Bypass that damned neutral safety switch on these things ? SOB got me bumped off my bike at a light today. It died for some reason, found I couldn't just clutch it and go so while I'm fumbling to find neutral a kid in a pickup bumped me trying to go around and of course he took off.

Discovered something about the RK, it's heavy. No damage I can find but a mark or two on the crash bar chrome low down underneath. Just pisses me off to no end about that switch it's got to go.

 

I'd figure out whether it works in an open or closed position. Once you know that, either connect the wires or separate them. I didn't know my bike had one. If it does I'm going to defeat it as well.

 

crap, glad you're ok..
I know, my wife's replacement switch is acting up again and that's my main concern in trying to convince our service writer to replace under warranty but it's intermittent..damnit

 

Yeah was less than happy at that discovery trust me and then the bike & I suddenly taking dive to the right. Knee's a bit banged up but that's mostly jean burn. Rude...... I can't find where the guy touched the bike so big time lucked out there.

 

wonder if there's any ancillary side effects of disabling it, like EITMS...or whatever other sensors may be in play

 

Do you mean you cant start the bike unless its in neutral?

 

I'm willing to bet that the EITMS will not activate unless the bike is in neutral if you disable it.......not a big deal really, but there may be other things as well.......

 

I know my Road King has no neutral safety switch I start it all the time in 1st with the clutch pulled in so maybe its US bikes only and the bikes exported to Canada don't have it.

 

Not on my California bike, I can start it in gear, no problem at all.

 

I've never seen a bike with a switch forbidding to start the engine but the quick stand switch or the kill switch on the right handle bar. This later switch turns the whole bike off so it's easy to check if it is functional or not.

Regarding the kick stand switch you can start on any gear by pulling the clutch lever if the quick stand switch is off, but you can start only in neutral if the kick stand switch if on. If it is on, it stops the engine as soon as you engage any gear.

I've never had a neutral switch dead (I suppose it is buried into the transmission somewhere), I've seen dead quick stand switches and when they died they were always off meaning I could try starting the engine even with a gear engaged. But once dead I guess they could be always on, depending how they died. I would check the wiring and connectors, may be the switch is still good but it has been disconnected.