Killswitch

[fredintoon]

This is prompted by someone posting about his killswitch giving problems.
And no mocking the old guy here, the Government has given me a plastic card that says I should be treated with respect (it also has my S.I.N. on it, in big writing, lest I forget it)
But, my first bikes had magnetos. No killswitch, no ignition switch even, just kick them and they'd start. Stall 'em out to stop on the rare occasion that an Amal carb would let a bike idle for more than 10 seconds. I bought my first "modern" bike in 1986 (it had rear suspension & everything) It also had a key that I had to take care of and a killswitch.
I have NEVER used that thing except to turn it back to "run" when some cleverdick has turned it to "off" when I wasn't looking. OK, I know they are mandatory but has anyone, ever, had to actually USE the thing for it's intended purpose? What with the ignition key being all of 10" away from it and all?

[mro]

And no mocking the old guy here, the Government has given me a plastic card that says I should be treated with respect (it also has my S.I.N. on it, in big writing, lest I forget it)

Hmm...
I don't know dude...a government card
and who do you show this card to??? local priest, rabbi ???
And just what did you do that was so bad they put it on a plactic card ?


mro
Kill switch? About the only time I've used it is when sitting along the right side of an XS working on it and need to shut down the engine. Easier than reaching the key.

[webbcraft2150]

Never used mine yet 'cept have had the same problem you had, someone playing with it (usually the grandson) and leaves it in the off position. I get on the bike, turn the key on and nuthin happens. My first thought is, oh sh_t, now what!! Quick check revels switch is off.

In my younger, more carefree days, it was fun to blow up next to your buddy and reach over and turn his off real quick. This was always exciting when your pulling a C-note on the speedo. Don't remember how many baffles we ruined with the resulting backfire when the switch was turned back on.

[TADracer]

Well after over 25 years of never touching it I must admit that a few months ago when I missed a turn and decided to take a tour of the woods, it came in handy to kill the motor while dodgeing pine trees.

[fredintoon]

Not sins but s.i.n.

Hi mro,
um, that's not the number of my sins but my Social Insurance Number.
The card says this:- "The holder of this card is in receipt of a benefit under the old age security act. The Government of Canada requests that this person be extended all possible privileges."
It's main use has been to get Senior's discounts at hotels, movie theaters & barber shops.

[dpotter58]

out of habit

I usually hit mine when I pull up to stop and shut it off. This may be from the time I let go of the clutch in front of the garage when I got home and forgot I was in second...

[Incubus]

I use it on my dirt bikes, but primarily because there is no key switch and I don' t like killing them with the clutch, so there isn't any other way to turn them off.

Of course, I also sometimes just let them idle until they stop on their own. Does take too long...

Patrick

[STEPPENWOLF]

I always thought that if ya had a kill switch it should be on the left handle grip so that if you had a bike that did not shut off automaticaly when tilted to far or is laying on the ground on the right side with the throttle full blast that the left side would be easier to reach being stuck up in the air by another rider or if you were thrown from the bike....just a thought.

[JWSanders]

While I was working on my bike back when it was in a storage complex, I took it for a test run down one of the aisles. My addle-headed self forgot to tighten one of the clamps on the carb holders, and it caught the throttle mechanism and stuck at about 3/4 throttle. I found myself hurtling towards the concrete wall at the end of the row at breakneck speed. I slammed on the brkaes, and killed the motor. Stopped about 2 feet from the wall.

Then I promptly went back to my little storage cubicle and changed my pants.

[Dennyz]

My good friend Meri is a new rider and has graduated from formal Motorcycle training. She was taught to use the kill switch to shut the engine off (instead of the key). I suspect this is to make new rider aware of the kill switch, so that in an emergency, it is the first place to go.

I personally always use the key (old school).

[wa407mpp]

It's a good idea to get familiar with your kill switch and make using it second nature. Someday you will need it in a hurry and won't have the time to go looking for it. I've ridden bikes for over 45 years and use it every time I start and turn off my bike, I do it with out even thinking about it.

[81xsproject]

I use it to do plug color tests. It also came in real handy the very first time I ever fired my 11. I had turned the #3 intake boot clamp too far in (counter-clockwise from the top). I hit the starter button for the first time and she started right up. After a few seconds I had to rev it of course. On about the third rev I gave it a good fat one and the throttle stuck on that #3 clamp. The split second before I reached over and hit the kill, I thought that it would be my first and last time I heard that bike run.

[Kevin W]

I guess it's what you're used to. I ALWAYS use it to turn off the motor I'm a little surprised to learn I'm in the minority too.
KW

[egsols]

Recently got into habit of using it. Like anything else if it doesn't get used... when you finally need it, it won't work. I had some gremlins a while back that were finally traced to a problem with the switch and the fact that it hadn't been used for a long long time and using it once caused shorting inside.