Ignition vs kill switch
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,996
Likes: 417
From: Cranbourne, VIC Australia
Just a wild guess, but maybe his ignition is down on the left side like mine, or some other less than accessible place that would require a hand not holding the clutch in...
There are lots of bikes where the ignition switch is not reachable from your right hand.
All the rest is a bunch of old wive's tales. Use whatever you want. You aren't going to hurt anything.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,243
Likes: 3,267
From: west Michigan
I just told you why it's there. I don't care if you're compelled,or not. Actually,nobody does.
Last edited by RK4ME; Jun 20, 2016 at 06:47 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 429
From: E-town, Alberta
I was taught to always use the kill switch when turning a bike off.
When starting it's always ignition on, hands on the grips, clutch lever in, bike in neutral, run/stop switch to run, fuel pump cycle complete and all lights off, engage starter...
When shutting down it's clutch lever in, run/stop switch to stop, ignition off.
I see a lot of guys that never use the "kill switch"...
When starting it's always ignition on, hands on the grips, clutch lever in, bike in neutral, run/stop switch to run, fuel pump cycle complete and all lights off, engage starter...
When shutting down it's clutch lever in, run/stop switch to stop, ignition off.
I see a lot of guys that never use the "kill switch"...
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 45
Likes: 2
From: Duluth MN
If the battery had been dead, getting a dead battery bike started at a bike swap meet would probably have been a best case scenario....but what if we'd been in the middle of nowhere with no help and a dead battery ? That, could be a very serious issue.
So, that was the day I stopped using the kill switch and started using the ignition to start and shut down the bike. I'm going to make the assumption that Harley makes the ignition reliable enough to start and shut off the bike. Doesn't that just make sense ?
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Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 45
Likes: 2
From: Duluth MN
I sometimes think extra "necessary" steps are written into instructions for various products with the full knowledge that most people won't do them and if their product fails, misbehaves or causes injury, they can point to that procedure and ask you if you followed all 15 steps to start your bike ? Oops....I missed step 11 that said to check the oil level, so obviously not checking the oil level as specified in the starting procedure is what caused the malfunction of the wheel bearing that caused the accident :-) So, you see, we're not liable because you didn't follow the proper procedure !
Get the picture now ?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,243
Likes: 3,267
From: west Michigan
The MoCo tells you to use the kill switch because they want you to have both hands on the bars when you shut the engine off. They don't want to get sued because someone lost control of his or her bike while trying to shut the engine off. If that doesn't "compel" you to use the kill switch, then it doesn't. So what?