Any good reason not to bypass kill switch

[TxGSrider]

On a kinda funny side note to this. The kill switch on my atv is where the turn signal switch is on my bike, so when we're out riding on the back roads Ive been know to shut off my atv before I turn...

[wymple]

I've been riding nearly 50 years, and have never once "needed" a kill switch. I've had to get into more than a few of them for people over the years when they were faulty. Unnecessary junk.

[chuck hahn]

I agree with you Wymple. A useless item thats just another potential point of failure

[Steve]

Kill switches weren't originally intended to shut off the engine with everyday use. How that ever got started is beyond me. The KEY is the intended way to shut off a bike. The kill switch is for emergency or other use that isn't "normal" to make the engine shut off.

I will agree with the "emergency" part, but the kill switch handles less current than the ignition key switch.

If you are using the key to save wear and tear, all you are doing is pitting the contacts there, rather than the kill switch, which is less likely to do that, due to lower current.

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[chuck hahn]

No..I use the key because too many kills have failed on me...and not just on GSs either. Bunch off bullchisel when your bikes dead and its not I your driveway...BAN KILL SWITCH USE !!!!!!

[jsandidge]

I like the idea of always using the kill switch to turn off the bike. With that being my habit, when an emergency arises, I don't even need to think about how to kill the bike.

[chuck hahn]

Time you get the thought to hit the switch whatever is happening usually already has. About the only use is to kill the engine if its laying on it side so it doesn't seize due to oil starvation. Or to prevent a fire if the tanks leaking. But in ewither of these instances its already way past "thinking" or instinctively "reacting" to hit the switch.

[Boriqua]

Time you get the thought to hit the switch whatever is happening usually already has. About the only use is to kill the engine if its laying on it side so it doesn't seize due to oil starvation. Or to prevent a fire if the tanks leaking. But in ewither of these instances its already way past "thinking" or instinctively "reacting" to hit the switch.

Hey Chuck .. have you bypassed or disabled your switch or do you just not bother with it. I would have thought to leave mine alone and just not use it if it hadnt been for my past towing incident and yesterday accidentally flipping it.

[Sandy]

Hey Chuck .. have you bypassed or disabled your switch or do you just not bother with it. I would have thought to leave mine alone and just not use it if it hadnt been for my past towing incident and yesterday accidentally flipping it.

If you neglect it, it remains a failure point. Personally I'd either fix it so it works or bypass it so it doesn't become a future failure point. Either way but just ignoring is probably not a prudent decision.

[Boriqua]

well I bought some contact cleaner and will pull it apart tomorrow and have a looksy. I will decide then whether the solder iron comes out!!

[chuck hahn]

I just leave THEM alone. When any of them finally give up then ghost I will clip the wires and hot wire it inside the switch box. Until that happens they arent getting flipped on and off.

[gsrick]

The only problem I have with the kill switch is people using them and then forgetting to turn off the key and wearing their battery down. That's why I stress the use of the key only. I can't tell you how many times I've see people not being able to start their bike, only to find out they didn't put the switch back to the run position. Plus with Honda's, the engine will turn over without firing with the kill switch in the off position, so they never think about seeing if it is in the run position.

[Steve]

Plus with Honda's, the engine will turn over without firing with the kill switch in the off position, so they never think about seeing if it is in the run position.

Make that SOME Hondas.

I don't know exactly what year it changed, but the Goldwing would do that, up through about '96 or '97. We would walk down the line of bikes at a rally and randomly move the kill switch, then watch the frustration. My 2000 Wing will not crank if the kill switch is in the OFF position.

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[gsrick]

Make that SOME Hondas.

I don't know exactly what year it changed, but the Goldwing would do that, up through about '96 or '97. We would walk down the line of bikes at a rally and randomly move the kill switch, then watch the frustration. My 2000 Wing will not crank if the kill switch is in the OFF position.

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I didn't know that. I'm mostly working on CBR600 and CBR1000s and they all still turn over. Makes some testing easy not having to raise the tank and disconnect the fuel pump.

[Gorminrider]

Cosmically, I ended up looking at my 400E's contact switch yesterday because the starter button failed me when I wanted to goto town... luckily I have a lot of bikes but it took me another half an hour to choose....

On my orange toggle type (have you the same?) a mere glob of solder would do it... a piece of tin tucked in across the two contacts might also do as well. But your original complaint is that yours moves too easily so maybe just tucking some "friction" ( a bit of innertube? etc.) on the other side of the switch from the contacts would fix this too?