Honda VTR 2009 Owner's Manual

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Honda VTR250

OWNER’S MANUAL

USO E MANUTENZIONE

MANUAL DEL PROPIETARIO

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 2009

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IMPORTANT INFORMA TION

OPERATOR AND PASSENGER

(For ED, F type) This motorcycle is designed to carry the operator and one passenger. Never exceed the maximum weight capacity as shown on the accessories and loading label. (For U type) This motorcycle is designed to carry the operator and one passenger. Never exceed the maximum weight capacity.

ON-ROAD USE

This motorcycle is designed to be used only on the road.

READ THIS OWNER’S MANUAL CAREFULLY

Pay special attention to the safety messages that appear throughout the manual. These messages are fully explained in the ‘‘A Few Words About Safety’’ section which appears before the Contents page.

This manual should be considered a permanent part of the motorcycle and should remain with the motorcycle when resold.

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Honda VTR250 OWNER’S MANUAL

All information in this publication is based on the lat est production information available at the time of approval f or printing. Honda Motor Co.,Ltd. reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice and without incurring any obligation. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.

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WELCOME

The motorcycle presents you a challenge to master the machine, a challenge to adventure. You ride through the wind, linked to the road by a vehicle that responds to your commands as no other does. Unlike an automobile, there is no metal cage around you. Like an airplane, a pre-ride inspection and regular maintenance are essential to your safety. Your reward is freedom.

To meet the challenges safely, and to enjoy the adventure fully, you should become thoroughly familiar with this owner’s manual BEFORE YOU RIDE THE MOTORCYCLE.

Asyoureadthismanual,youwillfindinformationthatisprecededbya symbol.This information is intended to help you avoid damage to your motorcycle, other property, or the environment.

When service is required, remember that your Honda dealer knows your motorcycle best. If you have the required mechanical ‘‘know-how’’ and tools, your dealer can supply you with an official Honda Shop Manual to help you perform many maintenance and repair tasks.

Pleasant riding, and thank you for choosing a Honda !

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The f ollowing codes in this manual indicate each country. The illustrations herein are based on the type.

France European direct sales Australia New Zealand

The specifications may vary with each locale.

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AFEWWORDSABOUTSAFETY

Your safety, and the saf ety of others, is very important. And operating this motorcycle safely is an important responsibility.

To help you make informed decisions about safety, we have provided operating procedures and other inf ormation on labels and in this manual. This information alerts you to potential hazards that could hurt you or others.

Of course, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all hazards associated with operating or maintaining a motorcycle. You must use your own good judgment.

You will f ind important safety information in a variety of forms, including:

Safety Labels

Safety Messages DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION

These signal words mean:

–– on the motorcycle.

–– preceded by a safety alert symbol and one of three signal words:

or .

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You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

Safety Headings

Safety Section

Instruct ions

–– such as Important Safety Reminders or Important Safety Precautions.

–– such as Motorcycle Safety.

–– how to use this motorcycle correctly and safely.

This entire manual is filled with important safety information –– please read it caref ully.

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OPERATION

page page

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

PROTECTIVE APPAREL

LOAD LIMITS AND GUIDELINES

PARTS LOCA TION

INSTRUMENTS AND INDICATORS

MAJOR COMPONENTS (Information you need to operate this motorcycle)

BRAKES

CLUTCH

COOLANT

FUEL

ENGINE OIL

TUBELESS TYRES

ESSENTIAL INDIVIDUAL

COMPONENTS

IGNITION SWITCH

KEYS

RIGHT HANDLEBAR CONTROLS

LEFT HANDLEBAR CONTROLS

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page page

42 48

(Not required for operation)

STEERING LOCK

SEAT

HELMET HOLDER

DOCUMENT BAG

CENTER COMPARTMENT

HEADLIGHT AIM VERTICAL

48 50 53 54 56 58 59

ADJUSTMENT

OPERATIONFEATURES

PRE-RIDE INSPECTION STARTING THE ENGINE RUNNING-IN RIDING BRAKING PARKING ANTI-THEFT TIPS

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MAINT ENANCE

page page

MAINT ENANCE

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTENANCE

MAINTENANCE SAFETY

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

TOOL KIT

SERIAL NUMBERS

COLOUR LABEL

ENGINE OIL

THROTTLE OPERATION

COOLANT

DRIVE CHAIN

DRIVE CHAIN SLIDER

FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION INSPECTION

SIDE STAND

WHEEL REMOVAL

BRAKE PAD WEAR

BATTERY

FUSE REPLACEMENT

BRAKELIGHT SWITCH

ADJUSTMENT BULB REPLACEMENT

CLEA NING

103

STORAGE GUIDE

107

109

110

114

STORAGE

107

REMOVAL FROM STORAGE

108

TAKING CARE OF THE UNEXPECTED

SPECIFICATIONS

CATALYTIC CONVERTER

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MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Your motorcycle can provide many years of service and pleasure if you take responsibility for your own safety and understand the challenges that you can meet on the road.

Thereismuchthatyoucandotoprotect yourself when you ride. You’ll f ind many helpful recommendations throughout this manual. Following are a few that we consider to be most important.

Always Wear a Helmet

It’s a proven fact: helmets significantly reduce the number and severity of head injuries. So always wear an approved motorcycle helmet and make sure your passenger does the same. We also recommend that you wear eye protection, sturdy boots, gloves, and other protective gear (page ).

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Make Yourself Easy to See

Some drivers do not see motorcycles because they are not looking for them. T o make yourself more visible, wear bright reflective clothing, position yourself so other drivers can see you, signal bef ore turning or changing lanes, and use your horn when it will help others notice you.

Ride Within Your Limits

Pushing the limits is another major cause of motorcycle accidents. Never ride beyond your personal abilities or faster than conditions warrant. Remember that alcohol, drugs, fatigue and inattention can significantly reduce your ability to make good judgements and ride safely.

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Don’t Drink and Ride

Alcohol and riding don’t mix. Even one drink can reduce your ability to respond to changing conditions, and your reaction time gets worse with every additional drink. So don’t drink and ride, and don’t let your friends drink and ride either.

Keep Your Bike in Saf e Condition

For safe riding, it’s important to inspect your motorcycle before every ride and perform all recommended maintenance. Never exceed load limits, and only use accessories that have been approved by Honda for this motorcycle. See page for

more details.

PROTECTIVE APPAREL

Foryoursafety,westronglyrecommend that you always wear an approved motorcycle helmet, eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt or jacket whenever you ride. Although complete protection is not possible, wearing proper gear can reduce the chance of injury when you ride. Following are suggestions to help you choose proper gear.

Not wearing a helmet increases the chance of serious injury or death in a crash.

Be sure you and your passenger always wear a helmet, eye protection and other protective apparel when you ride.

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Helmets and Eye Protection Additional Riding Gear

Your helmet is your most important piece of riding gear because it offers the best protection against head injuries. A helmet should fit your head comfortably and securely. A bright-coloured helmet can make you more noticeable in traffic, as can reflective strips.

In addition to a helmet and eye protection, we also recommend:

Sturdy boots with non-slip soles to help protect your feet and ankles. Leather gloves to keep your hands warm and help prevent blisters, cuts, burns and bruises.

A motorcycle riding suit or jacket f or An open-face helmet offers some protection, but a f ull-face helmet offers more. Always wear a face shield or goggles to protect your eyes and help your vision.

comfortaswellasprotection.Bright-

coloured and reflective clothing can help

make you more noticeable in traffic. Be

sure to avoid loose clothes that could get

caught on any part of your motorcycle.

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Your motorcycle has been designed to carry you and one passenger. When you carry a passenger, you may feel some dif ference during acceleration and braking. But so long as you keep your motorcycle wellmaintained, with good tyres and brakes, you can safely carry loads within the given limits and guidelines.

LoadingLOAD LIMITS AND GUIDELINES

How much weight you put on your motorcycle, and how you load it, are important to your safety. Anytime you ride with a passenger or cargo you should be aware of the following information.

However, exceeding the weight limit or carrying an unbalanced load can seriously affect your motorcycle’s handling, braking and stability. Non-Honda accessories, improper modifications, and poor maintenance can also reduce your safety margin.

The f ollowing pages give more specific information on loading, accessories and modifications.

Overloading or improper loading can

causeacrashandyoucanbe

seriously hurt or killed.

Follow all load limits and other loading

guidelines in this manual.

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Load Limits Loading Guidelines

Following are the load limits f or your motorcycle:

Maximum weight capacity:

175 kg (386 lbs)

Includes the weight of the rider,

Your motorcycle is primarily intended f or transporting you and a passenger. You may wish to secure a jacket or other small items to the seat when you are not riding with a passenger.

passenger, all cargo and all accessories

Maximum cargo weight:

14 kg (31 lbs)

If you wish to carry more cargo, check with your Honda dealer f or advice, and be sure to read the information regarding

The weight of added accessories will reduce

accessories on page .

the maximum cargo weight you can carry.

Improperly loading your motorcycle can aff ect its stability and handling. Even if your motorcycle is properly loaded, you should ride at reduced speeds and never exceed 130 km/h (80 mph) when carrying cargo.

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Follow these guidelines whenever you carry a passenger or cargo:

Check that both tyres are properly inflated (page ).

32 To prevent loose items from creating a hazard,makesurethatallcargois securely tied down before you ride away. Place cargo weight as close to the center of the motorcycle as possible. Balance cargo weight evenly on both sides.

Accessories and Modificat ions

Modifying your motorcycle or using nonHonda accessories can make your motorcycle unsafe. Bef ore you consider making any modifications or adding an accessory,besuretoreadthefollowing information.

Improper accessories or modifications cancauseacrashinwhichyoucanbe seriously hurt or killed.

Follow all instructions in this owner’s manual regarding accessories and modifications.

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Accessories

We strongly recommend that you use only Honda Genuine Accessories that have been specifically designed and tested for your motorcycle. Because Honda cannot test all other accessories, you must be personally responsible for proper selection, installation and use of non-Honda accessories. Check with your dealer for assistance and always follow these guidelines:

Make sure the accessory does not obscure any lights, reduce ground clearance and banking angle, limit suspension travel or steering travel, alter your riding position or interf ere with operating any controls.

Be sure electrical equipment does not exceed the motorcycle’s electrical system capacity (page ). A blown fuse can

113

cause a loss of lights or engine power.

Donotpullatrailerorsidecarwithyour motorcycle. This motorcycle was not designed for these attachments, and their use can seriously impair your motorcycle’s handling.

Modif icat ions

We strongly advise you not to remove any original equipment or modify your motorcycle in any way that would change its design or operation. Such changes could seriously impair your motorcycle’s handling, stability and braking, making it unsaf e to ride.

Removing or modifying your lights, mufflers, emission control system or other equipment can also make your motorcycle illegal.

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PARTS L OCATION

Rearview mirror

Passing light control switch

Indicators

TachometerSpeedometer

Front brake fluid reservoir

Rearview mirror

Clutch lever

Headlight dimmer switch

Turn signal switch

Horn button

Ignition switch

Front brake lever

Throttle grip

Engine stop switch

Start button

Fuel fill cap

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Rear brake fluid reservoir

Tool kit

Passenger footpeg

Battery

Footpeg

Fuse box Main fuse

Coolant reserve tank

Oil filler cap

Engine oil inspection windowRear brake pedal

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Center compartment Document compartment

Seat lock/ Helmet holder

Engine oil drain bolt

Shift lever

Side stand

Footpeg

Passenger footpeg

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INSTR UMENTS AND INDICAT ORS

Theindicatorsarecontainedinthe instrument panel. Their functions are described in the tables on the following pages.

(1) Tachometer (2) Tachometer red zone (3) Digital clock (4) Right turn signal indicator (5) Right control button (6) Left control button (7) Lef t turn signal indicator (8) Odometer/Tripmeter display (9) Speedometer

(10) PGM-FI malf unction indicator lamp

(MIL) (11) High coolant temperature indicator (12) Neutral indicator (13) Low oil pressure indicator (14) High beam indicator (15) Low fuel indicator

(9)

(8)

(7)

(10) (11) (12)

(6)

(5)

(13) (14) (15)

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

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(Ref .No.) Description Function

(1)

Tachometer Shows engine revolutions per minute.

The tachometer needle will swing to the maximum scale on the dial once when the ignition switch is turned ON.

Tachometer red zone

(2)

Never allow the tachometer needle to enter the red zone, even after the engine has been broken in.

Running the engine beyond recommended maximum engine speed (the beginning of the tachometer red zone) can damage the engine.

Digital clock Shows hour and minute (page ).

(3)

This display shows the initial display (page ).

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(Ref .No.) Description Function

Right turn signal indicator

(4)

Flashes when the right turn signal operates.

(green)

Right control button Use this button for the following purpose.

(5)

To adjust time

Left control button Use this button for the following purposes.

(6)

To adjust time To select display mode To reset tripmeter

(7)

Flashes when the left turn signal operates.Left turn signal indicator

(green)

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(Ref .No.) Description Function

(8)

Odometer/Tripmeter display

Shows odometer and tripmeter 1 and 2. This display shows the initial display (page ).

Odometer Shows accumulated mileage (page ).

Tripmeter 1 and 2

(9)

Speedometer Shows riding speed.

Shows mileage per trip (page ).

The speedometer needle will swing to the maximum scale on the dial once when the ignition switch is turned ON.

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(Ref .No.) Description Function

(10)

PGM-FI malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) (amber)

High coolant

(11)

temperature indicator (red)

Lights when there is any abnormality in the PGM-FI (Programmed Fuel Injection) system. Should also light for a few seconds and then go off when the ignition switch is turned ON and engine stop switch is at (RUN). If it comes on at any other time, reduce speed and take the motorcycle to your Honda dealer as soon as possible.

Lights when the coolant is over the specified temperature. If the indicator goes on while riding, stop the engine and check the reserve tank coolant level. Read pages and do not ride the

26 27

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motorcycle until the problem has been corrected.

Exceeding maximum running temperature may cause serious engine damage.

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(Ref .No.) Description Function

(12)

Neutral indicator (green) Lights when the transmission is in neutral.

(13)

Low oil pressure indicator (red)

Lights when the engine oil pressure is below normal operating range. Should light when ignition switch is ON and engine is not running. Should go out when the engine starts, except for occasional flickering at or near idling speed when engine is warm.

Running the engine with insufficient oil pressure may cause serious engine damage.

High beam indicator

(14)

(blue)

Lights when the headlight is on high beam.

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(Ref .No.) Description Function

(15)

Low fuel indicator (amber)

Lights when there is only few fuel left in the fuel tank. The amount of fuel lef t in the tank when lights and with the vehicle set upright is approximately:

1.5

(0.40 US gal , 0.33 Imp gal)

Should also light for a few seconds and then go off when the ignition switch is turned ON.

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Initial Display

When the ignition switch is turned ON, the display will temporarily show all the modes and digital segments so you can make sure the liquid crystal display is functioning properly. (Except digital clock)

Digital clock and tripmeter will reset if the battery is disconnected.

(1)

(2)

(1) Odometer/Tripmeter display (2) Digital clock

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Odometer/Tripmeter Display

The display ( ) has two functions,

odometer and two tripmeter.

Push the left control button ( ) to select

‘‘ODO’’, ‘‘TRIP 1’’ or ‘‘T RIP 2’’ mode.

To reset the tripmeter, push and hold the leftcontrolbuttonwhenthedisplayinthe ‘‘TRIP 1’’ or ‘‘TRIP 2’’ mode.

The display will return to odometer if the battery is disconnected.

(2)

(1) Odometer/Tripmeter display (2) Left control button

Odometer

Tripmeter 1

Tripmeter 2

Tripmeter reset

(1)

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Digital Clock

The digital clock will show hours and minutes up to 11:59 with ‘‘AM’’ and ‘‘PM’’. To adjust the time, proceed as follows:

Turn the ignition switch ON.

Press and hold the left control button ( ) andrightcontrolbutton( )formore than 2 seconds. The clock will be set in the adjust mode with the display flashing.

To set the hour, press the left control button until the desired hour and AM/PM are displayed.

Thetimeisadvancedbyonehoureach time the button is pressed. The time advances fast when the

buttonispressedandheld.

(1)

(1) Left control button (2) Right control button

(2)

+ 94 hidden pages