warning YAMAHA YFZ450R 2021 Owners Manual

READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY!
It contains important safety information.
WARNING
OWNER’S MANUAL
YFZ450R
This ATV should not be ridden by anyone under 16 years of age.
BKD-F8199-60-E0
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EBU17171
INTRODUCTION
EBU17323Congratulations on your purchase of the Yamaha YFZ450R. 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
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EBU17331
IMPORTANT MANUAL INFORMATION
EBU17344FAILURE 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:TIPProduct and specifications are subject to change without notice.
 The ATV you have purchased may differ slightly from the figures shown in this manual.
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
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EBU17421
TABLE OF CONTENTS
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION ............................ 1-1Identification numbers ................................ 1-1
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND
SPECIFICATION LABELS .............................. 2-1
SAFETY INFORMATION ................................ 3-1
DESCRIPTION................................................ 4-1 Left view ...................................................... 4-1
Right view.................................................... 4-1
Controls and instruments............................ 4-2
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL
FUNCTIONS ................................................... 5-1 Main switch ................................................. 5-1
Indicator light and warning lights ................ 5-1
Handlebar switches .................................... 5-3
Throttle lever ............................................... 5-4
Speed limiter ............................................... 5-4
Clutch lever ................................................. 5-5
Brake lever .................................................. 5-5
Brake pedal ................................................. 5-6
Parking brake lever ..................................... 5-6 Shift pedal................................................... 5-7
Fuel tank cap .............................................. 5-8
Fuel ............................................................. 5-9
Seat .......................................................... 5-10
Front shock absorbers ............................ 5-11
Rear shock absorber ................................ 5-15
Handlebar position ................................... 5-23
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS .......................... 6-1 Fuel ............................................................. 6-4
Engine oil .................................................... 6-4
Coolant ....................................................... 6-4
Front and rear brakes ................................. 6-4
Throttle lever ............................................... 6-5
Drive chain .................................................. 6-5
Tires ............................................................ 6-5
Chassis fasteners ....................................... 6-7
Instruments, lights and switches ................ 6-7
OPERATION .................................................. 7-1 Starting the engine ..................................... 7-1
Shifting........................................................ 7-2
Engine break-in........................................... 7-4
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2-1
2
EBU29681
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND SPECIFICATION LABELS
EBU36153Read 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 re-
placement label from your Yamaha dealer.
9,10
8
1
2
543
8
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3-6
3
WARNING
EWB00073Avoid 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-
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.

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5-1
5
EBU17739
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
EBU29913Main switch“” (on)
All electrical systems are supplied with power. The
engine can be started. The key cannot be re-
moved.
“ ” (off)
All electrical systems are off. The key can be re-
moved.
EBU29383Indicator light and warning lightsEBU17861Neutral indicator light “ ”
This indicator light comes on when the transmis-
sion is in the neutral position.
1. Main switch
OFF
ON
1
1. Fuel level warning light Ž
2. Engine trouble warning light Ž
3. Coolant temperature warning light Ž
4.
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5-2
5
EBU29924Coolant temperature warning light “ ”
This warning light comes on when the engine
overheats. When this occurs, stop the engine as
soon as it is safe to do so and allow it to cool for
10 minutes.
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
vehicle.TIPThe radiator fan is automatically switched on or
off according to the coolant temperature in the
radiator.
 If the engine overheats, see page 9-53 for fur-
ther instructions. NOTICEECB00011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.
EBU29933Fuel level warning light “ ”
This warning light comes on when the fuel level
drops below approximately 3.4 L (0.90 US gal,
0.75 Imp.gal). When this occurs, refuel as soon as
possible.
The electrical circuit of the warning light can be
checked by setting the engine stop switch to “ ”
and 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.EBU29944Engine trouble warning light “ ”
This warning light comes on or flashes when an
electrical circuit monitoring the engine is not work-
ing correctly. When this occurs, have a Yamaha
dealer check the self-diagnostic system.
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5-3
5
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.
EBU18068Handlebar switches
EBU18081Engine stop switch “ / ”
Set this switch to “ ” before starting the engine.
The engine stop switch controls the ignition and
stops the engine when it is running. Use this
switch to stop the engine in an emergency situa-
tion. The engine will not start or run when this
switch is set to “ ”.EBU18102Start switch “ ”
Push this switch to crank the engine with the start-
er. See the starting instructions on page 7-1 prior
to starting the engine.EBU18157Light switch “ / /OFF”
Set this switch to “ ” to turn on the low beams
and the taillight. Set the switch to “ ” to turn on
the high beams and the taillight. Set the switch to
“OFF” to turn off all the lights.NOTICEECB00046Do not use the headlights with the engine
turned off for an extended period of time. The
battery may discharge to the point that the
1. Light switch “ / /OFF”
2. Engine stop switch “ / ”
3. Start switch “ ”
1
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5-5
5
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
damaged. Always make sure the throttle lever
free play is adjusted to 2.0–4.0 mm (0.08–
0.16 in). (See page 9-28.)
WARNING! Im-
proper adjustment of the speed limiter and
throttle could cause throttle cable damage
or improper throttle operation. You could
lose control, resulting in an accident.
[EWB00242]
3. Tighten the locknut.EBU18384Clutch lever
The clutch lever is located on the left side of the
handlebar. To disengage the clutch, pull the clutch
lever toward the handlebar grip. To engage the
clutch, release the lever. The lever should be
pulled rapidly and released slowly for smooth
clutch operation.
The clutch lever is equipped with a clutch switch,
which is part of the ignition circuit cut-off system.
(See page 7-1.)EBU18426Brake lever
1. Clutch lever
1. Brake lever
2. Locknut
3. Brake lever position adjusting bolt
4. Distance between brake lever and handlebar grip
1
4
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