Any good reason not to bypass kill switch

[Boriqua]

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?

My wife picked up contact cleaner yesterday. It was 9 freagin dollars!! I guess now I am obligated to use it. Ugh ... If I knew it would have been 9 dollars I would have just broke out the solder iron.

Anyone think of other stuff to do on the bike with my rather expensive can of stuff. Has to be some other crap I can sray.

[hannibal]

Never heard of only using the ignition switch instead of the kill and ignition switches. My OEM ignition switch began to fail on me. Had it resoldered at a cell phone repair shop and it failed again shortly after. Just saying the ignition switch isn't infallible either. I replaced it with an Emgo unit and I continue to use the ignition switch and kill switch. Based on the comments here, maybe I should leave the kill switch on run and use my new ignition switch only.

[dorkburger]

My wife picked up contact cleaner yesterday. It was 9 freagin dollars!! I guess now I am obligated to use it. Ugh ... If I knew it would have been 9 dollars I would have just broke out the solder iron.

Anyone think of other stuff to do on the bike with my rather expensive can of stuff. Has to be some other crap I can sray.

Lots of electrical plugs on a GS.....

[mrbill5491]

I like my kill switch, it has saved my butt a few times, especially on a hill or two.

[Gorminrider]

My wife picked up contact cleaner yesterday. It was 9 freagin dollars!! I guess now I am obligated to use it. Ugh ... If I knew it would have been 9 dollars I would have just broke out the solder iron.

Anyone think of other stuff to do on the bike with my rather expensive can of stuff. Has to be some other crap I can sray.

My can of contact cleaner has a picture of a guy working on tube radios!
Really, the stuff is not needed often except on an old transistor radio with a scratchy dial volume control or the odd Suzuki switch that has the contact points plainly accessible.
the multi-connectors on the harness can be happier with a careful squirt but don't do em until you happen to be taking them apart..

Think of it as an investment, that will pay off long term. But don't get it in your eyes. Wearing gloves is a modern idea too. the stuff comes out awful fast if you're not super gentle on the button so back drop with cloth around so it doesn't get on any paint...

[Gorminrider]

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.

.

Now THAT is a good point I can use to bolster my own bias!
Seems to me the key switch could be much closer to the battery saving a long loop up to the handlebars (old school I recall..?) But the modern convenenience of incorporating the fork lock too.

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.

yes I think that would be those with the extra highly wound coil on the stator CX500 comes to mind. "Off" actually grounds the CDI unit versus the so-similar GL500 that works like ours...

[Boriqua]

My can of contact cleaner has a picture of a guy working on tube radios!
Really, the stuff is not needed often except on an old transistor radio with a scratchy dial volume control or the odd Suzuki switch that has the contact points plainly accessible.
the multi-connectors on the harness can be happier with a careful squirt but don't do em until you happen to be taking them apart..

Think of it as an investment, that will pay off long term. But don't get it in your eyes. Wearing gloves is a modern idea too. the stuff comes out awful fast if you're not super gentle on the button so back drop with cloth around so it doesn't get on any paint...

Grumble grump grumble ... I knew it. When I was 30 and I bought something that was gong to last forever I was all ... Cool wont have to buy this again. Now .. if the can lasts 20 years ... well it will probably have been part of my daughters inheritance!!

Gong to have to buy another bike now just so I can use the spray!

[80GS850GBob]

.....We would walk down the line of bikes at a rally and randomly move the kill switch, then watch the frustration.
.

...trouble causer....lol.....

[80GS850GBob]

hook up a lanyard switch to your nipple clamp.

... I always did that with my snowmobiles...I had two times that I guess I was having way too much fun pitching her around and parted ways with the sled....not so bad in powder snow or a banked S corner...

[80GS850GBob]

... I always did that with my snowmobiles...I had two times that I guess I was having way too much fun pitching her around and parted ways with the sled....not so bad in powder snow or a banked S corner...

Btw... that was with a lanyard "only".....I've got enough holes in my head as it is....no body piercings for me.

[Fjbj40]

My wife picked up contact cleaner yesterday. It was 9 freagin dollars!! I guess now I am obligated to use it. Ugh ... If I knew it would have been 9 dollars I would have just broke out the solder iron.

Anyone think of other stuff to do on the bike with my rather expensive can of stuff. Has to be some other crap I can sray.

IPA is a good replacement for contact cleaner if you don't feel like spending the $9! However, that can, if used properly will last a long time!

As for the kill switch, I have never had one fail and I am talking from snowmobiles to boats to bikes, never a failure. Some of them do require periodic maintenance as others have said. A simple spray down with IPA or contact cleaner and a corrosion inhibiting compound of some sort and it will last a long time. My 1000 still has the original and it works just fine.

What about passing a safety inspections? I know they are required here and most provinces I have owned motorcycles in.
What about liability with your insurance company, let's say there is an accident and it could have been prevented if you had you kill switch? Your insurance will then not cover you!

Just fix the frigging thing, it's 30 plus years old!