Yamaha Big Bear YFM400R, Owner'S Manual

Page: 89 / 170

7-21
Select a large, flat area off-road to become fa-
miliar with your ATV. Make sure that this area
is free of obstacles and other riders. You
should practice control of the throttle, brakes,
shifting procedures, and turning techniques in
this area before trying more difficult terrain. Al-
ways avoid riding on paved surfaces: the ATV
is designed for off-road use only, and han-
dling maneuvers are more difficult to perform
on pavement.
Set the parking brake and follow the instruc-
tion on page 6-1 to start the engine. Once it
has warmed up you are ready to begin riding
your ATV. As you get on the ATV, be sure not
to accidentally move the shift pedal. Remem-
ber that the engine and exhaust pipe will be
hot when riding and afterwards; do not allow
skin or clothing to come in contact with these
components.
With the engine idling, lift the shift pedal to the
1st gear position and then release the parking
brake. Apply the throttle slowly and smoothly.
The centrifugal clutch will engage and you will
start to accelerate. Once the ATV has at-
tained adequate speed, release the throttle
and lift the shift pedal to the 2nd gear position.
Release the shift pedal and apply the throttle
smoothly. Use this same procedure as you
move into the higher gears. Be sure to coordi-
nate the use of the throttle and shift pedal
properly. If the throttle is applied too abruptly
or if the throttle is not released during shifting,
or if the shift pedal is not released before ap-
plying the throttle, the front wheels may lift off
the ground resulting in a loss of directional
control. Avoid higher speeds until you are
thoroughly familiar with the operation of your
ATV.
U5GW13.book Page 21 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 2:23 PM