Starting in 08 with throttle by wire, if you kill the motor with the thumb switch and happen to be leaning on the throttle at 1200 rpm (normal idle is 1000 rpm) after about three times of leaning on the throttle the ecm would remember this speed and your bike would now idle at what ever this average speed was.

To correct back to 1000, you had to cycle the ignition switch 3 times

 

That makes no sense at all. You have to turn off the main console switch even if you use the kill switch first so you are using the console switch as many times as the kill switch. Kill switch then console switch to turn off and console switch must be turned on when you start so in essence you are using the console switch every time a off and on operation is used.

 

Ah ha, I see. I didn't know anything about that. Thanks for the info.

 

What?!?! My bike has a kill switch?

 

I always use kill switch, then console switch, just makes sense.

 

I use the kill switch and have since I started riding. Was told to and it became habit.

 

It all depends on whether you use regular air or nitrogen in your tires.

 

After reading the serious response's I agree that this is a simple legal issue Harley had to put in the owner's manual. It is easier to hit the kill switch than fumble around with your hands off the handlebars for the console switch. I cannot see any difference between the two controls other than a safety issue as was pointed out earlier.

 

Console switch only, I never use the kill switch
So go ahead and flame away if you must.

 

That, and probably also to get you used to turning off the bike with the kill so that in an emergency you don't fumble for the ignition.


However, more impotortantly, when riding, always lean to the left to fart. This way, your gas is expelled to the right, away from the spark plugs reducing the risk of an explosion!