brake YAMAHA YFZ50 2021 Owner's Manual

8-21
8To reduce the tendency for the front wheels to
slide in loose or slippery conditions, positioning
your weight over the front wheels will sometimes
help.
If the rear wheels of your ATV start to slide side-
ways, control can usually be regained (if there is
room to do so) by steering in the direction of the
slide. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the slide.
With practice, over a period of time, skill at con-
trolled sliding can be developed. The terrain
should be chosen carefully before attempting
such maneuvers, since both stability and control
are reduced. Bear in mind that sliding maneuvers
should always be avoided on extremely slippery
surfaces such as ice, since all control may be lost.
WHAT TO DO IF...
This section is designed to be a reference guide
only. Be sure to read each section on riding tech-
niques completely.
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8
WHAT TO DO...

If your ATV doesn’t turn when you want it to:
Bring the ATV to a stop and practice the turning
maneuvers again. Be sure you are putting your
weight on the footboard to the outside of the
turn. Position your weight over the front wheels
for better control. (See page 8-12.)
 If your ATV begins to tip while turning:
Lean more into the turn to regain balance. If
necessary, gradually let off the throttle and/or
steer to the outside of the turn. (See page 8-12.)
 If your ATV starts to slide sideways:
Steer in the direction of the slide if you have the
room. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the
slide. (See page 8-20.)
 If your ATV can’t make it up a hill you are trying
to climb:
Turn the ATV around if you still have forward
speed. If not, stop, dismount on the uphill side
of the ATV and physically turn the ATV around.
If the ATV starts to slip backwards, DO NOT
USE THE REAR BRAKE – the ATV may tip over
on top of you. Dismount the ATV on the uphill
side. (See page 8-13.) 
If your ATV is traversing a sloping surface:
Be sure to ride with your weight positioned to-
wards the uphill side of the ATV to maintain
proper balance. If the ATV starts to tip, steer
down the hill (if there are no obstacles in your
way) to regain balance. If you discover that the
ATV is going to tip over, dismount on the uphill
side. (See page 8-17.)
 If your ATV encounters shallow water:
Ride slowly and carefully through slow moving
water, watching for obstacles. Be sure to let wa-
ter drain from the ATV and CHECK YOUR
BRAKES FOR PROPER OPERATION when you
come out of the water. Do not continue to ride
your ATV until you have regained adequate
braking ability. (See page 8-18.)
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9
EBU28789
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
EBU21677Periodic 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 and operator. The most impor-
tant points of vehicle inspection, adjustment, and
lubrication 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 3-8 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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9-5
9
EBU36892Periodic maintenance chart: General maintenance and lubricationTIPFor ATVs not equipped with an odometer or an hour meter, follow the month maintenance intervals in-
stead.
 For odometer or hour meter-equipped vehicles, follow the month maintenance interval if the ATV isn’t
ridden for the stated distance or engine operating hours.
 Items marked with an asterisk should be performed by a Yamaha dealer as they require special tools,
data and technical skills. NO. ITEM CHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOB INITIAL
EVERY
Whichev-
er comes first month136612
km (mi) 240
(150) 1300
(800) 2500
(1600) 2500
(1600) 5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320
1 Air filter element • Clean and replace if necessary. Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
2 Air filter check hose • Clean. √√√√√
3 *Front brake • Check operation and correct if necessary.
• Check brake lever free play and adjust if neces-
sary. √√√√√
• Replace brake shoes. Whenever worn to the limit
4 *Rear brake • Check operation and correct if necessary.
• Check brake lever free play and adjust if neces-
sary. √√√√√
• Replace brake shoes. Whenever worn to the limit
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9
15*Steering system • Check operation and repair or replace if dam-
aged.
• Check toe-in and adjust if necessary. √√√√√
16 Engine oil • Change.
• Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary. √ √√√
17 Engine oil strainer • Clean. √√√
18 Transmission oil • Change.
• Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary. √√
19 *Moving parts and
cables
• Lubricate.
√√√√
20 *Throttle lever • Check operation.
• Check throttle lever free play, and adjust if neces-
sary.
• Lubricate cable and lever housing. √√√√√
21 *Brake switch • Check operation and correct if necessary. √√√√√
22 *Switches • Check operation and correct if necessary. √√√√√
NO. ITEM
CHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOB INITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes first month136612
km (mi) 240
(150) 1300
(800) 2500
(1600) 2500
(1600) 5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320UBW464E0.book Page 7 Thursday, January 23, 2020 2:42 PM

9-22
9
EBU33951Adjusting the throttle lever free playPeriodically check the throttle lever free play and
adjust if necessary.TIPThe engine idling speed must be checked and ad-
justed before adjusting the throttle lever free play.
1. Slide the rubber covers apart.
2. Loosen the locknut.
3. To increase the throttle lever free play, turnthe throttle lever free play adjusting nut in di-
rection (a). To decrease the throttle lever free
play, turn the adjusting nut in direction (b).
4. Tighten the locknut.
5. Slide the rubber covers to their original posi- tions.EBU24062Valve 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 chart.EBU29602BrakesReplacement of brake components requires pro-
fessional knowledge. Brake service should be
performed by a Yamaha dealer.
1. Rubber cover
2. Throttle lever free play adjusting nut
3. Locknut
4. Throttle lever free playThrottle lever free play:2.0–3.2 mm (0.08–0.13 in)
1
2
3
1
4
(a)(b)
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9-23
9
WARNING
EWB02572Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could lead to a loss in braking ability
and an accident. EBU34512Checking the front and rear brake
shoesThe front and rear brake shoes must be checked
for wear at the intervals specified in the periodic
maintenance chart. Without disassembling the
brake, this can be performed by checking the po-
sition 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.Rear brake
To check rear brake shoe wear, check the position
of the adjusting nut. If the nut is more than 18 mm
(0.71 in) from the end of the bolt, the brake shoes
need to be replaced.
1. Upper adjusting bolt
2. Lower adjusting bolt
3. No more than 12 mm (0.47 in)
3
21
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9
EBU24334Adjusting the front brake lever free
playPeriodically check the front brake lever free play
and adjust if necessary.1. Loosen the upper locknut and fully turn in the upper adjusting bolt.
2. Loosen the lower locknut.
3. Turn the lower adjusting bolt in direction (a) to increase the lever free play, and in direction
(b) to decrease it.
1. Rear brake lever free play adjusting nut
2. Bolt
3. No more than 18 mm (0.71 in)
1
2 3
1. Front brake lever free playFront brake lever free play:
9.3

9-25
94. Tighten the lower locknut.
5. While applying the front brake, turn out the
upper adjusting bolt until the upper and lower
cable lengths are equal. The cable joint will
become vertical. 6. Tighten the upper locknut.
TIPAfter adjusting the brake lever free play, check the
front brake shoes for wear.
1. Upper locknut
2. Upper adjusting bolt
3. Lower locknut
4. Lower adjusting bolt
1
2
4
3 (a)
(b)
1. Cable joint1
aa´ a=a´
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9-26
9
EBU33784Adjusting the rear brake lever free playPeriodically check the rear brake lever free play
and adjust if necessary.
Turn the adjusting nut in direction (a) to increase
the brake lever free play, and in direction (b) to de-
crease it.
TIPAfter adjusting the brake lever free play, check the
rear brake shoes for wear. EBU34014Drive chain slackThe drive chain slack should be checked before
each ride and adjusted if necessary.TIPWhen checking and adjusting the drive chain
slack, there should be no weight on the ATV and
all tires must be touching the ground.
1. Rear brake lever free playRear brake lever free play:7.6–12.9 mm (0.30–0.51 in)1
1. Rear brake lever free play adjusting nut
1
(a)
(b)
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