warning YAMAHA YFZ50 2017 Owner's Guide

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7mediately on the uphill side or to a side if pointed
straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and remount,
following the procedure described in the Owner’s
Manual.
WARNING! Stalling, rolling backwards
or improperly dismounting while climbing a hill
could result in ATV overturning. If you cannot
control the ATV, dismount immediately on the
uphill side.
[EWB01803]
RIDING DOWNHILL
WARNING
EWB01132Going down a hill improperly could cause over-
turns or loss of control. Always follow proper
procedures for going down hills as described
in this Owner’s Manual.
 Always check the terrain carefully before you
start down any hill.
 Never operate the ATV on hills too steep for
the ATV or for your abilities. The ATV can
overturn more easily on extremely steep hills
than on level surfaces or small hills.
 Shift your weight backward and to the up
side of the hill.
 Never go down a hill at high speed.
 Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-
ble.
 Improper braking can cause the wheels on
the uphill side to come off the ground or cau-
se loss of traction. Gradually apply only the
rear brake when going downhill.
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7
When riding your ATV downhill, shift your weight
as far to the rear and uphill side of the ATV as pos-
sible. Move back on the seat and sit with your
arms straight. Allow the engine compression to do
most of the braking for you.
Use caution while descending a hill with loose or
slippery surfaces. Braking ability and traction may
be adversely affected by these surfaces. Improper
braking may also cause a loss of traction. Gradu-
ally apply only the rear brake.
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
hill. Avoid sharp angles which could allow the ATV
to tip or roll over. Carefully choose your path and
ride no faster than you will be able to react to ob-
stacles which may appear.
CROSSING A SLOPE
WARNING
EWB01633Improperly crossing hills or turning on hills
could cause loss of control or cause the ATV to
overturn.
Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
 Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.
 Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill.
 Shift your weight to the uphill side of the ATV.
OK
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7
Never attempt to turn the ATV around on any
hill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning
on any hill.
Traversing a sloping surface on your ATV requires
you to properly position your weight to maintain
proper balance. Be sure that you have learned the
basic riding skills on flat ground before attempting
to cross a sloping surface. Avoid slopes with slip-
pery surfaces or rough terrain that may upset your
balance.
As you travel across a slope, lean your body in the
uphill direction. It may be necessary to correct the
steering when riding on loose surfaces by pointing
the front wheels slightly uphill. When riding on
slopes, be sure not to make sharp turns either up
or down hill.
If your ATV does begin to tip over, gradually steer
in the downhill direction if there are no obstacles
in your path. As you regain proper balance, grad-
ually steer again in the direction you wish to travel. CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW WATER
WARNING
EWB01642Operating this vehicle through deep or fast-
flowing water can lead to loss of control or an
overturn. To reduce your risk of drowning or
other injuries, use care when crossing through
water. Never operate this ATV water deeper
than the depth specified in your Owner’s Man-
ual, as tires may float, increasing the risk of an
overturn.
OK
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7
The ATV can be used to cross slow moving, shal-
low water of up to a maximum of 11 cm (4 in) in
depth. Before entering the water, choose your
path carefully. Enter where there is no sharp drop
off, and avoid rocks or other obstacles which may
be slippery or upset the ATV. Drive slowly and
carefully.
Test your brakes after leaving the water. If neces-
sary, apply them several times to let friction dry
out the linings. Do not continue to ride your ATV
without verifying that you have regained proper braking ability.
WARNING! Wet brakes may have
reduced stopping ability, which could cause
loss of control.
[EWB02622]
After riding your ATV in water, be sure to drain the
trapped water by removing the check hose at the
bottom of the air filter case. NOTICE: Undrained
water can cause damage or improper opera-
tion.
[ECB00842]
Wash the ATV in fresh water if it has been operat-
ed in salt water or muddy conditions.
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7RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN
WARNING
EWB01652Riding improperly over obstacles could cause
loss of control or a collision. Before operating
in a new area, check for obstacles. Never at-
tempt to ride over large obstacles, such as lar-
ge rocks or fallen trees. When you go over
obstacles, always follow proper procedures as
described in the Owner’s Manual. Riding over rough terrain should be done with
caution. Look out for obstacles which could cause
damage to the ATV or could lead to an upset or accident. Be sure to keep your feet firmly mounted
on the footboards at all times. Avoid jumping the
ATV as loss of control and damage to the ATV may
result.
SLIDING AND SKIDDING
WARNING
EWB01663Skidding or sliding improperly may cause you
to lose control of this ATV. You may also regain
traction unexpectedly, which may cause the
ATV to overturn.

Learn to safely control skidding or sliding by
practicing at low speeds and on level,
smooth terrain.
 On extremely slippery surfaces, such as ice,
go slowly and be very cautious in order to re-
duce the chance of skidding or sliding out of
control. Care should be used when riding on loose or slip-
pery surfaces since the ATV may slide. If unex-
pected and uncorrected, sliding could lead to an
accident.
1. Air filter case check hose
1
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8
EBU28788
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
EBU21675Periodic inspection, adjustment, and lubrication
will keep your vehicle in the safest and most effi-
cient condition possible. Safety is an obligation of
the vehicle owner/operator. The most important
points of vehicle inspection, adjustment, and lu-
brication are explained on the following pages.
WARNING
EWB01842Failure to properly maintain the vehicle or per-
forming maintenance activities incorrectly may
increase your risk of injury or death during ser-
vice or while using the vehicle. If you are not fa-
miliar with vehicle service, have a Yamaha
dealer perform the service.
WARNING
EWB02563Turn off the engine when performing mainte-
nance unless otherwise specified.
A running engine has moving parts that can
catch on body parts or clothing and electri-
cal parts that can cause shocks or fires. 
Running the engine while servicing can lead
to eye injury, burns, fire, or carbon monoxide
poisoning - possibly leading to death. See
page 2-8 for more information about carbon
monoxide.

WARNING
EWB02691Brake discs, calipers, drums, and linings can
become very hot during use. To avoid possible
burns, let brake components cool before
touching them. The intervals given in the periodic maintenance
charts should be considered as a general guide
under normal riding conditions. However, DE-
PENDING ON THE WEATHER, TERRAIN, GEO-
GRAPHICAL LOCATION, AND INDIVIDUAL USE,
THE MAINTENANCE INTERVALS MAY NEED TO
BE SHORTENED.
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8
4. Remove the air filter element, and clean it with
solvent. WARNING! Always use parts
cleaning solvent to clean the air filter ele-
ment. Never use low-flash-point solvents
or gasoline to clean the air filter element
because the engine could catch fire or ex-
plode.
[EWB03540]
5. Squeeze the excess solvent out of the air filter element and let it dry. NOTICE: Do not twist
the air filter element when squeezing it.
[ECB02310]
1. Air filter case cover
2. Air filter case cover holder
1
2
1. Air filter element
1
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8
WARNING
EWB02341Do not start the engine when cleaning the
spark arrester, otherwise it could cause injury
to the eyes, burns, carbon monoxide poison-
ing, possibly leading to death, and start a fire.
Always let the exhaust system cool prior to
touching exhaust components. EBU23941Adjusting the carburetorThe carburetor should be checked and, if neces-
sary, adjusted at the intervals specified in the pe-
riodic maintenance and lubrication chart. The
carburetor is an important part of the engine and
requires very sophisticated adjustment. There-
fore, most carburetor adjustments should be left
to a Yamaha dealer, who has the necessary pro-
fessional knowledge and experience. The adjust-
ment described in the following section, however,
may be performed by the owner as part of routine
maintenance.
NOTICEECB00481The carburetor has been set and extensively
tested at the Yamaha factory. Changing these
settings without sufficient technical knowl-
edge may result in poor performance of or
damage to the engine. EBU24001Adjusting the engine idling speedThe engine idling speed must be checked and, if
necessary, adjusted as follows at the intervals
specified in the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart.TIPA diagnostic tachometer is needed to make this
adjustment. 1. Start the engine and warm it up.TIPThe engine is warm when it quickly responds to
the throttle. 2. Attach the tachometer to the spark plug lead.
Tightening torque:
Tailpipe bolt:10 N·m (1.0 kgf·m, 7.2 lb·ft)
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84. Tighten the locknut.
5. Slide the rubber covers to their original posi-
tions.
EBU24061Valve clearanceThe valve clearance changes with use, resulting in
improper air-fuel mixture and/or engine noise. To
prevent this from occurring, the valve clearance
must be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
EBU29602BrakesReplacement of brake components requires pro-
fessional knowledge. Brake service should be
performed by a Yamaha dealer.
WARNING
EWB02572Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could lead to a loss in braking ability
and an accident. EBU34511Checking the front and rear brake
shoesThe front and rear brake shoes must be checked
for wear at the intervals specified in the periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart. Without disas-
sembling the brake, this can be performed by
checking the position of the brake lever free play
adjusting bolts or nut.
Front brakes
To check front brake shoe wear, check the posi-
tion of the adjusting bolts. If a bolt extends more
than 12 mm (0.47 in) from its locknut, the brake
shoes need to be replaced.
1. Rubber cover
2. Throttle lever free play adjusting nut
3. Locknut
4. Throttle lever free play
1
2
3
1
4
(a)(b)
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8
TIPFor a thorough cleaning, have a Yamaha dealer re-
move the drive chain and soak it in solvent. 2. Spray Yamaha chain lubricant or other suit-able chain lubricant on the entire chain, mak-
ing sure that all side plates and rollers have
been sufficiently oiled.EBU24905Checking and lubricating the cablesThe operation and the condition of all control ca-
bles should be checked before each ride, and the
cables and cable ends should be lubricated if nec-
essary. If a cable is damaged or does not move
smoothly, have a Yamaha dealer check or replace
it.
WARNING
EWB02582Inspect cables frequently and replace if
damaged. Corrosion can result when the ca-
ble sheaths become damaged, and cables can also become frayed or kinked, which
could restrict the operation of controls and
lead to an accident or injury.
 Always make sure all control cables work
smoothly before you begin riding in cold
weather. If the control cables are frozen or
do not work smoothly, you could be unable
to control the ATV, which could lead to an
accident or collision.
EBU28703Checking and lubricating the front and
rear brake leversThe operation of the front and rear brake levers
should be checked before each ride, and the lever
pivots should be lubricated if necessary.
Recommended lubricant: Yamaha cable lubricant or other suitable cable lubricantRecommended lubricant: Lithium-soap-based grease
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