wheel YAMAHA YXZ1000R 2017 Owner's Manual

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5. Check behind you, then release the brakepedal and press the accelerator pedal
gradually.
6. Continue to watch to the rear while driv- ing in reverse.EBU36733Launch system operationThe launch system allows you to start off at a
higher engine speed, and thus have a higher
initial acceleration rate than normal operation.
Only use the launch system on level ground
with a clear and safe path ahead of you.TIPThe launch system will be prevented from op-
erating if any of the following conditions are
present:
the engine is not warmed up or is overheat-
ing.
 the driver seat belt is not latched.
 the differential gear is locked (“DIFF LOCK”
is selected) or the differential gear lock indi-
cator is flashing. 
the parking brake is applied.
 an engine or system malfunction is detect-
ed (a warning light is on).
To activate the launch system1. Confirm that the front wheels and steer-
ing wheel are pointed straight ahead.
2. Shift the transmission into first gear.
3. While pressing the brake pedal, pull both
shift paddles toward you and hold them
in that position. The launch system indi-
cator light will come on, and the launch
system enters standby mode.
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EBU35061Selecting the drive modeThe vehicle handles differently in each of the drive modes: “2WD”, “4WD” and “DIFF LOCK”. For
example, the vehicle requires more effort to turn in “DIFF LOCK” than in “2WD”. Always stop the
vehicle before changing the position of th e On-Command drive knob. The drive mode icon
changes according to the selected drive mode. The drive mode icon and the “DIFF LOCK” indi-
cator light come on as follows:
Knob position Indication Drive mode
(none)
“2WD” (two-wheel drive): Drive power is supplied to the rear
wheels only.
“4WD” (four-wheel drive): Drive power is supplied to the
front and rear wheels.
“DIFF LOCK” (four-wheel drive with the differential gear
locked): Drive power is supplied to the front and rear wheels
and the differential gear is locked.
Unlike in four-wheel drive, all wheels turn at the same
speed.
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TIPWhen the knob is set to “DIFF LOCK” or “4WD ”, the drive mode icon and the indicator light
will flash until the differential gear is completely locked or unlocked.
 Turning the steering wheel back and forth will help the differential gear lock to engage or dis-
engage.
 To protect the drivetrain from damage, vehicle speed is limited until the differential gear lock
has properly transitioned. UB577AE0.book Page 10 Wednesday, June 8, 2016 9:35 AM

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EBU31950
BASIC GUIDE FOR SAFE USE
EBU31961As a YXZ1000R owner you are responsible
for the safe and proper operation of this vehi-
cle. Read this chapter and review the safety
instructions in Chapter 2 before operating the
vehicle. Use these chapters and the labels on
the vehicle to instruct new operators and pas-
sengers. Do not allow anyone else to operate
the vehicle or ride as a passenger if you are
unsure that he/she is willing and able to follow
these instructions.
WARNING
EWB03340Follow these instructions to reduce your
risk of an accident and to reduce the risk
of serious injury or death in the event of an
accident.
EBU33511KNOW YOUR VEHICLEThis off-road vehicle will handle and maneu-
ver differently from cars, ATVs, go-carts, golf-
cars and grounds-keeping vehicles. The
YXZ1000R has higher ground clearance and
other features to handle rugged terrain, and,
as a result, can overturn in situations where
some vehicles may not. This would include
vehicles made primarily for pavement, roads,
improved paths, or grounds-keeping. If you
do not use care in maneuvering the
YXZ1000R, you can cause it to roll over even
on flat, open areas.
Doing things with a YXZ1000R that some
people do for thrills in other vehicles (such as
sideways sliding, skidding, back-wheel slid-
ing, or donuts) have led to side rollovers.
These rollovers can result in crushed limbs
and other serious injuries or death to drivers
or passengers.
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Floorboard
The floorboard allows you to brace your feet,
which helps you keep your body in the vehicle
in the event of an accident or rollover. Keep
your feet on the floorboard during operation.
Steering wheel
Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Do
not hold the steering wheel with your thumbs
inside the rim. Keep your palms on the out-
side of the steering wheel. Similar to other off-
road vehicles, if the YXZ1000R hits a deep rut
or large obstacle, the steering wheel couldbriefly jerk in one direction or back and forth
as the tires and vehicle respond to the obsta-
cle. This quick motion could injure your
thumbs or wrist if your thumbs or hand(s) are
inside the steering wh
eel. Grip the steering
wheel so that your thumbs will not be hit by
the spokes. As an example, see the illustra-
tion.UB577AE0.book Page 11 Wednesday, June 8, 2016 9:35 AM

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Become familiar with the way the vehicle han-
dles in the various drive modes. Start off with
two-wheel drive “2WD”, then four-wheel drive
“4WD”, and finally four-wheel drive with the
differential locked “DIFF LOCK”. Steering
may take more effort in four-wheel drive with
the differential locked “DIFF LOCK”. Also
practice driving in reverse.TIPTake the time to learn basic operation of the
vehicle before driving at higher speeds or at-
tempting more difficult maneuvers.
Getting ready to ride
Perform the pre-operation checks on page
5-1. Follow the instructions on page 6-2 when
starting the engine.
Turning
Use care in turns — turning the steering wheel
too far or too fast can result in loss of control
or a rollover. Slow down before entering
turns. When making tight turns from a stand-
still or at slow speeds, avoid sudden or hard
acceleration. Driving aggressively or making
abrupt maneuvers even on flat, open areas
can cause side rollovers. Avoid sideways slid-
ing, skidding, or back-wheel sliding, and nev-
er do donuts. If you feel the vehicle begin to
slide sideways or the back wheels slide dur-
ing a turn, steer into the direction of the slide,
if possible, and gradually let off the accelera-
tor pedal to regain directional control and
avoid rollover. For example, if you feel the
back of the vehicle start to slide to your right,
steer to the right.
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If you think or feel that the vehicle may tip or
roll, keep your body completely inside the
protective structure of the vehicle:
Brace yourself by pressing your feet firmly
on the floorboard and keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel or passenger handhold.
 Do not put your hands or feet outside of the
vehicle for any reason. Do not try to stop a
tipover using your arm or leg.
Accelerating
Avoid higher speeds and sudden or hard ac-
celeration until you are thoroughly familiar
with the operation of your vehicle. Avoid sud-
den or hard acceleration in any turn. Never
drive faster than is safe for current conditions.
Shifting
Follow the instructions on pages 6-2 and 6-3
for shifting, downshifting, and shifting into re-
verse until you are thoroughly familiar with
each operation. Braking
When slowing down or stopping, take your
foot off the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal smoothly. Abrupt or improper
use of the brakes can cause the tires to lose
traction, reducing control of the vehicle and
increasing the possibility of an accident.
Braking ability is affected by type of terrain. In
most cases, gradual application of the brakes
is more effective than
abrupt braking, partic-
ularly on loose surfaces, such as gravel. Al-
ways allow for greater braking distance on
rough, loose, or slippery surfaces.
Engine compression braking will also help
slow the vehicle down. With the transmission
still in gear, take your foot off the accelerator
and allow the drivetrain and engine to absorb
vehicle speed. Downshift as necessary. Ap-
plication of the brakes provides additional
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Leaving the vehicle
Do not get out of the vehicle while the engine
is running. Take the key with when you leave
the vehicle. There is a serious risk of injury or
death because:
Children or other unauthorized persons
may attempt to operate the vehicle.
 Objects tossed into the vehicle may strike
the shift lever and accidently engage the
transmission.
 The parking brake may not keep the vehicle
from moving.
Parking on a flat area
Even when parking on a seemingly flat area, it
is good practice to leave the transmission in
gear to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
Therefore, shift into first or reverse gear, stop
the engine and always apply the parking
brake. Parking on a slope
The parking brake is loca
ted on the rear drive
shaft. When the drivetrain is in “2WD” mode,
only the rear wheels will be locked. Therefore,
switch the drive mode to “DIFF LOCK” before
stopping the engine to lock all four wheels
when parking. In addition to the parking
brake, leave the transmi ssion in gear to help
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
If you park on a hill that is too steep, the vehi-
cle may roll out of control. Never park on hills
that are so steep you cannot walk up them
easily. If you must park on an incline, follow
these instructions: 1. First, bring the vehicle to a stop and con- tinue to apply the brake pedal.
2. Switch the drive mode to “DIFF LOCK”
and shift into first gear when parking up-
hill, or reverse gear when parking down-
hill.UB577AE0.book Page 16 Wednesday, June 8, 2016 9:35 AM

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TIPYou may need to turn the steering wheel left
and right to help the differential lock into pla-
ce. 3. Stop the engine (turn the key to “ ”[off]).
4. With the brake pedal still being applied, set the parking brake.
5. Finally, get out of the vehicle and block
the front and rear wheels with rocks or
other objects.
Loading
Be aware that vehicle load includes the total
combined weight of the operator, passenger,
any installed accessories, and any luggage or
cargo brought on board or stored in the cargo
bed. Make sure that the gross vehicle weight
(vehicle load plus weight of the vehicle itself)
never exceeds 1025 kg (2260 lb). Vehicle loading can affect handling as well as
the recommended tire pressure. See “Load-
ing” on page 6-11 and “Tire pressure” on
page 5-8.
EBU36680Operation on different surfaces and
terrainsGo slowly and proceed with caution when op-
erating on an unfamiliar surface or terrain.
This vehicle may handle differently in certain
types of terrains or on certain surfaces. You
may come upon hidden rocks, bumps, or
holes without enough time to react. To avoid
loss of control or rollover, always be alert to
changing surfaces or terrain when operating
the vehicle.
Your Yamaha YXZ1000R has higher ground
clearance and other features to handle rug-
ged terrain, and as a result, can overturn in
situations where some vehicles may not.
Abrupt maneuvers or aggressive driving can
cause loss of control, including rollovers –
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even on flat, open areas. These rollovers can
result in crushed limbs and other serious inju-
ries or death to drivers or passengers.
When operating the vehicle in areas which re-
quire the use of a safety flag, mount the safety
flag pole on the flag pole bracket. See page
4-33.
Hills
Choose carefully which hills you attempt to
climb or descend. Avoid hills with slippery
surfaces or those where you will not be able
to see far enough ahead of you. Use commonsense and remember that some hills are too
steep for you to climb or descend. Use proper
driving techniques to avoid rearward, for-
ward, or sideways rollovers on hills and
slopes.
Drive straight up and down inclines, not
across them. If crossing a hill is unavoidable,
drive slowly. Turn downhill immediately if you
feel the vehicle may tip.
If you think or feel the vehicle may tip or
roll:

Brace yourself by pressing your feet firmly
on the floorboard and keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel or passenger handhold.
 Do not put your hands or feet outside of the
vehicle for any reason.
Uphill
Do not attempt to climb hills until you have
mastered basic maneuvers on flat ground.
Drive straight up hills, and avoid crossing the
side of a hill, which increases your risk of roll-UB577AE0.book Page 18 Wednesday, June 8, 2016 9:35 AM