Caution on parking your ride!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 6
From: Michigan
Yeah, my old bike (87 classic) would crank in gear with out the clutch being in, gave my self whiplash a couple times hitting the start button while sitting on it, got in the habit of leaving it in neutral most of the time. Probably a good Idea to use ACC to listen to the radio.
Last edited by jimsflh; Oct 22, 2012 at 03:38 PM. Reason: typo
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 285
Likes: 3
From: Parkton,MD.
+ 1, also I never hit the starter without having the clutch fully depressed. There are times when parking on a slight non level area I will park bike in gear. Having always depressed clutch before hitting starter I've never had to chase my bike all over a parking lot, garage, etc. It just becomes a habit.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Scranton, Arkansas
Oh yeah now it is hilarious, no doubt wish "this guy" would have had time to get video and camera, but no "he" wasn't revving up showing out or anything of the sort. As a matter of fact when the dang thing started "he" had started walking away from the bike, heard a little chug from the engine, next thing I...I mean "he" knows the bike is slamming into the wall and proceeding to tear **** up! The bike in question was an 06 not the 2011, the 2011 was parked about 6' away. Actually steered the runaway through about a 5' opening between the 2011 and the wall then down the other side, basically did a uuey around the 2011 before hitting the wall on the other side which gave "him" time to hit the kill switch. Never touched the 2011. Sounds wierd and crazy but it definitely happened.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,464
Likes: 4
From: On. Canada
Guess I'll be the oddball here....I hardy ever use the kill switch. Also using a wheel chock to park my bike when I'm home. Drive right into it when i pull in the garage. That all in itself would prevent something like that to happen...
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 3
From: Columbia, SC
Oh yeah now it is hilarious, no doubt wish "this guy" would have had time to get video and camera, but no "he" wasn't revving up showing out or anything of the sort. As a matter of fact when the dang thing started "he" had started walking away from the bike, heard a little chug from the engine, next thing I...I mean "he" knows the bike is slamming into the wall and proceeding to tear **** up! The bike in question was an 06 not the 2011, the 2011 was parked about 6' away. Actually steered the runaway through about a 5' opening between the 2011 and the wall then down the other side, basically did a uuey around the 2011 before hitting the wall on the other side which gave "him" time to hit the kill switch. Never touched the 2011. Sounds wierd and crazy but it definitely happened.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,507
Likes: 23
From: Orange County Texas
I never use the kill switch. I feel it's there for emergency only. i never start the bike without pulling the clutch in and i don't know if it will turn over in gear be cause I've never tried it.
However, braking from the normal will usually cause you problems. What ever way you do it. Do it the same every time and you won't have any problems. It's when you do something different that problems pop up.
An like it was said if your going to listen to your bike radio use the ACC setting on the ignition switch.
However, braking from the normal will usually cause you problems. What ever way you do it. Do it the same every time and you won't have any problems. It's when you do something different that problems pop up.
An like it was said if your going to listen to your bike radio use the ACC setting on the ignition switch.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: SC
I never use the kill switch. I leave mine in gear 95% of the time and put it into neutral before I start it. I always pull the clutch lever in before I start it. I learned this years ago when a neutral light didn't work all the time.