Shutdown procedure?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,135
Likes: 4,780
From: Sandpoint, Idaho
Eh! Some of us were actually riding BEFORE bikes had kill switches.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,229
Likes: 10
From: Oklahoma
I never use the kill switch.
Funny story. I bought a new bike last summer. The tech rode it around to the front of the dealership where my sales guy and I were waiting. My sales guy asked if I had any questions and I said, no I am good to go. I got on the bike turned on the ignition and tried to start the bike - no go. It took me a couple of tries to realize that the kill switch was off. Oh well!
Funny story. I bought a new bike last summer. The tech rode it around to the front of the dealership where my sales guy and I were waiting. My sales guy asked if I had any questions and I said, no I am good to go. I got on the bike turned on the ignition and tried to start the bike - no go. It took me a couple of tries to realize that the kill switch was off. Oh well!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
Yup we were or had bare bones strippers or the old switches sucked/failed/broke and we disabled them.
It seems though that common sense is a uncommon virtue regarding shutting off the bike. Good thing sticking throttles are almost a thing of the past as well.
I am thinking that most have such little real experience with old clapped out machines that they never had the sharting pleasure of a stuck throttle on something other than a flat straight road on a bike without a handy switch half a thumb length away and needing both hands on the bar to control it and not wanting a grenade between their legs by pulling in the clutch!!!!! Fun times indeed. How I survived the junkers of my youth is beyond me.
It seems though that common sense is a uncommon virtue regarding shutting off the bike. Good thing sticking throttles are almost a thing of the past as well.
I am thinking that most have such little real experience with old clapped out machines that they never had the sharting pleasure of a stuck throttle on something other than a flat straight road on a bike without a handy switch half a thumb length away and needing both hands on the bar to control it and not wanting a grenade between their legs by pulling in the clutch!!!!! Fun times indeed. How I survived the junkers of my youth is beyond me.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 39
From: Everywhere
A buddy with a 2014 wet head tells me (don't shoot the messenger) that with the Twin cooled you HAVE to shut it down with the run/stop switch so there is power to the pump to keep water circulating until it cools down otherwise it will puke all its coolant.
Last edited by Weavr99FLHT; Apr 23, 2014 at 07:09 PM.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 602
From: The 9th Island
In my crotch rocket days we would do that all the time, except we did it while going down the freeway at speed.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 602
From: The 9th Island
My turn off procedure...
Ride the bike to where I am going, at about 30 feet, hit the kill switch and coast to a stop.
Leave they ignition on and radio playing, take your helmet off and then dismount. Never get off your bike while your helmet is still on (just like they do in SOA).
Take off your gloves and bandana and put them away in your saddlebag along with your riding glasses. Rummage around in your saddlebag for your normal sunglasses. Lock everything up and then and only then.... Turn the radio down and turn off the ignition and lock it.
Startup process is just the reverse of this.
Ride the bike to where I am going, at about 30 feet, hit the kill switch and coast to a stop.
Leave they ignition on and radio playing, take your helmet off and then dismount. Never get off your bike while your helmet is still on (just like they do in SOA).
Take off your gloves and bandana and put them away in your saddlebag along with your riding glasses. Rummage around in your saddlebag for your normal sunglasses. Lock everything up and then and only then.... Turn the radio down and turn off the ignition and lock it.
Startup process is just the reverse of this.