engine YAMAHA WR 250R 2008 User Guide

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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EAU12870
Shift pedal
The shift pedal is located on the left
side of the engine and is used in com-
bination with the clutch lever when
shifting the gears of the 6-speed con-
stant-mesh transmission equipped on
this motorcycle.
EAU12890
Brake lever
The brake lever is located at the right
handlebar grip. To apply the front
brake, pull the lever toward the handle-
bar grip.
EAU12941
Brake pedal
The brake pedal is on the right side of
the motorcycle. To apply the rear
brake, press down on the brake pedal.
1. Shift pedal
1

1. Brake lever
1

1. Brake pedal
1

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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9fuel may deteriorate painted surfac-

es or plastic parts.
EAU13390
CAUTION:

ECA11400
Use 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 de-
signed to use premium unleaded gaso-
line with a research octane number of
95 or higher. If knocking (or pinging) oc-
curs, use a gasoline of a different
brand. Use of unleaded fuel will extend
spark plug life and reduce maintenance
costs.
EAU13431
Catalytic converter
This model is equipped with a catalytic
converter in the exhaust system.
WARNING

EWA10860
The exhaust system is hot after op-
eration. Make sure that the exhaust
system has cooled down before do-
ing any maintenance work.
CAUTION:

ECA10700
The following precautions must be
observed to prevent a fire hazard or
other damages.

Use only unleaded gasoline.
The use of leaded gasoline will
cause unrepairable damage to
the catalytic converter.

Never park the vehicle near pos-
sible fire hazards such as grass
or other materials that easily
burn.

Do not allow the engine to idle
too long.
EAU13970
Seat
To remove the seat
Remove the bolts, and then pull the
seat off.
To install the seat
1. Insert the projection on the front of
the seat into the seat holder as
shown.

Recommended fuel:
PREMIUM UNLEADED GASOLINE
ONLY
Fuel tank capacity:
7.6 L (2.01 US gal) (1.67 Imp.gal)
Fuel reserve amount (when the fuel
level warning light comes on):
2.1 L (0.55 US gal) (0.46 Imp.gal)

1. Bolt
1

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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EAU14790
Front fork bleeding
When riding in extremely rough condi-
tions, the air temperature and pressure
in the front fork will rise. This will in-
crease the spring preload and harden
the front suspension. If this occurs,
bleed the front fork as follows.
1. Elevate the front wheel by placing
a suitable stand under the engine.
NOTE:

When bleeding the front fork, there
should be no weight on the front end of
the vehicle.
2. Remove the bleed screws and al-
low all of the air to escape fromeach fork leg.
WARNING

EWA10200
Always bleed both fork legs, other-
wise poor handling and loss of sta-
bility may result.
3. Install the bleed screws.
EAU45260
Adjusting the shock absorber
assembly
This shock absorber assembly is
equipped with a spring preload adjust-
ing ring, a rebound damping force ad-
justing dial and a compression
damping force adjusting screw.
CAUTION:

ECA10100
Never attempt to turn an adjusting
mechanism beyond the maximum or
minimum settings.
Spring preload
Spring preload adjustment should be
made by a Yamaha dealer, since this
service requires special tools and tech-
nical skills. The specified settings are
listed below.
NOTE:

The spring preload setting is deter-
mined by measuring distance A, shown
in the illustration. The shorter the dis-
tance A is, the higher the spring pre-
load; the longer distance A is, the lower
the spring preload.
1. Bleed screw
1

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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always represents the entire adjusting
range. To obtain a precise adjustment,
it would be advisable to check the num-
ber of clicks of each damping force ad-
justing mechanism and to modify the

specifications as necessary.
WARNING

EWA10220
This shock absorber contains highly
pressurized nitrogen gas. For prop-
er handling, read and understand
the following information before
handling the shock absorber. The
manufacturer cannot be held re-
sponsible for property damage or
personal injury that may result from
improper handling.

Do not tamper with or attempt to
open the gas cylinder.

Do not subject the shock ab-
sorber to an open flame or other
high heat sources, otherwise it
may explode due to excessive
gas pressure.

Do not deform or damage the
gas cylinder in any way, as this
will result in poor damping per-formance.

Always have a Yamaha dealer
service the shock absorber.
EAU41940
EXUP system
This model is equipped with Yamaha’s
EXUP (EXhaust Ultimate Power valve)
system. This system boosts engine
power by means of a valve that regu-
lates the diameter of the exhaust pipe.
The EXUP system valve is constantly
adjusted in accordance with the engine
speed by a computer-controlled servo-
motor.
CAUTION:

ECA15610
The EXUP system has been set and
extensively tested at the Yamaha
factory. Changing these settings
without sufficient technical knowl-
edge may result in poor perfor-
mance of or damage to the engine.

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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EAU15301
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.
Yamaha’s ignition circuit cut-off
system has been designed to assist
the operator in fulfilling the respon-
sibility of raising the sidestand be-
fore starting off. Therefore, check
this system regularly as described
below and have a Yamaha dealer re-pair it if it does not function proper-
ly.
EAU44890
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.

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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With the engine turned off:
1. Move the sidestand down.
2. Make sure that the engine stop switch is turned on.
3. Turn the key on.
4. Shift the transmission into the neutral position.
5. Push the start switch.
Does the engine start?
With the engine still running:
6. Move the sidestand up.
7. Keep the clutch lever pulled.
8. Shift the transmission into gear.
9. Move the sidestand down.
Does the engine stall?
After the engine has stalled:
10. Move the sidestand up.
11. Keep the clutch lever pulled.
12. Push the start switch.
Does the engine start?
The system is OK. The motorcycle can be ridden.The neutral switch may be defective.
The motorcycle should not be ridden until
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
The sidestand switch may be defective.
The motorcycle should not be ridden until
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
The clutch switch may be defective.
The motorcycle should not be ridden until
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
YES NO YES NO YES NO

PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
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EAU15605
Pre-operation check list
ITEM CHECKS PAGE
Fuel

Check fuel level in fuel tank.

Refuel if necessary.

Check fuel line for leakage.3-11
Engine oil

Check oil level in engine.

If necessary, add recommended oil to specified level.

Check vehicle for oil leakage.6-9
Coolant

Check coolant level in reservoir.

If necessary, add recommended coolant to specified level.

Check cooling system for leakage.6-12
Front brake

Check operation.

If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hydraulic system.

Check lever free play.

Adjust if necessary.

Check brake pads for wear.

Replace if necessary.

Check fluid level in reservoir.

If necessary, add recommended brake fluid to specified level.

Check hydraulic system for leakage.6-22, 6-23
Rear brake

Check operation.

If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hydraulic system.

Check brake pads for wear.

Replace if necessary.

Check fluid level in reservoir.

If necessary, add recommended brake fluid to specified level.

Check hydraulic system for leakage.6-23
Clutch

Check operation.

Lubricate cable if necessary.

Check lever free play.

Adjust if necessary.6-21

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OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
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.
EAU45310
NOTE:

This model is equipped with a lean an-
gle sensor to stop the engine in case of
a turnover. To start the engine after a
turnover, be sure to turn the main
switch to “OFF” and then to “ON”. Fail-
ing to do so will prevent the engine from
starting even though the engine will
crank when pushing the start switch.
EAU45120
Starting the 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 3-18.

Never ride with the sidestand
down.
1. Turn the key to “ON” and make
sure that the engine stop switch is
set to “ ”.
CAUTION:

ECA16130
The following warning lights should
come on for a few seconds, then go
off.

Fuel level warning light

OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
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Coolant temperature warning
light

Engine trouble warning light
If a warning light does not go off, see
page 3-2 for the corresponding
warning light circuit check.
2. 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
Yamaha dealer check the electrical cir-
cuit.
3. 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.
CAUTION:

ECA11130
For maximum engine life, always
warm the engine up before starting
off. Never accelerate hard when the
engine is cold!
EAU16671
Shifting
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.
NOTE:

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.
CAUTION:

ECA10260

Even with the transmission in
1. Shift pedal
2. Neutral position
1
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OPERATION AND IMPORTANT RIDING POINTS
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9 the neutral position, do not
coast for long periods of time
with the engine off, and do not
tow the motorcycle for long dis-
tances. The transmission is
properly lubricated only when
the engine is running. Inade-
quate lubrication may damage
the transmission.


Always use the clutch while
changing gears to avoid damag-
ing the engine, transmission,
and drive train, which are not
designed to withstand the
shock of forced shifting.
EAU16810
Tips for reducing fuel
consumption
Fuel consumption depends largely on
your riding style. Consider the following
tips to reduce fuel consumption:

Shift up swiftly, and avoid high en-
gine speeds during acceleration.

Do not rev the engine while shifting
down, and avoid high engine
speeds with no load on the engine.

Turn the engine off instead of let-
ting it idle for an extended length of
time (e.g., in traffic jams, at traffic
lights or at railroad crossings).
EAU16841
Engine 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 follow-
ing 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.
EAU17021
0–1000 km (0–600 mi)
Avoid prolonged operation above 1/3
throttle.
1000–1600 km (600–1000 mi)
Avoid prolonged operation above 1/2
throttle.
CAUTION:

ECA11281
After 1000 km (600 mi) of operation,