never use the engine kill switch to turn off your bike

[Enchanter]

Fuel injection or carbs, if you push it far enough the alternator will generate enough power to run the fuel pump and enable the vehicle to start. I've push started many injected cars and bikes that had DEAD batteries. Sometimes it just requires more distance and effort.

 

[Agent Orange]

Well I'm back home safe and sound all! I'm gonna fire up the charging system tonight for the SV which means I gotta take the R1 to school to drop off my paper. This time I will make sure the key is outta there.

 

[Ovey]

What I would look out for is jump starting a bike with a running car. Always do it with the car off.
Why not?

 

[thorick]

Fuel injection or carbs, if you push it far enough the alternator will generate enough power to run the fuel pump and enable the vehicle to start. I've push started many injected cars and bikes that had DEAD batteries. Sometimes it just requires more distance and effort.

I wouldn't have guessed that one could juice up the the fuel pump like that, but now that you mention it, yes, all that's needed is to get enough juice to get the pressure up for a few good squirts (and it doesn't have to be done all in one big push I guess)... Hope I never have to try it myself !

 

[donoman]

It's hard for me to reach for the key when the bike is in gear. I like to keep my right hand near the brakes in case I fuck up and start to drop the bike.... like on a puddle of oil or something. The kill switch is there for a reason. If your kill switch wasn't working, you'd know it because the fuel pump wouldn't prime. Then you could just hotwire it. Never really known anyone's kill switch to fail, though. 10 years is 3650 days is 7000 switches of that switch for me. I think most switches are rated for more than that in terms of endurance.

 

[MyxMstrRaj]

so...Is it ok to turn off then engine by simply putting the kickstand down while the bike is in 1st gear? I usually do that like someone else said above.

 

[spideyfive-o]

just follow the MSF course. use the kill switch and then take off the key... it's not really that hard to do.

enough repetition becomes second nature.

spidey

 

[Donoho]

>>snip<<
We have all made mistakes when riding. Is it using the kill switch that was the problem? Or is it not remembering to use the ignition too? That's like the riders that screw up and use too much rear brake and fall. Their solution is to quit using the brake, when what they should do is learn how to use it properly. You would not believe how many riders I see that won't use the front brake because one time they used it and crashed. So is the problem that they used the front brake? Or is it that they used it improperly?
>>snip<<

I use kill switch then ignition.

Lack of experience plus bad information can get you pretty jacked up. It never hurts to check in with more experienced riders. I destroyed a bike by (among other things) not using the front brake (I would say properly, but I really wasn't using it at all). I now load the front and use both. I use only the front before entering corners (just to keep myself out of the habit of allowing my foot anywhere near the rear brake). The only time the back brake is used alone is if I'm completely upright and going pretty slow. This sound about right?

 

[assnelbo]

It's hard for me to reach for the key when the bike is in gear. I like to keep my right hand near the brakes in case I fuck up and start to drop the bike.... like on a puddle of oil or something. The kill switch is there for a reason. If your kill switch wasn't working, you'd know it because the fuel pump wouldn't prime. Then you could just hotwire it. Never really known anyone's kill switch to fail, though. 10 years is 3650 days is 7000 switches of that switch for me. I think most switches are rated for more than that in terms of endurance.

I had mine fuck up on me...Seemed to be simply corrosion, though....

 

[DucatiHoney]

I have seen lots of people leave their lights on as you mention, but I have also seen a person drain the battery by turning the ignition switch to Park instead of Off.

What the heck is the "park" option for anyway? I have that on my ducati. I habitually lock the bars, and turn it just a tad too far, only to walk away and see the headlight on from the corner of my eye. I've caught it every time (so far--knock on wood) and am trying to train myself to include "check headlight" as part of the dismount routine, but it still irks me. I'd like to disconnect it, but then would probably end up posting in the Garage "WTF my bike won't start..."

 

[Down2Ride]

My kill switch button is actually broken, I just taped it in the on position. so I just use the key to turn off the bike. Never had a problem so far. I plan on buying a new kill switch( eventually) anyone got one for sale??

 

[John James]

Kill switch habit is good for whenever you need to quickly shut off your bike. A guy once told me how the throttle on his bike stuck wide open just as he was taking off from a light. He just bumped the kill switch, pulled in the clutch, and coasted safely to the side of the road.

Now if he never used the switch, it's doubtful he'd have found the switch or fumbled the key into the off position as quickly. His instinctive kill switch habit saved him possible engine damage and/or a possible accident.

JJ

 

[christofu]

What is this "ignition key" of which you speak?

 

[motojava]

I think it's a bad idea to use the kill switch to shut off the bike. The more you use it, the more likely it will fail and leave you stranded. But then, I play with old bikes all day.

Honda's (some of them anyway) will let you crank the starter over until the battery dies, even with the kill switch off. Nothing like flooding a bike and running the battery down, because the kill switch was left off.

 

[cbrmanf4]

I keep my Kryptonite keys with my bike keys. I always lock up the wheels to my bike with a Kryptonite U-lock. In order to do that, I have to unlock the lock first with the key. So unless I skip locking up my bike one day, I will always have to remove the keys from the ignition in order to lock up my wheels.

I always used the kill switch because I thought it was the safe and proper way. If it doesn't matter, then I guess I'll just go ahead and start using the ignition key to turn off the bike.

 

[crow]

DucatiHoney,

Park is for when you break down on the side of the freeway at night and you don't want your bike (and yourself) to get rammed by cars that can't see you.

What the heck is the "park" option for anyway? I have that on my ducati. I habitually lock the bars, and turn it just a tad too far, only to walk away and see the headlight on from the corner of my eye. I've caught it every time (so far--knock on wood) and am trying to train myself to include "check headlight" as part of the dismount routine, but it still irks me. I'd like to disconnect it, but then would probably end up posting in the Garage "WTF my bike won't start..."

 

[motojava]

DucatiHoney,

Park is for when you break down on the side of the freeway at night and you don't want your bike (and yourself) to get rammed by cars that can't see you.

Yeah, then you get rammed by cars that *can* see you.

"Hmmm... kinda foggy... I'll just follow this guy's tail lights. Wham!"

 

[FoxRocket]

I always use the kill switch. I was on the fence about this until the day the throttle on my bike got stuck while I was accellerating hard away from a light. I was really glad that my habbit was to shut off my engine with kill switch at that point because it really was just second nature.

As for the leaving the key in the ignition problem? I've done that a couple of times but I fixed that with a change of habbit; double check the ignition when walking away from the bike. Haven't done that since.

 

[1hotrn]

Bad habit IMHO just for the reason this post was started. Why is it better to use the kill switch other than to just turn your key off? Quicker reaction time? A cage doesn't have a kill switch.
Kill switches should be used in emergency situations after you have crashed (the other time would be when your playing a joke on friends, you reach over and hit their kill switch.)

 

[cvlighthouse]

I pull in the clutch and then hit the kill switch (when my throttle gets stuck on).... Same "instinct" if not better than hitting the kill switch, then pulling in the clutch. Unless of course, if I'm riding an automatic Goldwing.