warning YAMAHA YFZ450 2012 Owners Manual

EBU17170
INTRODUCTION
EBU17322Congratulations on your purchase of the Yamaha YFZ450B. This ATV represents the result of many years
of Yamaha experience in the production of fine sporting, touring, and pacesetting racing machines. With the
purchase of this Yamaha, you can now appreciate the high degree of craftsmanship and reliability that have
made Yamaha a leader in these fields.
This manual will provide you with a good basic understanding of the features and operation of this ATV.
This manual includes important safety information. It provides information about special tech-
niques and skills necessary to ride the ATV. It also includes basic maintenance and inspection proce-
dures. If you have any questions regarding the operation or maintenance of your ATV, please consult a
Yamaha dealer.
AN IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE:
Read this manual completely before operating your ATV. Make sure you understand all instructions.
Pay close attention to the warning and notice labels on the ATV.
This ATV should not be ridden by anyone under 16 years of age.
This ATV is a high-performance ATV for off-road use only, for sport-type recreational and competitive use
by experienced operators.
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EBU17330
IMPORTANT MANUAL INFORMATION
EBU17342FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE WARNINGS CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS IN-
JURY OR DEATH.
Particularly important information is distinguished in this manual by the following notations:
* Product and specifications are subject to change without notice.This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential per-
sonal injury hazards. Obey all safety messages that follow this sym-
bol to avoid possible injury or death.
A WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
A NOTICE indicates special precautions that must be taken to avoid
damage to the vehicle or other property.
A TIP provides key information to make procedures easier or clearer.
WARNING
NOTICETIPU1PD60E0.book Page 1 Monday, June 13, 2011 2:57 PM

EBU17420
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND
SPECIFICATION LABELS ............................ 1-1
SAFETY INFORMATION .............................. 2-1
DESCRIPTION .............................................. 3-1Left view ...................................................... 3-1
Right view.................................................... 3-1
Controls and instruments ............................ 3-2
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL
FUNCTIONS .................................................. 4-1 Main switch ................................................ 4-1
Indicator light and warning light .................. 4-2
Handlebar switches .................................... 4-3
Throttle lever .............................................. 4-3
Speed limiter .............................................. 4-4
Clutch lever ................................................ 4-5
Brake lever ................................................. 4-5
Brake pedal ................................................ 4-6
Parking brake lever .................................... 4-6
Shift pedal .................................................. 4-7
Fuel tank cap .............................................. 4-8
Fuel ............................................................ 4-8 Fuel cock ..................................................4-10
Starter (choke) ..........................................4-11
Seat ..........................................................4-12
Adjusting the front shock absorber
assemblies ..............................................4-13
Adjusting the rear shock absorber assembly .................................................4-14
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS ..........................5-1 Fuel .............................................................5-4
Engine oil ....................................................5-4
Coolant .......................................................5-4
Front and rear brakes .................................5-4
Throttle lever ...............................................5-5
Drive chain ..................................................5-5
Tires ............................................................5-5
Chassis fasteners .......................................5-7
Instruments, lights and switches .................5-7
OPERATION...................................................6-1 Starting a cold engine .................................6-1
Starting a warm engine ...............................6-3
Shifting ........................................................6-3
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1-1
1
EBU29680
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND SPECIFICATION LABELS
EBU29991Read and understand all of the labels on your ATV. These labels contain important information for safe and
proper operation.
Never remove any labels from your ATV. If a label becomes difficult to read or comes off, request a replace-
ment label from your Yamaha dealer.
For Europe
3
12 45 8
6,7
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1-9
1
4AA-22259-40WARNING
OPERATING TIRE PRESSURE : Set with tires cold
Recommended
: Front
: 25.0
kPa
Rear
: 30.0
kPa

Minimum
: Front
: 22.0
kPa
Rear
: 27.0
kPa

Never set tire pressure below minimum.
It could cause the tire to dislodge from the rim.LOADINGMaximum weight capacity :
100 kg (220 lbs.)
Includes weight of operator, cargo and accessories.Improper tire pressure or overloading can cause
loss of control.
Loss of control can result in severe injury or
death.
3.6 psi
4.4 psi 3.2 psi
4.0 psi(
( )
() () )
2PA-2816M-00
WARNINGNEVER ride as a
passenger.Passengers can causea loss of control,resulting in SEVEREINJURY or DEATH.5FE-2151H-01
Use
97 octane
5TG-2415E-10
PREMIUM unleaded gasoline with min. (RON).
3
4 5
6
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2-3
2speed when climbing a hill. If you stall or roll
backwards, follow the special procedure for
braking described in this manual. Dismount on
the uphill side or to a side if pointed straight up-
hill. Turn the ATV around and remount, following
the procedure described in this manual.

Always check for obstacles before operating in a
new area.
Never attempt to operate over large obstacles,
such as large rocks or fallen trees. Always follow
proper procedures when operating over obsta-
cles as described in this manual.
Always be careful when skidding or sliding.
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 con-
trol.
Never operate an ATV in fast flowing water or in
water deeper than that recommended in this
manual. Remember that wet brakes may have
reduced stopping ability. Test your brakes after
leaving water. If necessary, apply them several
times to let friction dry out the linings.

Always use the size and type of tires specified in
this manual.
Always maintain proper tire pressure as de-
scribed in this manual.
Never modify an ATV through improper installa-
tion or use of accessories.
Never exceed the stated load capacity for an
ATV. Cargo should be properly distributed and
securely attached. Reduce speed and follow in-
structions in this manual for carrying cargo or
pulling a trailer. Allow greater distance for brak-
ing.
WARNING
EWB00072Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
All engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide,
a deadly gas. Breathing carbon monoxide can
cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, nau-
sea, confusion, and eventually death.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless,
tasteless gas which may be present even if you
do not see or smell any engine exhaust. Deadly
levels of carbon monoxide can collect rapidly
and you can quickly be overcome and unable
to save yourself. Also, deadly levels of carbon
monoxide can linger for hours or days in en-
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2-4
2
closed or poorly ventilated areas. If you experi-
ence any symptoms of carbon monoxide
poisoning, leave the area immediately, get
fresh air, and SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT.

Do not run engine indoors. Even if you try to
ventilate engine exhaust with fans or open
windows and doors, carbon monoxide can
rapidly reach dangerous levels.
Do not run engine in poorly ventilated or par-
tially enclosed areas such as barns, garages,
or carports.
Do not run engine outdoors where engine
exhaust can be drawn into a building
through openings such as windows and
doors.
WARNING
EWB02591When transporting the ATV in another vehicle,
be sure it is kept upright and that the fuel cock
is in the
“OFF ” position. Otherwise, fuel may
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4-2
4
EBU17805Indicator light and warning light EBU17860Neutral indicator light“”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the neutral position.EBU17930Coolant temperature warning light “”
This warning light comes on when the engine over-
heats. When this occurs during operation, stop the
engine as soon as it is safe to do so and allow it to
cool down for about 10 minutes. The electrical circuit of the warning light can be
checked according to the following procedure.
1. Set the engine stop switch to “” and turn
the key to “ON ”.
2. Shift the transmission into the neutral position or pull the clutch lever.
3. Push the start switch. If the warning light does not come on while the start switch is pushed,
have a Yamaha dealer check the electrical cir-
cuit.
NOTICEECB00010
The engine may overheat if the ATV is over-
loaded. In this case, reduce the load to spec-
ification.
Start the engine after making sure that the
warning light is out. Continuous use while
the warning light is on may cause damage to
the engine.
1. Neutral indicator light “N”
2. Coolant temperature warning light “”
12
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4-4
4
Regulate the speed of the ATV by varying the
throttle position. Because the throttle is spring-
loaded, the ATV will decelerate, and the engine will
return to an idle any time the throttle lever is re-
leased.
Before starting the engine, check the throttle to be
sure it is operating smoothly. Make sure it returns
to the idle position as soon as the lever is released.
EBU18323Speed limiter Your ATV is equipped with an adjustable speed
limiter. The speed limiter keeps the throttle from
fully opening, even when the throttle lever is
pushed to the maximum.
1. Loosen the locknut.
2. To increase the maximum engine power avail- able and the maximum speed of the ATV, turn
the adjusting screw in direction (a). To de-
crease the maximum engine power available
and the maximum speed of the ATV, turn the
adjusting screw in direction (b). Do not turn
the adjusting screw out more than 12 mm
(0.47 in) or the throttle cable could be dam-
aged. Always make sure the throttle lever free
play is adjusted to 2.0– 4.0 mm (0.08–0.16 in).
(See page 8-31.) WARNING! Improper ad-
justment of the speed limiter and throttle
could cause throttle cable damage or im-
proper throttle operation. You could lose
control, resulting in an accident.
[EWB00241]
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4-7
4
WARNING
EWB00220
Always set the parking brake before starting
the engine. The ATV could start moving un-
expectedly if the parking brake is not ap-
plied. This could cause loss of control or a
collision.
Always be sure you have released the park-
ing brake before you begin to ride. The brake
could overheat if you ride the ATV without re-
leasing the parking brake. You could lose
braking performance which could cause an
accident. You could also wear out the brakes
prematurely.EBU18530Shift pedal This ATV is equipped with a constant-mesh 5-
speed transmission. The shift pedal is located on
the left side of the engine and is used in combina-
tion with the clutch when shifting.
1. Parking brake lever (locked position)
1. Parking brake lever (unlocked position)U1PD60E0.book Page 7 Monday, June 13, 2011 2:57 PM