Kill Switch Accidently Killing

[RazzleH]

Three times now, since moving to a new 2020 F3, I've bumped the Kill Switch into action (non-action?). Once when adjusting the cruse control and twice at stand still while fiddling about. The first time came as quite a surprise and thankfully I was only exiting our home garage. Switching the Kill Switch on and off is part of the recommended routine and for me it appears to make no difference if it is always on and only available for rare emergencies.

My questing is; "What difference will it make to normal activities if the Kill Switch is never switched off"? What technical advantage is there to switching it off every time the F3 is shut down?

[Dudley]

What's a Kill Switch!

[Peter Aawen]

Lot's of riders NEVER use the Kill Switch at all, except when one of their (so called) 'buddies' flicks it off at a stop so the rider'll get all embarrassed when they try to start it again and can't work out why it won't go!!

The ONLY real reason we even have kill switches on motorcycles etc is because waaay back in the dim dark, it was juust a little dangerous having a gravity fed gas tank teetering on top of a spark ignition carburettored engine, and the Kill switch was a quick and safe way for the rider to rapidly cut the spark when gas started leaking from either the tank or the carby/s all over everything!! There's really not a great deal of benefit in having these switches on modern machines with EFI engines & gas tanks that often aren't even literally on top of everything anymore, but it was mandated waaay back then and it's been carried forward simply because 'that's how it's always been done'!! Altho I guess it does make some of the 'wannabe racers' feel all manly & tough cos they've got a 'Cut-Off switch' like the 'real racers'.... except they don't really!

So feel free to go right ahead & join the rest of the enlightened, and leave your Kill Switch in the 'Run' position all the time.... . Besides, it's really only us crusty old dinosaurs of motorcyclists who have the muscle memory so deeply ingrained that we just don't feel 'right' if we don't flick the Kill Switch to 'Stop' before we turn the key off!!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Three times now, since moving to a new 2020 F3, I've bumped the Kill Switch into action (non-action?). Once when adjusting the cruse control and twice at stand still while fiddling about. The first time came as quite a surprise and thankfully I was only exiting our home garage. Switching the Kill Switch on and off is part of the recommended routine and for me it appears to make no difference if it is always on and only available for rare emergencies.

My questing is; "What difference will it make to normal activities if the Kill Switch is never switched off"? What technical advantage is there to switching it off every time the F3 is shut down?

I never use it ..... never have .... 60 yrs riding .... Mike

[RazzleH]

Lot's of riders NEVER use the Kill Switch at all, except when one of their (so called) 'buddies' flicks it off at a stop so the rider'll get all embarrassed when they try to start it again and can't work out why it won't go!!

The ONLY real reason we even have kill switches on motorcycles etc is because waaay back in the dim dark, it was juust a little dangerous having a gravity fed gas tank teetering on top of a spark ignition carburettored engine, and the Kill switch was a quick and safe way for the rider to rapidly cut the spark when gas started leaking from either the tank or the carby/s all over everything!! There's really not a great deal of benefit in having these switches on modern machines with EFI engines & gas tanks that often aren't even literally on top of everything anymore, but it was mandated waaay back then and it's been carried forward simply because 'that's how it's always been done'!! Altho I guess it does make some of the 'wannabe racers' feel all manly & tough cos they've got a 'Cut-Off switch' like the 'real racers'.... except they don't really!

So feel free to go right ahead & join the rest of the enlightened, and leave your Kill Switch in the 'Run' position all the time.... . Besides, it's really only us crusty old dinosaurs of motorcyclists who have the muscle memory so deeply ingrained that we just don't feel 'right' if we don't flick the Kill Switch to 'Stop' before we turn the key off!!

Thanks. My thoughts too and thanks for the background. I'll make no comment on the logic of locating it where they have. So, now I'll put a match in it or sylastic to stop it ever being accidently switched, ever again, lol.

[Gwolf]

I use the kill switch....... mostly from habit. Riding the old carb model dirt bikes with only one throttle wire, the kill switch might keep the bike from trampling on you so much when the throttle suck wide open. It was a good habit back then and I don't see any reason to change now.

[JayBros]

I use it all the time; standard routine is shift into N, set parking brake, hit kill switch. For me it is most useful at refueling stops as I automatically reset the A trip meter after every fill up and reset GPS fuel setting.

[Possible]

I rarely use it, very, very rarely. The old kill switches just killed power to the ignition, you could kick the thing for a month of Sundays before you
found some smart aleck had flipped the kill switch. Just never got in the habit of using them. Heck, some of them were just momentary kill buttons.

[Steve W.]

I have seen some riders preach of the advantage of using it all the time when you (intentionally) stop the engine.

It helps to develop muscle memory for the ONE time that you will NEED to use it in a hurry.

Personally, I almost never use it.

.

[Lew L]

Went for a fast ryde with a mixed and not known 2 me group. Sport bikes, v-twins, 2 other . When I came back from paying for the fuel, MY SPYDER WOULDN'T START!!!!

After 2 touches of the starter button , I pushed the kill switch back to RUN........... An accidental??? Maybe. But just the kind of crap a bunch of old bikers would do to a stranger on a strange machine. But no drama, problem solved.
The ride was fast!!! No patrol in the middle of nowhere Nevada. 8o to 90 most of the time. Spyders stayed in the pack just fine but fuel mileage SUFFERED.......

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I find it most useful while refueling. Kill the engine but keep the dash live so I can reset the trip meters and read the odo for my gas record. Also saves having to wait for the boot up process while antsy drivers are waiting for me to get out of the way so they can gas up.

[BeRight]

The BRP start and turning off Spyder owner's manual instructions includes using the Kill Switch. First time I shut down Spyder with kill switch , I almost jumped off my seat. Been years since I heard that sound. Hopefully years before I hear it again. It is hard for me to imagine that this sound is a good thing.

Yes - I've even said a few choice words on why my Spyder wouldn't start when it was the kill switch.

I haven't "purposely" used the kill switch since 2008 when I actually read the owner's manual and followed its directions. seriously - one should read the owner's manual.

Anyone know why this is the BRP routine? I've only read allot of speculation.

[Navydad]

Only time I ever used a kill switch was back in the days of reading spark plugs for the proper fuel/air mix. Yeah, I've been around a while.

[ARtraveler]

Good reasons for both sides are being posted.

ME: I never use the kill switch when powering off. I did hit the kill switch accidentally while going down the road on my 1300 Nomad one time...since then, I try to avoid that situation if I can.

[missouriboy]

Like others above, I use the kill switch when filling with gas... while filling, I can watch the gas gauge climb and be extra alert for the splashback event when full. Plus the other functions of odo reset and mileage recording on the pump receipt.

Another way I use it: I listen to music while ryding, and sometimes when I'm done and parked, I'll kill the engine to let the current song finish, and then turn the key off. My own "muscle memory" habit is to always reset the switch back on immediately, instead of waiting til the next time I start up. Because most times I don't use it... but I appreciate having it.

For long-term music listening while parked, I use the key-off accessory option, to save battery juice. I try to limit that to 20 minutes max, and have no dead battery problems.

As the retired letter-carrier said, "To each his zone."