

EAU14280
Helmet holder
To open the helmet holder, insert the
key into the lock, and then turn the key
as shown.
To lock the helmet holder, place it in the
original position, and then remove the
key.
WARNING

EWA10160
Never ride with a helmet attached to
the helmet holder, since the helmet
may hit objects, causing loss of con-
trol and possibly an accident.
EAU14880
Adjusting the shock absorber
assemblies
Each shock absorber assembly is
equipped with a spring preload adjust-
ing ring.
CAUTION:

ECA10100
Never attempt to turn an adjusting
mechanism beyond the maximum or
minimum settings.
WARNING

EWA10210
Always adjust both shock absorber
assemblies equally, otherwise poorhandling and loss of stability may
result.
Adjust the spring preload as follows.
To increase the spring preload and
thereby harden the suspension, turn
the adjusting ring on each shock ab-
sorber assembly in direction (a). To de-
crease the spring preload and thereby
soften the suspension, turn the adjust-
ing ring on each shock absorber as-
sembly in direction (b).
NOTE:

Align the appropriate notch in the ad-
justing ring with the position indicator
on the shock absorber.
1. Helmet holder
2. Open.
1
2

1. Spring preload adjusting ring
2. Position indicator
1
2
3
4
5
2
1
(b)
(a)

Spring preload setting:
Minimum (soft):
1
Standard:
2
Maximum (hard):
5

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

EAU15300
Sidestand
The sidestand is located on the left side
of the frame. Raise the sidestand or
lower it with your foot while holding the
vehicle upright.
NOTE:

The built-in sidestand switch is part of
the ignition circuit cut-off system, which
cuts the ignition in certain situations.
(See further down for an explanation of
the ignition circuit cut-off system.)
WARNING

EWA10240
The vehicle must not be ridden with
the sidestand down, or if the side-
stand cannot be properly moved up
(or does not stay up), otherwise the
sidestand could contact the ground
and distract the operator, resulting
in a possible loss of control. Yama-
ha’s ignition circuit cut-off system
has been designed to assist the op-
erator in fulfilling the responsibility
of raising the sidestand before start-
ing off. Therefore, check this systemregularly as described below and
have a Yamaha dealer repair it if it
does not function properly.
EAU15311
Ignition circuit cut-off system
The ignition circuit cut-off system (com-
prising the sidestand switch, clutch
switch and neutral switch) has the fol-
lowing functions.

It prevents starting when the trans-
mission is in gear and the side-
stand is up, but the clutch lever is
not pulled.

It prevents starting when the trans-
mission is in gear and the clutch le-
ver is pulled, but the sidestand is
still down.

It cuts the running engine when the
transmission is in gear and the sid-
estand is moved down.
Periodically check the operation of the
ignition circuit cut-off system according
to the following procedure.
WARNING

EWA10250
If a malfunction is noted, have a
Yamaha dealer check the system be-
fore riding.

4-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EAU15591
The condition of a vehicle is the owner’s responsibility. Vital components can start to deteriorate quickly and unexpectedly,
even if the vehicle remains unused (for example, as a result of exposure to the elements). Any damage, fluid leakage or loss
of tire air pressure could have serious consequences. Therefore, it is very important, in addition to a thorough visual inspec-
tion, to check the following points before each ride.
NOTE:

Pre-operation checks should be made each time the vehicle is used. Such an inspection can be accomplished in a very short
time; and the added safety it assures is more than worth the time involved.
WARNING

EWA11150
If any item in the Pre-operation check list is not working properly, have it inspected and repaired before operating
the vehicle.

OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
5-1
2
3
4
56
7
8
9

EAU15950
WARNING

EWA10270

Become thoroughly familiar
with all operating controls and
their functions before riding.
Consult a Yamaha dealer re-
garding any control or function
that you do not thoroughly un-
derstand.

Never start the engine or oper-
ate it in a closed area for any
length of time. Exhaust fumes
are poisonous, and inhaling
them can cause loss of con-
sciousness and death within a
short time. Always make sure
that there is adequate ventila-
tion.

Before starting out, make sure
that the sidestand is up. If the
sidestand is not raised com-
pletely, it could contact the
ground and distract the opera-
tor, resulting in a possible loss
of control.
EAU16060
Starting a cold engine
In order for the ignition circuit cut-off
system to enable starting, one of the
following conditions must be met:

The transmission is in the neutral
position.

The transmission is in gear with
the clutch lever pulled and the sid-
estand up.
WARNING

EWA10290

Before starting the engine,
check the function of the igni-
tion circuit cut-off system ac-
cording to the procedure
described on page 3-10.

Never ride with the sidestand
down.
1. Turn the fuel cock lever to “ON”.
2. Turn the key to “ON” and make
sure that the engine stop switch is
set to “ ”.
3. Shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position.
NOTE:

When the transmission is in the neutral
position, the neutral indicator light
should be on, otherwise have a Yama-
ha dealer check the electrical circuit.
4. Turn the starter (choke) on and
completely close the throttle. (See
page 3-8.)
5. Start the engine by pushing the
start switch.
NOTE:

If the engine fails to start, release the
start switch, wait a few seconds, and
then try again. Each starting attempt
should be as short as possible to pre-
serve the battery. Do not crank the en-
gine more than 10 seconds on any one
attempt.
6. After starting the engine, move the
starter (choke) back halfway.
CAUTION:

ECA11040
For maximum engine life, never ac-
celerate hard when the engine is
cold!