tow YAMAHA YZF-R125 2021 Owners Manual

Instrument and control functions
3-13
3
EAU54203
Dimmer/Pass switch “ / /PASS”
Set this switch to “ ” for the high
beam and to “ ” for the low beam.
To flash the high beam, push the
switch down towards “PASS” while the
headlights are on low beam.
EAU12461
Turn si gnal switch “ / ”
To signal a right-hand turn, push this
switch to “ ”. To signal a left-hand
turn, push this switch to “ ”. When
released, the switch returns to the cen-
ter position. To cancel the turn signal
lights, push the switch in after it has re-
turned to the center position.
EAU12501
Horn switch “ ”
Press this switch to sound the horn.
EAU12664
En gine stop switch “ / ”
Set this switch to “ ” (run) before
starting the engine. Set this switch
to “ ” (stop) to stop the engine in case
of an emergency, such as in the event
of an overturn or if the throttle is stuck.
EAU12713
Start switch “ ”
Push this switch to crank the engine
with the starter. See page 5-2 for start-
ing instructions prior to starting the en-
gine.
EAU12823
Clutch leverTo disengage the drivetrain from the
engine, such as when shifting gears,
pull the clutch lever toward to the han-
dlebar. Release the lever to engage the
clutch and transmit power to the rear
wheel.TIPThe lever should be pulled rapidly and
released slowly for smooth shifting.
(See page 5-3.)1. Clutch leverZAUM1585
1
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Instrument and control functions
3-14
3
EAU12876
Shift pe dalThe shift pedal is located on the left
side of the motorcycle. To shift the
transmission to a higher gear, move
the shift pedal up. To shift the trans-
mission to a lower gear, move the shift
pedal down. (See page 5-3.)
EAU12892
Brake leverThe brake lever is located on the right
side of the handlebar. To apply the
front brake, pull the lever toward the
throttle grip.
EAU12944
Brake pe dalThe brake pedal is located on the right
side of the motorcycle. To apply the
rear brake, press down on the brake
pedal.
1. Shift pedalZAUM1586
1
1. Brake leverZAUM1587
1
1. Brake pedalZAUM1588
1
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Operation and important ri din g points
5-3
5
EAU16674
Shiftin gShifting gears lets you control the
amount of engine power available for
starting off, accelerating, climbing hills,
etc.
The gear positions are shown in the il-
lustration.TIPTo shift the transmission into the neu-
tral position ( ), press the shift pedal
down repeatedly until it reaches the
end of its travel, and then slightly raise
it.
NOTICE
ECA10261
Even with the transmission in
the neutral position, do not
coast for lon g period s of time
with the eng ine off, and d o not
tow the motorcycle for lon g d is-
tances. The transmission is
properly lu bricated only when
the en gine is runnin g. Ina de-
quate lu brication may damag e
the transmission.
 Always use the clutch while
chan gin g g ears to avoi d d am-
a g in g the en gine, transmission,
an d d rive train, which are not
d esi gne d to withstan d the
shock of forced shifting.
EAU85370
To start out an d accelerate
1. Pull the clutch lever to disengage the clutch.
2. Shift the transmission into first gear. The neutral indicator light
should go out.
3. Open the throttle gradually, and at the same time, release the clutch
lever slowly. 4. After starting out, close the throt-
tle, and at the same time, quickly
pull the clutch lever in.
5. Shift the transmission into second gear. (Make sure not to shift the
transmission into the neutral posi-
tion.)
6. Open the throttle part way and gradually release the clutch lever.
7. Follow the same procedure when shifting to the next higher gear.
EAU85380
To decelerate
1. Release the throttle and apply both the front and the rear brakes
smoothly to slow the motorcycle.
2. As the vehicle decelerates, shift to a lower gear.
3. When the engine is about to stall or runs roughly, pull the clutch le-
ver in, use the brakes to slow the
motorcycle, and continue to
downshift as necessary.
4. Once the motorcycle has stopped, the transmission can be
shifted into the neutral position.
1. Neutral position
2. Shift pedalZAUM1592
1 2 3 4 5
6
1
2
N
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Periodic maintenance an d a djustment
6-37
6
EAU86420
En gine overheatin g
WARNING
EWAT1041
Do not remove the ra diator cap when the en gine an d ra diator are hot. Scal din g hot flui d an d steam may be
b lown out un der pressure, which coul d cause serious injury. Be sure to wait until the en gine has coole d.
 Place a thick ra g, like a towel, over the ra diator cap, an d then slowly rotate the cap counterclockwise to the
d etent to allow any resi dual pressure to escape. When the hissin g soun d has stoppe d, press down on the cap
while turnin g it counterclockwise, an d then remove the cap.TIPIf coolant is not available, tap water can be temporarily used instead, provided that it is changed to the recommended cool-
ant as soon as possible.
Wait until the
engine has cooled.
Check the coolant level in the
reservoir and radiator.
The coolant level
is OK.The coolant level is low.
Check the cooling system
for leakage.
Have a Yamaha dealer checkand repair the cooling system.Add coolant. (See TIP.)
Start the engine. If the engine overheats again,
have a
Yamaha dealer check
and repair the cooling system.
There is
leakage.
There is
no leakage.
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Motorcycle care and stora ge
7-1
7
EAU37834
Matte color cautionNOTICE
ECA15193
Some mo dels are equipped with
matte colore d finishe d parts. Be
sure to consult a Yamaha d ealer for
a d vice on what prod ucts to use be-
fore cleanin g the vehicle. Usin g a
b rush, harsh chemical prod ucts or
cleanin g compoun ds when cleanin g
these parts will scratch or damag e
their surface. Wax also shoul d not
b e applied to any matte colore d fin-
ishe d parts.
EAU83443
CareFrequent, thorough cleaning of the ve-
hicle will not only enhance its appear-
ance but also will improve its general
performance and extend the useful life
of many components. Washing, clean-
ing, and polishing will also give you a
chance to inspect the condition of the
vehicle more frequently. Be sure to
wash the vehicle after riding in the rain
or near the sea, because salt is corro-
sive to metals.TIP The roads of heavy snowfall areas
may be sprayed with salt as a de-
icing method. This salt can stay on
the roads well into spring, so be
sure to wash the underside and
chassis parts after riding in such
areas.
 Genuine Yamaha care and main-
tenance products are sold under
the YAMALUBE brand in many
markets worldwide.
 See your Yamaha dealer for addi-
tional cleaning tips.
NOTICE
ECA26280
Improper cleanin g can cause cos-
metic an d mechanical damag e. Do
not use:  high-pressure washers or
steam-jet cleaners. Excessive
water pressure may cause wa-
ter seepa ge an d d eterioration of
wheel bearin gs, brakes, trans-
mission seals an d electrical d e-
vices. Avoi d hi gh-pressure
d eter gent applications such as
those availa ble in coin-operate d
car washers.
 harsh chemicals, inclu din g
stron g aci dic wheel cleaners,
especially on spoke or ma gne-
sium wheels.
 harsh chemicals, ab rasive
cleanin g compoun ds, or wax on
matte-finishe d parts. Brushes
can scratch an d damag e the
matte-finish, use soft spon ge or
towel only.
 towels, spon ges, or brushes
contaminated with abrasive
cleanin g prod ucts or stron g
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Motorcycle care and stora ge
7-2
7
chemicals such as, solvents,
g
asoline, rust removers, b rake
flui d, or antifreeze, etc.
Before washin g
1. Park the vehicle out of direct sun- light and allow it to cool. This will
help avoid water spots.
2. Make sure all caps, covers, elec- trical couplers and connectors are
tightly installed.
3. Cover the muffler end with a plas- tic bag and a strong rubber band.
4. Pre-soak stubborn stains like in- sects or bird droppings with a wet
towel for a few minutes.
5. Remove road grime and oil stains with a quality degreasing agent
and a plastic-bristle brush or
sponge. NOTICE: Do not use
d eg reasin g a gent on areas re-
quirin g lu brication such as
seals, gaskets, an d wheel axles.
Follow pro duct instructions.
[ECA26290]
Washin g
1. Rinse off any degreaser and spray down the vehicle with a garden
hose. Use only enough pressure
to do the job. Avoid spraying wa-
ter directly into the muffler, instru-
ment panel, air inlet, or other inner
areas such as underseat storage
compartments.
2. Wash the vehicle with a quality au- tomotive-type detergent mixed
with cool water and a soft, clean
towel or sponge. Use an old tooth-
brush or plastic-bristle brush for
hard-to-reach places. NOTICE:
Use col d water if the vehicle has
b een exposed to salt. Warm wa-
ter will increase salt’s corrosive
properties.
[ECA26301]
3. For windshield-equipped vehicles: Clean the windshield with a soft
towel or sponge dampened with
water and a pH neutral detergent.
If necessary, use a high-quality
windshield cleaner or polish for
motorcycles. NOTICE: Never use
any stron g chemicals to clean
the wind shield. Additionally,
some cleanin g compoun ds for plastic may scratch the win
d-
shiel d, so b e sure to test all
cleanin g pro ducts before gen-
eral application.
[ECA26310]
4. Rinse off thoroughly with clean water. Be sure to remove all deter-
gent residues, as they can be
harmful to plastic parts.
After washin g
1. Dry the vehicle with a chamois or absorbent towel, preferably mi-
crofiber terrycloth.
2. For drive chain-equipped models: Dry and then lubricate the drive
chain to prevent rust.
3. Use a chrome polish to shine chrome, aluminum, and stainless
steel parts. Often the thermally in-
duced discoloring of stainless
steel exhaust systems can be re-
moved through polishing.
4. Apply a corrosion protection spray on all metal parts including
chrome or nickel-plated surfaces.
WARNING! Do not apply sili- cone or oil spray to seats, han d
g rips, ru bber foot pe gs or tire
trea ds. Otherwise these parts
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