Kill switch while riding at speed
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,557
Likes: 6
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 618
Likes: 16
From: beaumont texas
kinda related but will riding in the three sisters last November. I decided to turn my bike off while at the top of a 6% grade. I wanted the bicycle feel if you know what in mean. So while going down the hill, no sound just tires on the road and wind. Kinda cool and then the mistake. I wanted to know how fast I was going,60 mph. I found my speed by turning on the key switch, ok so at the bottom of the hill I went to restart the bike. not happening, no start. I'm thing great what am I up against. So I reset the tip switch. Still no start. Super,after much frustration and aggravation I pull the main fuse in order to reboot the ecm. Started right up. My only guess is while traveling 60 mph with no oil pressure the ecm shut this bad boy down.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 35,819
Likes: 38,662
From: Post Falls, ID
Back in the day, I used to hit the kill switch on my Honda 350 when riding through a tunnel. The miniature nuclear explosion inside the muffler when the switch was turned on was great fun as it echoed through the tunnel.
In fact, we kids called it "baps".
In fact, we kids called it "baps".
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Had a school bus driver of mine do that to some woman that walked her dog on this long hill. He turned the switch back as we passed her. The dog jumped straight up in the air about 6 feet and was spinning around. Scared the crap out of him. Hilarity ensued. We loved that bus driver. We did it in cars when I was a teenager, called 'em rifle shots. Good clean fun. I wouldn't do it to my Harley on purpose.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 322,622
Likes: 3,077
From: .....
I've never hit the kill switch but I seem to always hit the left turn signal for the horn. Bugs the hell out of me.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area, Cali
I hit the switch on accident a couple weeks ago. Was on the freeway, went to accelerate, and nothing happened..WTF?! Looked and saw I killed it. Flipped the switch back to run, and it turned right back on. No other issues happened from the incident.
Last edited by mikeg212001; Jun 25, 2014 at 04:30 PM. Reason: forgot word
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,605
Likes: 3
From: Adirondack Mountains
OOOPS!