Yamaha Star 250 Xv250y C Owners Manual

							SAFETY INFORMATION
2-2
2 due to excessive speed or under-
cornering (insufficient lean angle
for the speed).
Always obey the speed limit and
never travel faster than warrant-
ed by road and traffic conditions.
Always signal before turning or
changing lanes. Make sure that
other motorists can see you.


The posture of the operator and
passenger is important for proper
control.
The operator should keep both
hands on the handlebar and
both feet on the operator foot-
rests during operation to main-
tain control of the motorcycle.
The passenger should always
hold onto the operator, the seat
strap or grab bar, if equipped,
with both hands and keep both
feet on the passenger footrests.
Never carry a passenger unless
he or she can firmly place both
feet on the passenger footrests.


Never ride under the influence of
alcohol or other drugs.


This motorcycle is designed for on-
road use only. It is not suitable for
off-road use.
Protective apparel
The majority of fatalities from motor-
cycle accidents are the result of head
injuries. The use of a safety helmet is
the single most critical factor in the pre-
vention or reduction of head injuries.


Always wear an approved helmet.


Wear a face shield or goggles.
Wind in your unprotected eyes
could contribute to an impairment
of vision that could delay seeing a
hazard.


The use of a jacket, heavy boots,
trousers, gloves, etc., is effective in
preventing or reducing abrasions
or lacerations.


Never wear loose-fitting clothes,
otherwise they could catch on the
control levers, footrests, or wheels
and cause injury or an accident.


Always wear protective clothing
that covers your legs, ankles, and
feet. The engine or exhaust sys-
tem become very hot during or af-
ter operation and can cause burns.


A passenger should also observe
the above precautions.
Avoid Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
All engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide, a deadly gas. Breathing car-
bon monoxide can cause headaches,
dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, confu-
sion, and eventually death.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odor-
less, tasteless gas which may be
present even if you do not see or smell
any engine exhaust. Deadly levels of
carbon monoxide can collect rapidly
and you can quickly be overcome and
unable to save yourself. Also, deadly
levels of carbon monoxide can linger
for hours or days in enclosed or poorly
ventilated areas. If you experience any
symptoms of carbon monoxide poison-
ing, leave the area immediately, get
fresh air, and SEEK MEDICAL TREAT-
MENT.


Do not run engine indoors. Even if
you try to ventilate engine exhaust
with fans or open windows and
doors, carbon monoxide can rap-
idly reach dangerous levels.
U46B10E0.book  Page 2  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							SAFETY INFORMATION
2-3
2


Do not run engine in poorly venti-
lated or partially enclosed areas
such as barns, garages, or car-
ports.


Do not run engine outdoors where
engine exhaust can be drawn into
a building through openings such
as windows and doors.
Loading
Adding accessories or cargo to your
motorcycle can adversely affect stabili-
ty and handling if the weight distribution
of the motorcycle is changed. To avoid
the possibility of an accident, use ex-
treme caution when adding cargo or
accessories to your motorcycle. Use
extra care when riding a motorcycle
that has added cargo or accessories.
Here, along with the information about
accessories below, are some general
guidelines to follow if loading cargo to
your motorcycle:
The total weight of the operator, pas-
senger, accessories and cargo must
not exceed the maximum load limit.
Operation of an overloaded vehicle
could cause an accident.When loading within this weight limit,
keep the following in mind:


Cargo and accessory weight
should be kept as low and close to
the motorcycle as possible. Se-
curely pack your heaviest items as
close to the center of the vehicle as
possible and make sure to distrib-
ute the weight as evenly as possi-
ble on both sides of the motorcycle
to minimize imbalance or instabili-
ty.


Shifting weights can create a sud-
den imbalance. Make sure that ac-
cessories and cargo are securely
attached to the motorcycle before
riding. Check accessory mounts
and cargo restraints frequently.
Properly adjust the suspension
for your load (suspension-ad-
justable models only), and
check the condition and pres-
sure of your tires.Never attach any large or heavy
items to the handlebar, front
fork, or front fender. These
items, including such cargo as
sleeping bags, duffel bags, or
tents, can create unstable han-
dling or a slow steering re-
sponse.


This vehicle is not designed to
pull a trailer or to be attached to
a sidecar.
Genuine Yamaha Accessories
Choosing accessories for your vehicle
is an important decision. Genuine
Yamaha accessories, which are avail-
able only from a Yamaha dealer, have
been designed, tested, and approved
by Yamaha for use on your vehicle.
Many companies with no connection to
Yamaha manufacture parts and acces-
sories or offer other modifications for
Yamaha vehicles. Yamaha is not in a
position to test the products that these
aftermarket companies produce.
Therefore, Yamaha can neither en-
dorse nor recommend the use of ac-
cessories not sold by Yamaha or
Maximum load:
XV250Y 196 kg (432 lb)
XV250YC 195 kg (430 lb)
U46B10E0.book  Page 3  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							SAFETY INFORMATION
2-4
2 modifications not specifically recom-
mended by Yamaha, even if sold and
installed by a Yamaha dealer.
Aftermarket Parts, Accessories, and
Modifications
While you may find aftermarket prod-
ucts similar in design and quality to
genuine Yamaha accessories, recog-
nize that some aftermarket accessories
or modifications are not suitable be-
cause of potential safety hazards to you
or others. Installing aftermarket prod-
ucts or having other modifications per-
formed to your vehicle that change any
of the vehicle’s design or operation
characteristics can put you and others
at greater risk of serious injury or death.
You are responsible for injuries related
to changes in the vehicle.
Keep the following guidelines in mind,
as well as those provided under “Load-
ing” when mounting accessories.


Never install accessories or carry
cargo that would impair the perfor-
mance of your motorcycle. Care-
fully inspect the accessory before
using it to make sure that it does
not in any way reduce groundclearance or cornering clearance,
limit suspension travel, steering
travel or control operation, or ob-
scure lights or reflectors.
Accessories fitted to the handle-
bar or the front fork area can
create instability due to improper
weight distribution or aerody-
namic changes. If accessories
are added to the handlebar or
front fork area, they must be as
lightweight as possible and
should be kept to a minimum.
Bulky or large accessories may
seriously affect the stability of
the motorcycle due to aerody-
namic effects. Wind may at-
tempt to lift the motorcycle, or
the motorcycle may become un-
stable in cross winds. These ac-
cessories may also cause
instability when passing or being
passed by large vehicles.
Certain accessories can dis-
place the operator from his or
her normal riding position. This
improper position limits the free-
dom of movement of the opera-tor and may limit control ability,
therefore, such accessories are
not recommended.


Use caution when adding electri-
cal accessories. If electrical acces-
sories exceed the capacity of the
motorcycle’s electrical system, an
electric failure could result, which
could cause a dangerous loss of
lights or engine power.
Aftermarket Tires and Rims
The tires and rims that came with your
motorcycle were designed to match the
performance capabilities and to provide
the best combination of handling, brak-
ing, and comfort. Other tires, rims, siz-
es, and combinations may not be
appropriate. Refer to page 7-16 for tire
specifications and more information on
replacing your tires.
U46B10E0.book  Page 4  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							DESCRIPTION
3-1
3
EAU10410
Left view1. Headlight (page 7-31)
2. Steering lock (page 4-8)
3. Fuel tank (page 4-5)
4. Battery (page 7-29)
5. Fuses (page 7-30)
6. Helmet holder (page 4-9)
7. Shock absorber assembly spring preload adjusting ring (page 4-10)
8. Main switch (page 4-1)9. Fuel cock (page 4-7)
10.Shift pedal (page 4-4)U46B10E0.book  Page 1  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							DESCRIPTION
3-2
3
EAU10420
Right view1. Tail/brake light (page 7-32)
2. Rear turn signal lights (page 7-33)
3. Rider seat (page 4-9)
4. Air filter element (page 7-13)
5. Front turn signal/position lights (page 7-33)
6. Brake pedal (page 4-4)
7. Footrest
8. Rear brake light switch (page 7-21)9. Owner’s tool kit (page 7-2)
10.Shock absorber assembly spring preload adjusting ring (page 4-10)
U46B10E0.book  Page 2  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							DESCRIPTION
3-3
3
EAU10430
Controls and instruments1. Clutch lever (page 4-3)
2. Left handlebar switches (page 4-2)
3. Speedometer unit (page 4-2)
4. Indicator lights (page 4-1)
5. Right handlebar switches (page 4-2)
6. Brake lever (page 4-4)
7. Throttle grip (page 7-15)
8. Fuel tank cap (page 4-5)U46B10E0.book  Page 3  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
4-1
4
EAU10450
Main switch The main switch controls the ignition
and lighting systems. The various main
switch positions are described below.
EAU10510
ON
All electrical systems are supplied with
power, and the headlight, meter light-
ing, taillight and position lights come
on, and the engine can be started. The
key cannot be removed.
EAU45751
OFF
All electrical systems are off. The key
can be removed.
WARNING
EWA10072
Never turn the key to “OFF” while
the vehicle is moving, otherwise the
electrical systems will be switched
off, which may result in loss of con-trol or an accident.
EAU10810
P (Parking)
The taillight and position lights are on,
but all other electrical systems are off.
The key can be removed.
The key must be pushed in from the
“OFF” position to be turned to “P”.NOTICE
ECA11020
Do not use the parking position for
an extended length of time, other-wise the battery may discharge.
EAU10980
Indicator lights 
EAU11040
Turn signal indicator light “TURN” 
This indicator light flashes when the
turn signal switch is pushed to the left or
right.
EAU11070
Neutral indicator light “NEUTRAL” 
This indicator light comes on when the
transmission is in the neutral position.1. High beam indicator light “HIGH BEAM”
2. Neutral indicator light “NEUTRAL”
3. Turn signal indicator light “TURN”
U46B10E0.book  Page 1  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
4-2
4
EAU11090
High beam indicator light “HIGH 
BEAM” 
This indicator light comes on when the
high beam of the headlight is switched
on.
EAU11630
Speedometer unit The speedometer unit is equipped with
a speedometer, an odometer and a
tripmeter. The speedometer shows
riding speed. The odometer shows the
total distance traveled. The tripmeter
shows the distance traveled since it
was last set to zero with the reset knob.
The tripmeter can be used to estimate
the distance that can be traveled with a
full tank of fuel. This information will en-
able you to plan future fuel stops.
EAU12347
Handlebar switches Left
Right
1. Odometer
2. Tripmeter
3. Tripmeter reset knob
4. Speedometer
1. Dimmer switch “LIGHTS”
2. Turn signal switch “TURN”
3. Horn switch “HORN”
1. Engine stop switch “ENGINE STOP”
2. Start switch “START”
U46B10E0.book  Page 2  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
4-3
4
EAU12410
Dimmer switch “LIGHTS” 
Set the switch to “HI” for the high beam
and to “LO” for the low beam.
EAU12440
Turn signal switch “TURN” 
To signal a right-hand turn, push this
switch to the right. To signal a left-hand
turn, push this switch to the left. 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.
EAU12510
Horn switch “HORN” 
Press this switch to sound the horn.
EAU12650
Engine stop switch “ENGINE STOP” 
Set this switch to “RUN” before starting
the engine. Set this switch to “OFF” to
stop the engine in case of an emergen-
cy, such as when the vehicle overturns
or when the throttle cable is stuck.
EAU12691
Start switch “START” 
Push this switch to crank the engine
with the starter. See page 6-1 for start-
ing instructions prior to starting the en-
gine.
EAU12820
Clutch lever The clutch lever is located at the left
handlebar grip. To disengage the
clutch, pull the lever toward the handle-
bar grip. To engage the clutch, release
the lever. The lever should be pulled
rapidly and released slowly for smooth
clutch operation.
The clutch lever is equipped with a
clutch switch, which is part of the igni-
tion circuit cut-off system. (See page
4-11.)1. Clutch lever
U46B10E0.book  Page 3  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM 
						

							INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS
4-4
4
EAU12870
Shift pedal The shift pedal is located on the left
side of the engine and is used in com-
bination with the clutch lever when
shifting the gears of the 5-speed con-
stant-mesh transmission equipped on
this motorcycle.
EAU12890
Brake lever The brake lever is located at the right
handlebar grip. To apply the front
brake, pull the lever toward the handle-
bar grip.
EAU12941
Brake pedal The brake pedal is on the right side of
the motorcycle. To apply the rear
brake, press down on the brake pedal.
1. Shift pedal
1. Brake lever
1. Brake pedal
U46B10E0.book  Page 4  Tuesday, May 20, 2008  7:32 PM