warning YAMAHA YFM250R 2011 User Guide

4-8
4
EBU18720Fuel tank cap Remove the fuel tank cap by turning it counter-
clockwise.
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 be
sure that no one is sitting on the vehicle. Nev-
er refuel while smoking, or while in the vicinity
1. Shift pedal
1
1. Fuel tank cap
1
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4-9
4of 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.
3. 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
1. Maximum fuel level
2. Filler tube
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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4-13
4
EBU18992Adjusting the front shock absorber as-
semblies (YFM25RA/YFM250RA)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.
Adjust the spring preload as follows.
Turn the spring preload adjusting ring in direction
(a) to increase the spring preload and thereby
harden the suspension, and in direction (b) to de-
crease the spring preload and thereby soften the
suspension.TIPA special wrench can be obtained at a Yamaha
dealer to make this adjustment.
1. Projection
2. Seat holder
1
2
1. Spring preload adjusting ring
2. Special wrench
3. Position indicator
1
2
3
4
5
(a)
(b)1
2
3
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4-14
4
EBU30050Adjusting the front shock absorber as-
semblies (YFM25RSEA/YFM250RSEA)These shock absorber assemblies are equipped
with a spring preload adjusting nut, a rebound
damping force adjusting screw, with a compres-
sion damping force adjusting bolt (for fast com-
pression damping), and a compression damping
force adjusting screw (for slow compression damp-
ing).
WARNING
EWB02491
Suspension components become hot during
operation. Never touch the compression
damping force adjusting bolt and screw, the
rebound damping force adjusting screw or
the oil reservoir with your bare hand or skin
until suspension components have cooled.

Always adjust the shock absorber assem-
blies 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 accident.NOTICEECB00090Never turn an adjusting mechanism beyond
the minimum and maximum settings.TIPAlthough the total number of clicks or turns of a
damping force adjusting mechanism may not ex-
actly match the following specifications due to
small differences in production, the actual number
of clicks or turns always represents the entire ad-
justing range. To obtain a precise adjustment, it
would be advisable to check the number of clicks
or turns of each damping force adjusting mecha-
nism and to modify the specifications as neces-
sary.Spring preload
1. Loosen the locknut. Spring preload setting:
Minimum (soft):
1
Standard:
2
Maximum (hard):
5
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4-18
4
WARNING
EWB00410These shock absorber assemblies contain
highly pressurized nitrogen gas. Read and un-
derstand the following information before han-
dling the shock absorber assemblies.
Do not tamper with or attempt to open the
cylinder assemblies.
Do not subject the shock absorber assem-
blies to an open flame or other high heat
source. This may cause the unit to explode
due to excessive gas pressure.
Do not deform or damage the cylinders in
any way. Cylinder damage will result in poor
damping performance.
Do not dispose of a damaged or worn out
shock absorber assembly yourself. Take the
shock absorber assembly to a Yamaha deal-
er for any service.EBU28243Adjusting the rear shock absorber as-
sembly (YFM25RA/YFM250RA)The spring preload can be adjusted to suit the rid-
er’s weight and the riding conditions.
1. Compression damping force adjusting screw (for slow
compression damping)Compression damping setting (for slow com-
pression damping):
Minimum (soft):
16 click(s) in direction (b)*
Standard:
10 click(s) in direction (b)*
Maximum (hard):
1 click(s) in direction (b)*
* With the adjusting screw fully turned in di-
rection (a)
(b)(a)
1
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4-20
4
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.
Do not tamper with or attempt to open the
cylinder assembly.
Do not subject the shock absorber assembly
to an open flame or other high heat.
Do not deform or damage the cylinder in any
way.
Do not dispose of a damaged or worn out
shock absorber assembly yourself. Take the
shock absorber assembly to a Yamaha deal-
er for any service.
EBU29312Adjusting the rear shock absorber as-
sembly (YFM25RSEA/YFM250RSEA)The spring preload, rebound damping and com-
pression damping forces of the rear shock absorb-
er assembly can be adjusted to suit the rider’s
weight and the riding conditions.
WARNING
EWB02500Suspension components become hot during
operation. Never touch the compression
damping force adjusting screw, the rebound
damping force adjusting dial or the oil reser-
voir with your bare hand or skin until suspen-
sion components have cooled.NOTICEECB00090Never turn an adjusting mechanism beyond
the minimum and maximum settings.Spring preload
1. Loosen the locknut. Tightening torque:
Locknut:
42 Nm (4.2 m·kgf, 30 ft·lbf)
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4-24
4
WARNING
EWB00430This shock absorber assembly contains highly
pressurized nitrogen gas. Read and under-
stand the following information before han-
dling the shock absorber assembly.
Do not tamper with or attempt to open the
cylinder assembly.
Do not subject the shock absorber assembly
to an open flame or other high heat source.
This may cause the unit to explode due to ex-
cessive gas pressure.
Do not deform or damage the cylinder in any
way. Cylinder damage will result in poor
damping performance.
Do not dispose of a damaged or worn out
shock absorber assembly yourself. Take the
shock absorber assembly to a Yamaha deal-
er for any service.
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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
FuelCheck 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 oilCheck 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 brakeCheck 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 recommended 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:
Fron t
27.5 kPa (0.275 kgf/cm², 4.0 psi)
Rear
27.5 kPa (0.275 kgf/cm², 4.0 psi)
Minimum tire pressure:
Fron t
24.5 kPa (0.245 kgf/cm², 3.6 psi)
Rear
24.5 kPa (0.245 kgf/cm², 3.6 psi)
Maximum tire seating pressure:
Fron t
250 kPa (2.5 kgf/cm², 36 psi)
Rear
250 kPa (2.5 kgf/cm², 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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