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Kill Switch or Key? What kinda person are you?

8K views 113 replies 65 participants last post by  NinjaChick 
#1 ·
I usually kill switch then key but thats how PRS taught me..
 
#44 ·
Using the kill switch:
Pros:
1. Your brain associates "off" with "kill switch", and more likely in an emergency situation to trigger a reflex to hit the kill switch when you need to turn the bike off
2. You cycle the switch to make sure contacts aren't corroded

Cons:
1. Switch wears out (though most electronic switches are at least rated for 10,000 switches, that's 7 years of turning it on/off, 4 times a day)
2. You leave the key on (headlight on)

Consider these, and choose your path :).

According to hollywood, if you want to guarantee a kill, you should double-tap ;). Triple-tap is overkill, pun intended.
 
#45 ·
cars don't have kill switches because of people like me or little children who like red buttons that say 'kill' or 'do not press'.. go down the free way and I press the kill switch as a joke.. the button will literally do what its supposed to do..

also if its a proper kill switch it cannot have a protective case or in an emergency you cant get to it fast enough..
 
#49 ·
The school teaches the students how to survive, so they can get to be experienced rather than dead.
Once experienced, I'm sure it's a possibly unimportant point of view.
After many crashes at the track, the reflex to hit the kill switch doesn't sound stupid ;-)
The school batteries take a beating more from lots of low speed riding than anything, which doesn't charge them up enough for the mulitple starts they also endure.
Thus they are prone to die quickly when left on.
A properly charged battery in good shape wouldn't suffer this problem.
 
#54 ·
I like to flip the kill switches of all the Harley's parked outside Starbucks (while the pirates aren't looking of course).

Then I grab a coffee, sit on the patio and watch them troubleshoot why their bikes won't start.

Then I grab another coffee and continue to watch them troubleshoot why their bikes won't start.

Then I grab another coffee and continue to watch them troubleshoot why their bikes won't start.

The fun never ends...yaaaaaaar
 
#55 ·
10 years on my stock battery on my 02 Kawi ZX-6R. Always used the kill switch first. A few times I used flooded carbs or tilt sensor and dirt...
 
#69 ·
Funny kill switch story: The father-in-law would go down to Daytona for new bike releases (he used to own CC) and he and one of the other CC guys were riding down a hiway where there was a prison work gang cleaning the ditches. He did the old hit the kill switch, wfo the throttle, then turn kill switch back on. When the resulting bang happened, every one of the prisoners hit the deck like clockwork.

That's the only real reason for those switches. And while we are at it, centerstands are only really for standing on during night rides to shower your followers with sparks.
Ok? Ok. Carry on.
 
#70 ·
Excellent to hear. I used to do both of those dumb ass stunts all the time. At night the sparks got the tailgater off your butt in no time.
 
#77 ·
Sounds like a lot of you like to shaft your buddies at green lights with hitting their kill switches.
I'm going to have to remember that one :)

So for me it depends on the surface I'm parking on. It's either the kickstand or the kill switch, and then the key. The reason I turn the key last is because I remove it from the bike at the same time and I want the bike parked first. Otherwise I've left the damn key in the bike.
 
#80 · (Edited)
switch, then key to off. key then switch to on.

You shut down the machine first, then open the main disconnect. Good practice to get into regardless of size/application.

ps.
it's Ignition switch. Not "kill" switch. Jebus people.

Kill switch would be something on a race bike that completely cuts power from the battery. If anything, the key is your kill switch.

Perhaps Techy should go through a bunch of manuals and see what it's actually called. I only checked the one for my bike and they call it... ignition switch surprise surprise. So PeeWee... perhaps calling people clowns while pulling shit out of your ass is not very nice ;)

Yamahaha calls it "main switch".

ps. monday i'll ask electricians at work to see what they think about your battery killing theory :)
one even has a BMW.
 
#85 ·
Interesting.
My SV650 manual calls the key the 'ignition' and the handlebar switch is the 'engine stop switch'. Yet in respect to parking the bike it leaves out the function of the stop switch altogether. Instead it says once parked to turn the key off and remove key.

Not that I really care that much, but the manual was sitting beside me.
 
#93 ·
It may say that... but technically speaking, the kill switch is the switch activates the ignitions system (sparks).

The key activates the pumps, the electrics, and the ECU (the ECU then determines the fuel injector firings). But the kill switch actuates the ignition system. This is one of the reasons why coasting with the kill switch off allows the cylinders, and the pipes to be loaded with unburned fuel. Flipping the kill switch to run reignites all the unburnt fuel creating the bang.

On cars, the key in the 'ignition' position actuates everything at once.
 
#94 ·
Sweet Jesus. This is still going on? I honestly can't say what I use to stop my bike.

And it doesn't matter. Sidestand, engine stop button or key. Zero difference in my eyes. This summer will be 31 years of riding and I have never had any of those items fail on any of the bikes I've had. And there was some seriously questionable build quality on more than a few.

Just shut off your f@&$king bike, enter the special zip code in the gas pump and move along. There's coffee to drink and roads to ride.
 
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