warning YAMAHA YFM250R 2012 User Guide

4-8
4
EBU18754Fuel Make sure there is sufficient gasoline in the tank.
WARNING
EWB02521Gasoline and gasoline vapors are extremely
flammable. To avoid fires and explosions and
to reduce the risk of injury when refueling, fol-
low these instructions.1. Before refueling, turn off the engine and besure that no one is sitting on the vehicle. Nev-
er refuel while smoking, or while in the vicinity of sparks, open flames, or other sources of ig-
nition such as the pilot lights of water heaters
and clothes dryers.
2. Do not overfill the fuel tank. When refueling, be sure to insert the pump nozzle into the fuel
tank filler hole. Stop filling when the fuel reach-
es the bottom of the filler tube. Because fuel
expands when it heats up, heat from the en-
gine or the sun can cause fuel to spill out of
the fuel tank.1. Fuel tank cap
1
1. Maximum fuel level
2. Fuel tank filler tube
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4-9
43. Wipe up any spilled fuel immediately.NOTICE: Immediately wipe off spilled fuel
with a clean, dry, soft cloth, since fuel may
deteriorate painted surfaces or plastic
parts.
[ECB00981]
4. Turn the fuel tank cap fully clockwise to make sure it is securely closed.
WARNING
EWB02531Gasoline is poisonous and can cause injury or
death. Handle gasoline with care. Never siphon
gasoline by mouth. If you should swallow
some gasoline or inhale a lot of gasoline vapor,
or get some gasoline in your eyes, see your doctor immediately. If gasoline spills on your
skin, wash with soap and water. If gasoline
spills on your clothing, change your clothes.
NOTICEECB00070Use only unleaded gasoline. The use of leaded
gasoline will cause severe damage to internal
engine parts, such as the valves and piston
rings, as well as to the exhaust system.Your Yamaha engine has been designed to use
regular unleaded gasoline with a research octane
number of 91 or higher. If knocking (or pinging) oc-
curs, use a gasoline of a different brand. Use of un-
leaded fuel will extend spark plug life and reduce
maintenance costs.EBU18820Fuel cock The fuel cock supplies fuel from the tank to the car-
buretor while also filtering it.
The fuel cock lever positions are explained as fol-
lows and shown in the illustrations.
Recommended fuel:
UNLEADED GASOLINE ONLY
For Europe: Regular unleaded gasoline only
with a research octane number of 91 or
higher
Fuel tank capacity: 9.0 L (2.38 US gal, 1.98 Imp.gal)
Fuel reserve amount: 1.0 L (0.26 US gal, 0.22 Imp.gal)
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4-12
4
To install the seat
Insert the projections on the front of the seat into
the seat holders and push down on the seat at the
rear. Make sure that the seat is securely fitted.
EBU18993Adjusting the front shock absorber as-
semblies The spring preload can be adjusted to suit the rid-
er ’s weight and the riding conditions.
WARNING
EWB00400Always 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.
1. Seat lock lever
1
1. Projection
2. Seat holder
1
2
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4-14
4
TIP
A special wrench can be obtained at a Yamaha
dealer to make this adjustment.
The spring preload setting is determined by
measuring distance A, shown in the illustration.
The shorter distance A is, the higher the spring
preload; the longer distance A is, the lower the
spring preload. With each complete turn of the
adjusting nut, distance A is changed by 1.0 mm
(0.04 in).
3. Tighten the locknut to the specified torque.NOTICE: Always tighten the locknut
against the adjusting nut, and then tighten
it to the specified torque.
[ECB00081]
WARNING
EWB00450This shock absorber assembly contains highly
pressurized nitrogen gas. If the shock absorb-
er assembly is damaged, it could explode
causing injury or property damage. Shock ab-
sorber cylinder damage could also result in
poor handling which could cause an accident.
1. Locknut
2. Spring preload adjusting nut
3. Distance A
2
1
(b)
3 (a)
Spring preload setting:
Minimum (soft):Distance A = 234.0 mm (9.21 in)
Standard: Distance A = 230.0 mm (9.06 in)
Maximum (hard): Distance A = 222.0 mm (8.74 in)
Tightening torque: Locknut:42 Nm (4.2 m ·kgf, 30 ft ·lbf)
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5-1
5
EBU19201
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EBU19224Inspect your vehicle each time you use it to make sure the vehicle is in safe operating condition. Always
follow the inspection and maintenance procedures and schedules described in the Owner’s Manual.
WARNING
EWB00481Failure to inspect or maintain the vehicle properly increases the possibility of an accident or equip-
ment damage. Do not operate the vehicle if you find any problem. If a problem cannot be corrected
by the procedures provided in this manual, have the vehicle inspected by a Yamaha dealer.Before using this vehicle, check the following points:
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
Fuel 
Check fuel level in fuel tank, and add recommended fuel if neces-
sary.
 Check fuel line for leakage. Correct if necessary. 4-8, 5-3
Engine oil 
Check oil level in engine, and add recommended oil to specified lev-
el if necessary.
 Check ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary. 5-3, 8-11
Front brake 
Check operation. If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hy-
draulic system.
 Check brake pads for wear, and replace if necessary.
 Check brake fluid level in reservoir, and add specified brake fluid to
specified level if necessary.
 Check hydraulic system for leakage. Correct if necessary. 5-3, 8-22, 8-23, 8-25
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5-4
5
EBU19770Drive chain Check the condition of the drive chain and check
the drive chain slack. Lubricate and adjust the
drive chain as necessary. (See page 8-29.)EBU19794Tires Check tire pressure regularly to make sure it is at
the recommended specifications. Also check for
wear and damage.
Tire pressure
Use the low-pressure tire gauge to check and ad-
just tire pressures when the tires are cold. Tire
pressures must be equal on both sides.
WARNING! Operation of this vehicle with im- proper tire pressure may cause severe injury
or death from loss of control or rollover. Tire
pressure below the minimum specified could
also cause the tire to dislodge from the rim un-
der severe riding conditions.
[EWB02541]
Set tire
pressures to the following specifications: The low-pressure tire gauge is included as stan-
dard equipment. Make two measurements of the
tire pressure and use the second reading. Dust or
dirt in the gauge could cause the first reading to be
incorrect.Recommended tire pressure:
Fro nt27.5 kPa (0.275 kgf/cm ², 4.0 psi)
Rear 27.5 kPa (0.275 kgf/cm ², 4.0 psi)
Minimum tire pressure: Fro nt24.5 kPa (0.245 kgf/cm ², 3.6 psi)
Rear 24.5 kPa (0.245 kgf/cm ², 3.6 psi)
Maximum tire seating pressure: Fro nt250 kPa (2.5 kgf/cm ², 36 psi)
Rear 250 kPa (2.5 kgf/cm ², 36 psi)
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5-5
5
Tire wear limit
When the tire groove decreases to 3 mm (0.12 in)
due to wear, replace the tire. Tire information
This ATV is equipped with tubeless tires with
valves.
WARNING
EWB02551Use of improper tires on this ATV may cause
loss of control, increasing your risk of an acci-
dent.After extensive tests, only the tires listed below
have been approved for this model by Yamaha
Motor Co., Ltd.
1. Low-pressure tire gauge
1. Tire wear limit
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6-1
6
EBU19881
OPERATION
EBU19901Read the Owner’s Manual carefully before riding
the ATV. If there is a control or function you do not
understand, ask your Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
EWB00631Read the Owner ’s Manual carefully to become
familiar with all controls in order to help pre-
vent any loss of control, which could cause an
accident or injury.EBU20184Starting a cold engine NOTICEECB00150See the “Engine break-in ” section on page 6-4
prior to operating the engine for the first time.1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the fuel cock to “ON ”.
3. Turn the key to “ON ” and the engine stop
switch to “”. 4. Shift the transmission into neutral. The neutral
indicator light should come on. If the indicator
light does not come on, have a Yamaha deal-
er check the electrical circuit.
TIPThis model is equipped with an ignition circuit cut-
off system. The engine can be started under the
following conditions.
The transmission is in neutral.
The clutch is disengaged with the transmission
in gear. However, it is recommended to shift into
neutral before starting the engine.5. Use the starter (choke) in reference to the fig-ure:
Position (1):
Cold engine start with ambient temperature
below 5 ° C (40 °F).
Position (2):
Cold engine start with ambient temperature
between 0 °C (30 ° F) and 30 ° C (90 °F).
Position (3):
Cold engine start with ambient temperature
above 25 ° C (80 °F).
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6-3
6
EBU20522Shifting This ATV has a 5-speed forward transmission. The
transmission allows you to control the amount of
power you have available at a given speed or for
starting, accelerating, climbing hills, etc.
To shift into neutral, release the throttle lever, ap-
ply the clutch, and then repeatedly depress the
shift pedal until it stops.
When it stops, it will be in first gear. Raise the pedal
slightly to reach the neutral position, and then re-
lease the clutch.
EBU20592To start out and accelerate1. Release the throttle lever, apply the front or rear brake, and then release the parking
brake.NOTICEECB00200Always close the throttle before shifting gears,
otherwise damage to the engine and drive train
may result.2. Pull the clutch lever to disengage the clutch.
3. Shift into first gear, and then release thebrake.
4. Open the throttle gradually and at the same time, release the clutch lever slowly.
WARNING! Opening the throttle abruptly or releasing the clutch lever too quickly
could make the ATV wheelie, which would
increase the chance of an accident, includ-
ing an overturn.
[EWB00731]
5. Once the ATV has attained adequate speed, release the throttle, and at the same time,
quickly pull in the clutch lever.
6. Shift the transmission into second gear. (Make sure not to shift the transmission into
neutral.)
1. Shift pedal
2. Neutral position
1
2
2 3 4 5N1
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6-4
67. Open the throttle part way and gradually re-
lease the clutch lever.
8. Follow the same procedure when shifting to the next higher gear.
EBU20650To decelerate
When slowing down or stopping, release the throt-
tle and apply the brakes smoothly and evenly. As
you slow down, shift to a lower gear. Be sure that
the engine has sufficiently slowed before engaging
a lower gear. Improper use of the brakes or shifting
can cause the tires to lose traction, reducing con-
trol and increasing the possibility of an accident.
WARNING
EWB00710Make sure the engine has sufficiently slowed
before shifting to a lower gear. Engaging a low-
er gear when the engine speed is too high
could make the wheels stop rotating and lose
traction. This could cause loss of control, an
accident and injury. It could also cause engine
or drive train damage.
NOTICEECB00180
Even with the transmission in the neutral po-
sition, do not coast for long periods of time
with the engine off, and do not tow the ATV
for long distances. The transmission is prop-
erly lubricated only when the engine is run-
ning. Inadequate lubrication may damage
the transmission.
Always use the clutch when changing gears.
The engine, transmission and drive train are
not designed to withstand the shock of
forced shifting and can be damaged by shift-
ing without using the clutch.EBU20672Engine break-in TIP
For ATVs equipped with an odometer or an hour
meter, follow the figures given in km (mi) or the
figures given in hours.
For ATVs not equipped with an odometer or
hour meter, follow the figures given in hours.
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