wheel YAMAHA NIKEN GT 2020 Owners Manual

Table of contentsSafety information ............................ 1-1
Description ....................................... 2-1
Left view ......................................... 2-1
Right view ....................................... 2-2
Controls and instruments ............... 2-3
Instrument an d control functions ... 3-1
Immobilizer system......................... 3-1
Main switch/steering lock............... 3-2
Handlebar switches ........................ 3-3
Indicator lights and warning lights............................................ 3-5
Cruise control system..................... 3-8
Multi-function meter unit .............. 3-11
D-mode (drive mode).................... 3-18
Clutch lever .................................. 3-19
Shift pedal .................................... 3-19
Quick shift system ........................ 3-20
Brake lever.................................... 3-20
Brake pedal .................................. 3-21
ABS .............................................. 3-21
Traction control system ................ 3-22
Fuel tank cap ................................ 3-24
Fuel ............................................... 3-25
Fuel tank overflow hose ............... 3-26
Catalytic converter ....................... 3-27
Seats ............................................ 3-27
Helmet holding cable.................... 3-29
Storage compartment .................. 3-29
Rear view mirrors.......................... 3-30 Adjusting the front fork ................. 3-30
Adjusting the shock absorber
assembly.................................... 3-32
Auxiliary DC jacks ......................... 3-33
Sidestand ...................................... 3-34
Ignition circuit cut-off system ....... 3-35
For your safety – pre-operation
checks ............................................... 4-1
Operation an d important ri din g
points ................................................. 5-1
Engine break-in ............................... 5-1
Starting the engine .......................... 5-2
Shifting ............................................ 5-3
Tips for reducing fuel consumption ................................ 5-4
Parking ............................................ 5-5
Perio dic maintenance an d
a d justment ........................................ 6-1
Tool kit ............................................ 6-2
Periodic maintenance charts .......... 6-3
Periodic maintenance chart for the emission control system .............. 6-3
General maintenance and
lubrication chart ........................... 6-5
Removing and installing the panel ............................................ 6-9
Checking the spark plugs ............. 6-10
Canister ......................................... 6-11 Engine oil ...................................... 6-11
Why Yamalube.............................. 6-13
Coolant ......................................... 6-14
Air filter element ............................ 6-15
Checking the engine idling
speed ........................................ 6-15
Checking the throttle grip free play ............................................ 6-16
Valve clearance............................. 6-16
Tires .............................................. 6-16
Cast wheels .................................. 6-19
Adjusting the clutch lever free play ............................................ 6-19
Checking the brake lever free
play ............................................ 6-20
Brake light switches ..................... 6-20
Checking the front and rear brake pads ................................ 6-21
Checking the brake fluid level ...... 6-22
Changing the brake fluid .............. 6-23
Drive chain slack........................... 6-23
Cleaning and lubricating the drive chain ................................. 6-25
Checking and lubricating the cables ........................................ 6-25
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cable ............... 6-26
Checking and lubricating the brake and shift pedals............... 6-26
Checking and lubricating the brake and clutch levers ............. 6-27UB5BE1E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, October 30, 2019 9:59 AM

Table of contents
Checking and lubricating the
centerstand and sidestand ........6-27
Lubricating the swingarm pivots ...6-28
Checking the front fork..................6-28
Checking the steering ...................6-29
Lubricating the steering bearings .....................................6-29
Checking the wheel bearings ........6-30
Battery ...........................................6-30
Replacing the fuses .......................6-31
Vehicle lights .................................6-33
Troubleshooting ............................6-34
Troubleshooting chart ...................6-35
Motorcycle care an d stora ge ..........7-1
Matte color caution .........................7-1
Care .................................................7-1
Storage ............................................7-3
Specifications ....................................8-1
Consumer information .....................9-1
Identification numbers .....................9-1
Diagnostic connector ......................9-2
Vehicle data recording ....................9-2
In dex ................................................10-1
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1-1
1
Safety information
EAU84510
Be a Responsible Owner
As the vehicle’s owner, you are re-
sponsible for the safe and proper oper-
ation of your motorcycle.
This is a leaning multi-wheel motorcy-
cle.
The safe use and operation of this mo-
torcycle is dependent upon the use of
proper riding techniques as well as the
expertise of the operator. Every opera-
tor should know the following require-
ments before riding this motorcycle.
He or she should:  Obtain thorough instructions from
a competent source on all aspects
of motorcycle operation.
 Observe the warnings and mainte-
nance requirements in this Own-
er’s Manual.
 Obtain qualified training in safe
and proper riding techniques.
 Obtain professional technical ser-
vice as indicated in this Owner’s
Manual and when made neces-
sary by mechanical conditions. 
Never operate a motorcycle with-
out proper training or instruction.
Take a training course. Beginners
should receive training from a cer-
tified instructor. Contact an autho-
rized motorcycle dealer to find out
about the training courses nearest
you.
Safe Ri din g
Perform the pre-operation checks
each time you use the vehicle to make
sure it is in safe operating condition.
Failure to inspect or maintain the vehi-
cle properly increases the possibility of
an accident or equipment damage.
See page 4-1 for a list of pre-operation
checks.  This motorcycle is designed to
carry the operator and a passen-
ger.
 The failure of motorists to detect
and recognize motorcycles in traf-
fic is the predominating cause of
automobile-and-motorcycle acci-
dents. Many accidents have been
caused by an automobile driver
who did not see the motorcycle.
Making yourself conspicuous ap- pears to be very effective in reduc-
ing the chance of this type of
accident.
Therefore:
• Wear a brightly colored jacket.
• Use extra caution when you are approaching and passing
through intersections, since in-
tersections are the most likely
places for motorcycle accidents
to occur.
• Ride where other motorists can see you. Avoid riding in another
motorist’s blind spot.
• Never maintain a motorcycle without proper knowledge.
Contact an authorized motorcy-
cle dealer to inform you on ba-
sic motorcycle maintenance.
Certain maintenance can only
be carried out by certified staff.UB5BE1E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, October 30, 2019 9:59 AM

Safety information
1-2
1

Many accidents involve inexperi-
enced operators. In fact, many op-
erators who have been involved in
accidents do not even have a cur-
rent motorcycle license.
• Make sure that you are qualified and that you only lend your mo-
torcycle to other qualified oper-
ators.
• 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 accidents have been
caused by error of the motorcycle
operator. A typical error made by
the operator is veering wide on a
turn due to excessive speed or un-
dercornering (insufficient lean an-
gle for the speed).
• Always obey the speed limit and never travel faster than warrant-
ed by road and traffic condi-
tions. • Always signal before turning or
changing lanes. Make sure that
other motorists can see you.
 The posture of the operator and
passenger is important for proper
control.
• The operator should keep both hands on the handlebar and
both feet on the operator foot-
rests during operation to main-
tain control of the motorcycle.
• The passenger should always hold onto the operator, the seat
strap or grab bar, if equipped,
with both hands and keep both
feet on the passenger footrests.
Never carry a passenger unless
he or she can firmly place both
feet on the passenger footrests.
 Never ride under the influence of
alcohol or other drugs.
 This motorcycle is designed for
on-road use only. It is not suitable
for off-road use. Protective Apparel
The majority of fatalities from motorcy-
cle accidents are the result of head in-
juries. The use of a safety helmet is the
single most critical factor in the pre-
vention or reduction of head injuries.
 Always wear an approved helmet.
 Wear a face shield or goggles.
Wind in your unprotected eyes
could contribute to an impairment
of vision that could delay seeing a
hazard.
 The use of a jacket, heavy boots,
trousers, gloves, etc., is effective
in preventing or reducing abra-
sions or lacerations.
 Never wear loose-fitting clothes,
otherwise they could catch on the
control levers, footrests, or wheels
and cause injury or an accident.
 Always wear protective clothing
that covers your legs, ankles, and
feet. The engine and exhaust sys-
tem become very hot during or af-
ter operation and can cause
burns.
 A passenger should also observe
the above precautions.
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Instrument and control functions
3-6
3
el warning light will flash repeatedly. If
this occurs, have a Yamaha dealer
check the vehicle.
TIPWhen the vehicle is turned on, the light
will come on for a few seconds and
then go off. If the light does not come
on, or if the light remains on after con-
firming that the oil level is correct (see
page 6-11), have a Yamaha dealer
check the vehicle.
EAU58402
Cruise control in
dicator li ghts “ ”
an d “SET”
These indicator lights come on when
the cruise control system is activated.
(See page 3-8.)TIPWhen the vehicle is turned on, these
lights should come on for a few sec-
onds and then go off. If the lights do
not come on, have a Yamaha dealer
check the vehicle.
EAU11449
Coolant temperature warnin g
li g ht “ ”
This warning light comes on when the
engine is overheating. If this occurs,
stop the engine immediately and allow
the engine to cool. (See page 6-36.)
For vehicles with a radiator fan, the ra-
diator fan(s) automatically switch on or
off according to the coolant tempera-
ture.TIPWhen the vehicle is turned on, the light
will come on for a few seconds, and
then go off. If the light does not come
on, or if the light remains on, have a
Yamaha dealer check the vehicle. NOTICE
ECA10022
Do not continue to operate the en-
g ine if it is overheatin g.
EAU79311
En gine trou ble warnin g li ght “ ”
This warning light comes on if a prob-
lem is detected in the engine. If this oc-
curs, have a Yamaha dealer check the
on-board diagnostic system.
TIPWhen the vehicle is turned on, this light
should come on for a few seconds and
then go off. Otherwise, have a Yamaha
dealer check the vehicle.
EAU69895
ABS warnin g lig ht “ ”
This warning light comes on when the
vehicle is first turned on, and goes off
after starting riding. If the warning light
comes on while riding, the anti-lock
brake system may not work correctly.
WARNING
EWA16043
If the ABS warnin g li ght does not
turn off after reachin g 10 km/h (6
mi/h), or if the warnin g li ght comes
on while ri din g:
 Use extra caution to avoi d pos-
si ble wheel lock durin g emer-
g ency brakin g.
 Have a Yamaha dealer check
the vehicle as soon as possi ble.
ABS
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Instrument and control functions
3-10
3
TIPPushing the power switch while the
system is operating will turn the sys-
tem off completely and erase the previ-
ously set cruising speed. You will not
be able to use the resume function until
a new cruising speed has been set.Automatic deactivation of the cruisecontrol systemThe cruise control system for this mod-
el is electronically controlled and is
linked with the other control systems.
The cruise control system will auto-
matically become deactivated under
the following conditions:
 The cruise control system is not
able to maintain the set cruising
speed.
 Wheel slip or wheel spin is detect-
ed. (If the traction control system
has not been turned off, the trac-
tion control system will work.)
 The start/engine stop switch is set
to the “ ” position.
 The engine stalls.
 The sidestand is lowered. When traveling with a set cruising
speed, if the cruise control system is
deactivated under the above condi-
tions, the “ ” indicator light will go off
and the “SET” indicator light will flash
for 4 seconds, and then go off.
When not traveling with a set cruising
speed, if the start/engine stop switch is
set to the “ ” position, the engine
stalls, or the sidestand is lowered, then
the “ ” indicator light will go off (the
“SET” indicator light will not flash).
If the cruise control system is automat-
ically deactivated, please stop and
confirm that your vehicle is in good op-
erating condition.
Before using the cruise control system
again, activate it using the power
switch.
TIPIn some cases, the cruise control sys-
tem may not be able to maintain the set
cruising speed when the vehicle is
traveling uphill or downhill.
 When the vehicle is traveling up-
hill, the actual traveling speed may
become lower than the set cruis- ing speed. If this occurs, acceler-
ate to the desired traveling speed
using the throttle.
 When the vehicle is traveling
downhill, the actual traveling
speed may become higher than
the set cruising speed. If this oc-
curs, the setting switch cannot be
used to adjust the set cruising
speed. To reduce the traveling
speed, apply the brakes. When
the brakes are applied, the cruise
control system will become deac-
tivated.
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Instrument and control functions
3-19
3 MODE 3
This mode offers response that is
somewhat less sharp compared to
MODE 2 for riding situations that re-
quire especially sensitive throttle oper-
ation.
MODE 2
This mode is suitable for various riding
conditions.
This mode allows the rider to enjoy
smooth and sporty drivability from the
low-speed range to the high-speed
range.
MODE 1
This mode offers a sportier engine re-
sponse in the low- to mid-speed range
compared to MODE 2.
TIPThe current drive mode is saved when
the vehicle is turned off.
EAU12823
Clutch leverTo disengage the drivetrain from the
engine, such as when shifting gears,
pull the clutch lever toward to the han-
dlebar. Release the lever to engage the
clutch and transmit power to the rear
wheel.TIPThe lever should be pulled rapidly and
released slowly for smooth shifting.
(See page 5-3.)
EAU84321
Shift pe
dalThe shift pedal is located on the left
side of the engine. To shift the trans-
mission to a higher gear, move the shift
pedal up. To shift the transmission to a
lower gear, move the shift pedal down.
(See page 5-3.)TIPWhen the quick shift system is turned
on, the shift switch senses shift pedal
movement and allows for upshifting
without operating the clutch lever.
1. Clutch lever
1
1. Shift pedal
2. Shift switch
2
1
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Instrument and control functions
3-21
3
EAU12944
Brake ped alThe brake pedal is located on the right
side of the motorcycle. To apply the
rear brake, press down on the brake
pedal.
EAU84570
ABSThe anti-lock brake system (ABS) acts
on the front and rear brakes indepen-
dently.
WARNING
EWA16051
Always keep a sufficient distance
from the vehicle ahea d to match the
ri din g spee d even with ABS.
 The ABS performs best with
lon g b rakin g d istances.
 On certain surfaces, such as
rou gh or g ravel roa ds, the b rak-
in g d istance may b e longer with
the ABS than without.How to operate the brakes
Operate the brake lever and brake
pedal the same as you would conven-
tional brakes. If wheel slip is detected
while braking, ABS will activate and a
pulsating sensation may be felt at the
brake lever or brake pedal. Continue to
apply the brakes and let the ABS work.
Do not pump the brakes as this will re-
duce braking effectiveness. 
The ABS performs a self-check
when you first start off. During this
time a clicking noise from the hy-
draulic unit may be audible, and if
the brake lever or brake pedal is
applied a vibration can be felt, but
this is not a malfunction.
 The brake system will revert to a
conventional brake system in case
of ABS malfunction.
NOTICE
ECA20100
Be careful not to d amage the wheel
sensor or wheel sensor rotor; other-
wise, improper performance of the
ABS will result.
1. Brake pedal
1
1. Front wheel sensor
2. Front wheel sensor rotor
1
2
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Instrument and control functions
3-22
3
EAU76317
Traction control systemThe traction control system (TCS)
helps maintain traction when acceler-
ating on slippery surfaces, such as un-
paved or wet roads. If sensors detect
that the rear wheel is starting to slip
(uncontrolled spinning), the traction
control system assists by regulating
engine power as needed until traction
is restored.
WARNING
EWA15433
The traction control system is not a
su bstitute for ri din g appropriately
for the con ditions. Traction control
cannot prevent loss of traction d ue
to excessive spee d when enterin g
turns, when acceleratin g har d at a
sharp lean an gle, or while brakin g,
an d cannot prevent front wheel slip-
pin g. As with any vehicle, approach
surfaces that may be slippery with
caution an d avoi d especially slip-
pery surfaces.
The “ ” indicator light flashes when
traction control has engaged. You may
notice slight changes in engine and ex-
haust sounds when the system has en-
gaged.
The “ ” indicator light comes on
when traction control has been turned
off.
The TCS display indicates the current
TCS setting. There are three settings.
TCS “OFF” : Turns the traction control
system off.
TCS “1” : Minimizes traction control
system assist.
1. Rear wheel sensor
2. Rear wheel sensor rotor1
2
1. “TCS” button
2. TCS display
3. Traction control system indicator light “ ”
1
3
2
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Instrument and control functions
3-23
3 TCS “2”
: Maximizes traction control
assist; wheel spin is most strongly con-
trolled.
TIP When the vehicle is turned on,
traction control is turned on and
set to “1” or “2” (whichever was
last selected).
 Turn the traction control system
off to help free the rear wheel if the
vehicle gets stuck in mud, sand, or
other soft surfaces.NOTICE
ECA16801
Use only the specified tires. (See
pa ge 6-16.) Usin g different size d
tires will prevent the traction control
system from controllin g tire rotation
accurately.Setting the traction control system
WARNING
EWA15441
Be sure to stop the vehicle b efore
makin g any settin g chan ges to the
traction control system. Chan gin g settin
gs while ri din g can d istract the
operator an d increase the risk of an
acci dent.
TCS settings can be changed only
when the vehicle is stopped and the
throttle closed.
 Push the “TCS” button to change
between TCS settings “1” and “2”.
 Push the button for two seconds
to turn the traction control system
off.
 Push the button again to turn trac-
tion control back on (TCS will re-
turn to the previous setting).
Resettin g the traction control sys-
tem
The traction control system will auto-
matically disable when:  a wheel comes off the ground
while riding.
 excessive rear wheel spin is de-
tected while riding.
 a wheel is rotated by external for-
ces with the vehicle power on
(such as when performing mainte-
nance). If the traction control system is dis-
abled, both the “ ” indicator light and
the “ ” warning light will come on.
Should this occur, try resetting the sys-
tem as follows.
1. Stop the vehicle and turn the vehi- cle off.
2. Wait a few seconds and then turn the vehicle back on.
3. The “ ” indicator light should turn off and the system be en-
abled.
1. Engine trouble warning light “ ”
2. TCS display
3. Traction control system indicator light “ ”
3
2
1
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