Yamaha Warrior XV1700 (2002-2009) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals

This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the Yamaha Warrior XV1700, also known simply as the Yamaha Warrior. The Yamaha Warrior was sold between 2002 and 2009.

The Yamaha Warrior came under a few names, including the Road Star Warrior and the Midnight Warrior (a.k.a. Road Star Warrior Midnight) for the all-blacked out version.

All Yamaha Warrior XV1700 share the same platform, a 1670cc V-twin air-cooled pushrod motor, which was a bored out 1602cc engine from the XV1600. On top of that, Yamaha gave the revised engine hotter cams, a revamped exhaust, and a new airbox.

The net effect is a 15% power increase over its predecessor and a higher redline, resulting in 62 kW (84 hp) and 135 Nm (100 ft-lb) of torque.

Harley-Davidson stole the early 2000s with their V-Rod, but Cycle World said that despite being lower tech (how ironic for Yamaha), the Yamaha Warrior was a close second.

Originally published July 20, 2020, but significantly revamped.

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Yamaha Warrior Service Intervals

The Yamaha Warrior XV1700 has 4000-mile or 6-monthly service intervals. At every service, change the oil, and go over the engine looking for leaks, worn parts, or parts in need of lubrication.

Change the plugs every two 8000 miles. The valve service interval for the Yamaha Warrior is every 16000 miles.

Aside from that, check the drive belt tension every 2500 miles and replace the belt when it becomes too worn.

Yamaha Warrior Maintenance Schedule

Below is the maintenance schedule for the Yamaha Warrior. It’s from the manual, but adapted for legibility — combining “emissions” maintenance with maintenance for the rest of the motorcycle.

Notes on this maintenance schedule:

  • At the end of the maintenance schedule, continue in the pattern shown.
  • Since the Warrior is no longer in production, break-in maintenance is omitted.
  • Don’t clean the air filter with compressed air.
  • The XV1700 was a US-only model, so the below maintenance schedule is in miles only.
mi x 100048121620
Months612182430Every
Change engine oil (warm engine before draining).Year
Change engine oil filter
Check fuel hoses for cracks or damage. Replace if necessary.
Check spark plug condition. Adjust gap and clean.
Replace spark plugs
Check and adjust valve clearance when engine is cold.16000 miles
Check and adjust engine idle speed and injector synchronization.
Replace air filter.24000 miles, or more often if riding in dust/rain.
Check clutch operation. Adjust or replace cable.
Check front brake operation, fluid level, and for fluid leakage. Replace brake pads if necessary.
Check rear brake operation, fluid level, and for fluid leakage. Replace brake pads if necessary.
Replace brake fluid, and rubber parts of calipers and master cylinders2 years
Check brake hoses for cracks or damage.
Replace brake hoses4 years
Check wheel runout and for damage. Replace if necessary.
Check tire tread depth and for damage. Replace if necessary.
Check wheel bearings for smooth operation. Replace if necessary.
Check swingarm bearing assemblies for looseness.
Repack swingarm pivot bearings with lithium soap-based grease.
Check drive belt tension. Adjust if necessary.2500 mi
Check steering bearing assemblies for looseness.
Repack steering bearings with lithium soap-based grease.
• Check all chassis fitting and fasteners.
• Correct if necessary.
Lubricate brake lever pivot shaft with silicone grease lightly
Lubricate brake pedal, clutch lever, and shift pedal pivot shafts with lithium soap-based grease lightly.
Check sidestand pivot operation. Apply lithium soap-based grease lightly.
Check sidestand operation and replace if necessary.
Check front fork operation and for oil leakage. Replace if necessary.
Check shock absorber operation and for oil leakage. Replace if necessary.
Lubricate rear suspension link pivots with lithium soap-based grease lightly.
Check transfer case for leakage.
Change transfer case oil.2 years
Check front and rear brake switch operation.
Lubricate control cables (Protect all cable life).
Check throttle operation and free play, and adjust as necessary. Lubricate the throttle grip housing and cable.
Check lights, signals, and switches. operation.
Adjust headlight beam.
Check crankcase breather hose for cracks or damage. Replace if necessary.
Check exhaust system for leakage. Tighten and /or replace gaskets.
Check evaporative emission control system for damage. Replace if necessary.
Maintenance Schedule — Yamaha Warrior XV1700

Belt Maintenance on the Yamaha XV1700

Yamaha recommends that every 2500 miles / 4000 km you check the belt tension and adjust it if necessary.

To check the belt tension, put the vehicle on the side stand and find the belt tension check hole. It has 5mm notches in it.

Look at the position of the belt against the notches. Then push up on the belt with a belt tension tool (that applies a standard 10 lb or 45 N of force), and look at the position again. It should be about 1.5 notches from the original position — 6-8mm or 0.24-0.31 in per the manual.

If the belt tension is out, follow this procedure:

  1. Loosen the axle bolt and the brake caliper bracket bolt.
  2. Loosen the locknut on each side of the swingarm
  3. Turn the adjusting bolt on each side of the motorcycle out (anti-clockwise) to tighten the drive belt. Do this the same amount on each side — use the notches for reference.
  4. When you’re done, tighten the axle nut (110 lb-ft / 150 Nm) and locknut (11 lb-ft / 16 Nm).
Yamaha Cruiser Drive Belt Adjustment

About the Yamaha Warrior XV1700

Yamaha Road Star Warrior XV1700 static rear 3-4
Yamaha Road Star Warrior XV1700

The Yamaha Warrior is a power cruiser, or according to Yamaha, possibly a sport bike.

This is a somewhat dubious claim, considering the platform — a big, heavy bike, hung low, with a pushrod valve actuated air-cooled long stroke engine, feet forward… need I go on… it’s obviously a cruiser.

But Yamaha has added details to the Yamaha Warrior to make sure it performs better than other cruisers of the same category. For starters, the front suspension is derived from the Yamaha R1 — it has upside-down Kayaba forks, though they’re preload adjustable only. Yamaha also added in beefy top and bottom triple clamps to increase fork rigidity.

On the rear, Yamaha has link rear suspension, with a preload and damping adjustable single rear shock. It’s hidden away though, so you think it’s still a hardtail cruiser (but they don’t make those anymore).

Front braking is also high spec — dual 298mm disc brakes with 4-piston monoblock calipers on fully floating rotors. Many cruisers make do with a single front disc. Finally, in the handling department, Yamaha has included lightweight 5-spoke wheels to reduce unsprung mass.

The resulting impact on the handling is surprising. Even though this is a classic cruiser, it has enough cornering clearance, steering agility, suspension competence, and tyre grip to let you get pretty lively with it in back roads. At the time, it was the closest bridge between sport bikes and cruisers that existed, though since then, the Diavel and XDiavel has taken that crown.

But the real star of the show is the engine, a 1670cc (102 cubic inch) 48-degree V-twin engine with four valves per cylinder. It runs a very modest 8.3:1 compression ratio and is air cooled. It provides massive torque, with most of it available at 2500 rpm (and lots of it available at even 1500 rpm), and gives the Yamaha Warrior a very aggressive pull.

The Midnight Warrior is the meaner, darkened version of the standard Warrior. If the casual silver/ chrome cruiser looks on the Warrior were not enough, the grim, shiny Midnight should quench your thirst for evil bikes. Naturally, it has the same engine powering it, but it has blacked out forks, control housings, rims, and exhaust pipes, and has other accents of red in other places to really round out the “evil” aesthetic.

If you’re into the Warrior, but want an even sportier motorcycle with a chain drive, then you might be interested in the Yamaha MT-01. However, the MT-01 wasn’t sold in the US.

 Manual for the Yamaha Warrior

2009 Yamaha Midnight Warrior Maintenance schedule screenshot from manual

The above information was gleaned from the owner’s manual for the Yamaha Warrior.

You can download it from Yamaha’s website here.

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