YAMAHA YZF-R1M 2018 Owners Manual

Periodic maintenance and adjustment7-22
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5. Tighten the locknut.
6. Install the cowling.
EAU37914
Checking the brak
e lever free
playThere should be no free play at the
brake lever end. If there is free play,
have a Yamaha dealer inspect the
brake system.
WARNING
EWA14212
A soft or spongy feeling in the brake
lever can indicate the presence of air
in the hydraulic system. If there is air
in the hydraulic system, have a
Yamaha dealer bleed the system be-
fore operating the vehicle. Air in the
hydraulic system will diminish the
braking performance, which may re- sult in loss of control and an acci-
dent.
1. Locknut
2. Clutch lever free play adjusting nut
1
2
(a)(b)
1. No brake lever free play
1
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment
7-23
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EAU36505
Brake light switchesThe brake light should come on just be-
fore braking takes effect. The brake
light is activated by switches connected
to the brake lever and brake pedal.
Since the brake light switches are com-
ponents of the anti-lock brake system,
they should only be serviced by a
Yamaha dealer.
EAU22393
Checking the front and rear
brake padsThe front and rear brake pads must be
checked for wear at the intervals spec-
ified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.
EAU36891
Front brake pads
Each front brake pad is provided with
wear indicators, which allows you to
check the brake pad wear without hav-
ing to disassemble the brake. To check
the brake pad wear, check the position
of the wear indicators while applying
the brake. If a brake pad has worn to
the point that a wear indicator almost touches the brake disc, have a Yamaha
dealer replace the brake pads as a set.
EAU48071
Rear brake pads
Each rear brake pad is provided with a
wear indicator groove, which allows
you to check the brake pad wear with-
out having to disassemble the brake.
To check the brake pad wear, check
the wear indicator groove. If a brake
pad has worn to the point that the wear
indicator groove almost appears, have
a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.
1. Brake pad wear indicator
1
1. Brake pad wear indicator groove
1
1
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment7-24
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EAU22583
Checking the br ake fluid levelBefore riding, check that the brake fluid
is above the minimum level mark.
Check the brake fluid level with the res-
ervoir in an upright position. Replenish
the brake fluid if necessary.NOTICE
ECA17641
Brake fluid may damage painted sur-
faces or plastic parts. Always cleanup spilled fluid immediately.
Front brake Rear brake
As the brake pads wear, it is normal for
the brake fluid level to gradually go
down.

A low brake fluid level may indicate
worn brake pads or brake system
leakage; therefore, be sure to
check the brake pads for wear and
the brake system for leakage.

If the brake fluid level goes down
suddenly, have a Yamaha dealer
check the cause before further rid-
ing.WARNING
EWA15991
Improper maintenance can result in
loss of braking ability. Observe
these precautions:

Insufficient brake fluid may al-
low air to enter the brake sys-
tem, reducing braking
performance.

Clean the filler cap before re-
moving. Use only DOT 4 brake
fluid from a sealed container.

Use only the specified brake flu-
id; otherwise, the rubber seals
may deteriorate, causing leak-
age.

Refill with the same type of
brake fluid. Adding a brake fluid
other than DOT 4 may result in a
harmful chemical reaction.

Be careful that water does not
enter the brake fluid reservoir
when refilling. Water will signifi-
cantly lower the boiling point of
the fluid and may result in vaporlock.
Specified brake fluid:
DOT 41. Minimum level mark
1
1. Minimum level mark
1
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment
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EAU22734
Changing the brake fluidHave a Yamaha dealer change the
brake fluid every 2 years. In addition,
have the seals of the master cylinders
and brake calipers, as well as the brake
hoses replaced at the intervals listed
below or sooner if they are damaged or
leaking.
Brake seals: every 2 years

Brake hoses: every 4 years
EAU22762
Drive chain slackThe drive chain slack should be
checked before each ride and adjusted
if necessary.
EAU74251
To check the drive chain slack 1. Place the motorcycle on the sides- tand.TIPWhen checking and adjusting the drive
chain slack, there should be no weighton the motorcycle.
2. Shift the transmission into the neu- tral position.
3. Measure the drive chain slack as shown. 4. If the drive chain slack is incorrect,
adjust it as follows. NOTICE: Im-
proper drive chain slack will
overload the engine as well as
other vital parts of the motorcy-
cle and can lead to chain slip-
page or breakage. To prevent
this from occurring, keep the
drive chain slack within the
specified limits.
[ECA10572]
EAU74260
To adjust the drive chain slack
Consult a Yamaha dealer before ad-
justing the drive chain slack.1. Drive chain slackDrive chain slack:25.0–35.0 mm (0.98–1.38 in)
1
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment7-26
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1. Loosen the axle nut and the lock-
nut on each side of the swingarm.
2. To tighten the drive chain, turn the drive chain slack adjusting bolt on
each side of the swingarm in direc-
tion (a). To loosen the drive chain,
turn the adjusting bolt on each side
of the swingarm in direction (b),
and then push the rear wheel for-
ward.
TIPUsing the alignment marks on each
side of the swingarm, make sure that
both drive chain pullers are in the sameposition for proper wheel alignment. 3. Tighten the axle nut, then the lock-
nuts to their specified torques.
4. Make sure that the drive chain pull- ers are in the same position, the
drive chain slack is correct, and
the drive chain moves smoothly.
EAU23026
Cleaning and l ubricating the
drive chainThe drive chain must be cleaned and
lubricated at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart, otherwise it will quickly wear
out, especially when riding in dusty or
wet areas. Service the drive chain as
follows.NOTICE
ECA10584
The drive chain must be lubricated
after washing the motorcycle, ridingin the rain or riding in wet areas.
1. Clean the drive chain with kero- sene and a small soft brush.
NOTICE: To prevent damaging
the O-rings, do not clean the
drive chain with steam cleaners,
high-pressure washers or inap-
propriate solvents.
[ECA11122]
2. Wipe the drive chain dry.
3. Thoroughly lubricate the drive chain with a special O-ring chain
lubricant. NOTICE: Do not use
engine oil or any other lubri-
cants for the drive chain, as they
1. Axle nut
2. Drive chain puller
3. Drive chain slack adjusting bolt
4. Locknut
5. Alignment marksTightening torques: Axle nut:190 N·m (19 kgf·m, 140 lb·ft)
Locknut: 16 N·m (1.6 kgf·m, 12 lb·ft)
1
2 3
45
(a)
(b)
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment
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12 may contain substances that
could damage the O-rings.
[ECA11112]
EAU23098
Checking and lubricating the
cablesThe operation of all control cables and
the condition of the cables should be
checked before each ride, and the ca-
bles and cable ends should be lubricat-
ed if necessary. If a cable is damaged
or does not move smoothly, have a
Yamaha dealer check or replace it.
WARNING! Damage to the outer
housing of cables may result in in-
ternal rusting and cause interfer-
ence with cable movement. Replace
damaged cables as soon as possi-
ble to prevent unsafe condi-
tions.
[EWA10712] EAU23115
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cableThe operation of the throttle grip should
be checked before each ride. In addi-
tion, the cable should be lubricated by a
Yamaha dealer at the intervals speci-
fied in the periodic maintenance chart.
The throttle cable is equipped with a
rubber cover. Make sure that the cover
is securely installed. Even though the
cover is installed correctly, it does not
completely protect the cable from water
entry. Therefore, use care not to pour
water directly onto the cover or cable
when washing the vehicle. If the cable
or cover becomes dirty, wipe clean with
a moist cloth.
Recommended lubricant:
Yamaha cable lubricant or other suit-
able cable lubricant
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment7-28
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EAU44276
Checking and lubricating the
brake and shift pedalsThe operation of the brake and shift
pedals should be checked before each
ride, and the pedal pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
Brake pedal Shift pedal
EAU23144
Checking and lubricating the
brake and cl
utch leversThe operation of the brake and clutch
levers should be checked before each
ride, and the lever pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
Brake lever
Recommended lubricant:
Lithium-soap-based grease
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment
7-29
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12 Clutch lever
EAU23203
Checking and lubricating the
sidestandThe operation of the sidestand should
be checked before each ride, and the
sidestand pivot and metal-to-metal
contact surfaces should be lubricated if
necessary.
WARNING
EWA10732
If the sidestand does not move up
and down smoothly, have a Yamaha
dealer check or repair it. Otherwise,
the sidestand could contact the
ground and distract the operator, re-sulting in a possible loss of control.
EAUM1653
Lubricating the swingarm
pivotsThe swingarm pivots must be lubricat-
ed by a Yamaha dealer at the intervals
specified in the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart.
Recommended lubricants:
Brake lever:Silicone grease
Clutch lever: Lithium-soap-based grease
Recommended lubricant: Lithium-soap-based grease
Recommended lubricant:
Lithium-soap-based grease
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment7-30
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EAU23273
Checking the front forkThe condition and operation of the front
fork must be checked as follows at the
intervals specified in the periodic main-
tenance and lubrication chart.
To check the condition
Check the inner tubes for scratches,
damage and excessive oil leakage.
To check the operation 1. Place the vehicle on a level sur- face and hold it in an upright posi-
tion. WARNING! To avoid injury,
securely support the vehicle so
there is no danger of it falling
over.
[EWA10752]
2. While applying the front brake, push down hard on the handlebars
several times to check if the front
fork compresses and rebounds
smoothly.
NOTICE
ECA10591
If any damage is found or the front
fork does not operate smoothly,
have a Yamaha dealer check or re-pair it.
EAU23285
Checking the steeringWorn or loose steering bearings may
cause danger. Therefore, the operation
of the steering must be checked as fol-
lows at the intervals specified in the pe-
riodic maintenance and lubrication
chart.1. Raise the front wheel off the ground. (See page 7-35.)
WARNING! To avoid injury, se-
curely support the vehicle so
there is no danger of it falling
over.
[EWA10752]
2. Hold the lower ends of the frontfork legs and try to move them for-
ward and backward. If any free
play can be felt, have a Yamaha
dealer check or repair the steering.
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Periodic maintenance and adjustment
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EAU23292
Checking the wheel bearingsThe front and rear wheel bearings must
be checked at the intervals specified in
the periodic maintenance and lubrica-
tion chart. If there is play in the wheel
hub or if the wheel does not turn
smoothly, have a Yamaha dealer check
the wheel bearings.
EAU68230
BatteryNOTICE
ECA22960
Use only the specified genuine
YAMAHA battery. Using a different
battery may cause the IMU to fail andthe engine to stall.
The battery is located under the rider
seat. (See page 4-38.)NOTICE
ECA22970
The IMU is located under the battery.
It is not user serviceable and very
sensitive, so we advise against re- moving the battery box or handling
the IMU directly.

Do not remove, modify, or place
any foreign materials in or
around the battery box.

Do not subject the IMU to strong
shocks and be careful when
handling the battery.

Do not obstruct the IMU breath-
er hole and do not clean it withcompressed air.
This model is equipped with a VRLA
(Valve Regulated Lead Acid) battery.
There is no need to check the electro-
lyte or to add distilled water. However,
the battery lead connections need to be
checked and, if necessary, tightened.WARNING
EWA10761

Electrolyte is poisonous and
dangerous since it contains sul-
furic acid, which causes severe
burns. Avoid any contact with
skin, eyes or clothing and al-
ways shield your eyes when
working near batteries. In case
of contact, administer the fol-
1. Positive battery lead (red)
2. Negative battery lead (black)
3. Battery
1
2
3
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