warning YAMAHA XJ6-S 2011 Owners Manual

INTRODUCTION
EAU10102
Welcome to the Yamaha world of motorcycling!
As the owner of the XJ6S/XJ6SA, you are benefiting from Yamaha’s vast experience and newest technology regarding the
design and manufacture of high-quality products, which have earned Yamaha a reputation for dependability.
Please take the time to read this manual thoroughly, so as to enjoy all advantages of your XJ6S/XJ6SA. The Owner’s Manual
does not only instruct you in how to operate, inspect and maintain your motorcycle, but also in how to safeguard yourself and
others from trouble and injury.
In addition, the many tips given in this manual will help keep your motorcycle in the best possible condition. If you have any
further questions, do not hesitate to contact your Yamaha dealer.
The Yamaha team wishes you many safe and pleasant rides. So, remember to put safety first!
Yamaha continually seeks advancements in product design and quality. Therefore, while this manual contains the most cur-
rent product information available at the time of printing, there may be minor discrepancies between your motorcycle and this
manual. If there is any question concerning this manual, please consult a Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
EWA10031
Please read this manual carefully and completely before operating this motorcycle.
U36CE2E0.book Page 1 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

IMPORTANT MANUAL INFORMATION
EAU10132
Particularly important information is distinguished in this manual by the following notations:
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury
hazards. Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol 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
NOTICETIP
U36CE2E0.book Page 1 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

TABLE OF CONTENTSSAFETY 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
Immobilizer system .........................3-1
Main switch/steering lock ................3-2
Indicator lights and warning
lights ............................................3-4
Multi-function meter unit .................3-8
Anti-theft alarm (optional) .............3-11
Handlebar switches ......................3-12
Clutch lever ...................................3-13
Shift pedal .....................................3-13
Brake lever ...................................3-14
Brake pedal ..................................3-14
ABS (for ABS models) ..................3-14
Fuel tank cap ................................3-15
Fuel ...............................................3-16
Fuel tank breather/overflow
hose ..........................................3-17
Catalytic converter ........................3-17
Seat ..............................................3-18
Helmet holder ...............................3-19
Storage compartment ...................3-19
Handlebar position ........................3-20
Rear view mirrors .........................3-20Adjusting the shock absorber
assembly ................................... 3-21
Sidestand ..................................... 3-22
Ignition circuit cut-off system ........ 3-22
FOR YOUR SAFETY –
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS............. 4-1
OPERATION AND IMPORTANT
RIDING POINTS................................. 5-1
Starting the engine ......................... 5-1
Shifting ........................................... 5-2
Tips for reducing fuel
consumption ............................... 5-3
Engine break-in .............................. 5-3
Parking ........................................... 5-4
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND
ADJUSTMENT................................... 6-1
Owner’s tool kit ............................... 6-2
Periodic maintenance chart for
the emission control system ....... 6-3
General maintenance and
lubrication chart .......................... 6-4
Removing and installing cowlings
and panels .................................. 6-8
Checking the spark plugs ............. 6-10
Engine oil and oil filter cartridge ... 6-11
Coolant ......................................... 6-14
Replacing the air filter element ..... 6-18Adjusting the engine idling
speed ........................................ 6-19
Checking the throttle grip free
play ........................................... 6-20
Valve clearance ........................... 6-20
Tires ............................................. 6-20
Cast wheels ................................. 6-23
Adjusting the clutch lever free
play ........................................... 6-23
Checking the brake lever free
play ........................................... 6-24
Brake light switches
(for ABS models) ...................... 6-25
Brake light switches
(for non-ABS models) ............... 6-25
Checking the front and rear brake
pads .......................................... 6-25
Checking the brake fluid level ...... 6-26
Changing the brake fluid .............. 6-27
Drive chain slack .......................... 6-27
Cleaning and lubricating
the drive chain .......................... 6-29
Checking and lubricating
the cables ................................. 6-29
Checking and lubricating
the throttle grip and cable ......... 6-30
Checking and lubricating
the brake and shift pedals ........ 6-30
Checking and lubricating
the brake and clutch levers ...... 6-31U36CE2E0.book Page 1 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

1-1
1
SAFETY INFORMATION
EAU10287
Be a Responsible Owner
As the vehicle’s owner, you are respon-
sible for the safe and proper operation
of your motorcycle.
Motorcycles are single-track vehicles.
Their safe use and operation are de-
pendent upon the use of proper riding
techniques as well as the expertise of
the operator. Every operator should
know the following requirements 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/or when made neces-
sary by mechanical conditions.Safe Riding
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 vehicle 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 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 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.


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 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 accidents have been caused
by error of the motorcycle opera-
tor. A typical error made by the op-
erator is veering wide on a turn
U36CE2E0.book Page 1 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-2
3


Keep other immobilizer system
keys away from the main switch
as they may cause signal inter-
ference.
EAU10472
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.TIPBe sure to use the standard key (black
bow) for regular use of the vehicle. To
minimize the risk of losing the code re-
registering key (red bow), keep it in a
safe place and only use it for code re-
registering.
EAU38530
ON
All electrical circuits are supplied with
power; the meter lighting, taillight, li-
cense plate light and auxiliary light
come on, and the engine can be start-
ed. The key cannot be removed.TIPThe headlight comes on automatically
when the engine is started and stays on
until the key is turned to “OFF”, even if
the engine stalls.
EAU10661
OFF
All electrical systems are off. The key
can be removed.
WARNING
EWA10061
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.
U36CE2E0.book Page 2 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-4
3
EAU49391
Indicator lights 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.
EAU11254
Oil level warning light“”
This warning light comes on if the en-
gine oil level is low.
The electrical circuit of the warning light
can be checked by turning the key to
“ON”. The warning light should come
on for a few seconds, and then go off.
If the warning light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the warning light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.TIP

Even if the oil level is sufficient, the
warning light may flicker when
riding on a slope or during sudden
acceleration or deceleration, but
this is not a malfunction.


This model is also equipped with a
self-diagnosis device for the oil
level detection circuit. If a problem
is detected in the oil level detection
circuit, the following cycle will be
repeated until the malfunction is
corrected: The oil level warning
light will flash ten times, then go off
for 2.5 seconds. If this occurs,
have a Yamaha dealer check the
vehicle.
EAU11428
Coolant temperature warning
light“”
This warning light comes on if the en-
gine overheats. If this occurs, stop the
engine immediately and allow the en-
gine to cool.
The electrical circuit of the warning light
can be checked by turning the key to
“ON”. The warning light should come
on for a few seconds, and then go off.
If the warning light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the warning light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.
1. Turn signal indicator light“”
2. Immobilizer system indicator light
3. Neutral indicator light“”
4. High beam indicator light“”
5. Engine trouble warning light“”
6. Oil level warning light“”
7. Coolant temperature warning light“”
8. Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) warning
light“” (for ABS models)
1 2 345
76
8
ABS
U36CE2E0.book Page 4 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-6
3
Display Conditions What to do
Under 39 °C
(Under 103 °F)Message “Lo” is displayed. OK. Go ahead with riding.
40–116 °C
(104–242 °F)Coolant temperature is dis-
played.OK. Go ahead with riding.
117–134 °C
(243–274 °F)Coolant temperature flashes.
Warning light comes on.Stop the vehicle and allow it to idle until
the coolant temperature goes down.
If the temperature does not go down,
stop the engine. (See page 6-44.)
Above 135 °C
(Above 275 °F)Message “HI” flashes.
Warning light comes on.Stop the engine and allow it to cool.
(See page 6-44.)
ABSABS
U36CE2E0.book Page 6 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-7
3
EAU11534
Engine trouble warning light“”
This warning light comes on or flashes
if a problem is detected in the electrical
circuit monitoring the engine. If this oc-
curs, have a Yamaha dealer check the
self-diagnosis system. (See page 3-10
for an explanation of the self-diagnosis
device.)
The electrical circuit of the warning light
can be checked by turning the key to
“ON”. The warning light should come
on for a few seconds, and then go off.
If the warning light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the warning light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.
EAU11545
ABS warning light“” (for ABS
models)
If this warning light comes on or flashes
while riding, the ABS may not work cor-
rectly. If this occurs, have a Yamaha
dealer check the system as soon as
possible. (See page 3-14.)
WARNING
EWA10081
If the ABS warning light comes on or
flashes while riding, the brake sys-
tem reverts to conventional braking.
Therefore, be careful not to cause
the wheels to lock during emergen-
cy braking. If the warning light
comes on or flashes while riding,
have a Yamaha dealer check the
brake system as soon as possible.The electrical circuit of the warning light
can be checked by turning the key to
“ON”. The warning light should come
on for a few seconds, and then go off.
If the warning light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the warning light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.
EAU38624
Immobilizer system indicator light
The electrical circuit of the indicator
light can be checked by turning the key
to “ON”. The indicator light should
come on for a few seconds, and then
go off.If the indicator light does not come on
initially when the key is turned to “ON”,
or if the indicator light remains on, have
a Yamaha dealer check the electrical
circuit.
When the key is turned to “OFF” and 30
seconds have passed, the indicator
light will start flashing indicating the im-
mobilizer system is enabled. After 24
hours have passed, the indicator light
will stop flashing, however the immobi-
lizer system is still enabled.
The self-diagnosis device also detects
problems in the immobilizer system cir-
cuits. (See page 3-10 for an explana-
tion of the self-diagnosis device.)
ABS
U36CE2E0.book Page 7 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-8
3
EAU46765
Multi-function meter unit
WARNING
EWA12422
Be sure to stop the vehicle before
making any setting changes to the
multi-function meter unit. Changing
settings while riding can distract the
operator and increase the risk of an
accident.
The multi-function meter unit is
equipped with the following:

a speedometer


a tachometer


an odometer


two tripmeters (which show the
distance traveled since they were
last set to zero)


a fuel reserve tripmeter (which
shows the distance traveled since
the left segment of the fuel meter
started flashing)


a clock


a fuel meter


a coolant temperature display


a self-diagnosis device
TIP

Be sure to turn the key to “ON” be-
fore using the “SELECT” and “RE-
SET” buttons.


For the U.K. only: To switch the
speedometer and odometer/trip-
meter displays between kilometers
and miles, press the “SELECT”
button for at least one second.
Tachometer
The electric tachometer allows the rider
to monitor the engine speed and keep it
within the ideal power range.
When the key is turned to “ON”, the ta-
chometer needle will sweep once
across the r/min range and then return
to zero r/min in order to test the electri-
cal circuit.NOTICE
ECA10031
Do not operate the engine in the ta-
chometer red zone.
Red zone: 11666 r/min and above
1. Fuel meter
2. Coolant temperature display
3. Speedometer
4. Tachometer
5. Odometer/tripmeter/fuel reserve tripmeter
6.“SELECT” button
7.“RESET” button
8. Clock
1
8
2
3
4
7
6
5
1. Tachometer
2. Tachometer red zone
ABS1
2
U36CE2E0.book Page 8 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM

INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
3-10
3 The fuel meter indicates the amount of
fuel in the fuel tank. The display seg-
ments of the fuel meter disappear to-
wards “E” (Empty) as the fuel level
decreases. When the last segment on
the left starts flashing, refuel as soon as
possible.
TIPThis fuel meter is equipped with a self-
diagnosis system. If a problem is de-
tected in the electrical circuit, the follow-
ing cycle is repeated until the
malfunction is corrected: fuel level seg-
ments and symbol“” flash eight
times, then go off for approximately 3
seconds. If this occurs, have a Yamaha
dealer check the electrical circuit.
Coolant temperature display
The coolant temperature display indi-
cates the temperature of the coolant.NOTICE
ECA10021
Do not continue to operate the en-
gine if it is overheating.
Self-diagnosis device
This model is equipped with a self-diag-
nosis device for various electrical cir-
cuits.
If a problem is detected in any of those
circuits, the engine trouble warning light
will come on and the display will indi-
cate an error code.
If the display indicates any error codes,
note the code number, and then have a
Yamaha dealer check the vehicle.
The self-diagnosis device also detects
problems in the immobilizer system cir-
cuits.
If a problem is detected in the immobi-
lizer system circuits, the immobilizer
system indicator light will flash and the
display will indicate an error code.
1. Coolant temperature display
1
1. Error code display1
U36CE2E0.book Page 10 Friday, July 16, 2010 10:34 AM