[Humwinger]

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When I use my cruse control I sometimes rest my hand on the front break reservoir.
Some times my rist would touch the top of the kill switch. The last couple of years this would cause the bike to shut off temporarily. Last week this happened and shut off my gl1500 and I could not get it restarted even after turning the switch on and off many times. Had to haul the bike back home. Removed the control head off the handle bar, dug down to the shut off switch. Found the contacts completely fouled with gunk. Cleaned the contacts and reassembled the switch. Checked the switch with a meter and found it to be unreliable (Should have worked Fine) so I connected the two wires that go to the switch together thus eliminating the switch altogether. I never use the kill switch anyway. Any thoughts about this practice?

 

[Robin]

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Yes I use it now and again (50% i guess).

 

[Ken Bergen]

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My ignition lock is badly worn so when the bike is running the key resides in my pocket and when {not if} the bike takes a nap the kill switch is handy to have.

 

[Humwinger]

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Hum...Maybe I'll hook it bach up later with a new switch

 

[galaxyhunter]

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Humwinger wrote:

Hum...Maybe I'll hook it bach up later with a new switch

That might be a good idea. You'll never know when you might HAVE to use the switch.:?

 

[Hanko]

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I use it every time I shut the bike off except when I am doing a ECM Reset.

Kill switch, then Ignition Switch, then Side Stand, then disconnect Helmet, then get off.

Reverse the procedure for getting back on.

Henry

 

[Webtrack]

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Here's one for I never use it. Never have... I'm one of those that if someone else turns it to off position, I wonder why the bike won't start. LOL

 

[Big E]

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In the industrial world they call your "kill switch" an "emergency stop". (E-Stop)

 

[mtfamily]

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I always using it when parking. I use the switch to shut off and then coast into where I am parking.

 

[gumbyred]

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I use the kill switch most of the time. Every year I will take the halves apart and spray some contact cleaner on the
switches. No problems yet. I figure if I don`t use it some of the time it will get to the point it will not work anyway.
Tom Bishop
`98 S.E.

 

[JackfromCT]

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Very rarely. Maybe a handful of times in the 20 years I've owned the bike...most done by accident.

 

[Dirt Road Cowboy]

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No.

I've been riding for almost 40 years, and have only had 2 bikes that were new enough to have them. I just never got into the habit.

 

[Aspengold]

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I use it only when I am doing engine work and do not want the engine to start....handy gadget then.

Bob

 

[TwoBigCats]

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Hanko wrote:

I use it every time I shut the bike off except when I am doing a ECM Reset.

Kill switch, then Ignition Switch, then Side Stand, then disconnect Helmet, then get off.

Reverse the procedure for getting back on.

Henry

Exactly.

 

[ALEX BERECZKY]

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I routinely remove both kill switches on all my bikes... both the one on the handle bar and on the side stand. This is due to both my and others having experienced failures of the switch. Those failures, I believe, are a big Safety Hazard... hence I choose not to live with it.

I just can't stand the idea of there being a device on the bike, which might cause the engine to shut off while I'm riding.

 

[Chromo]

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Aspengold wrote:

I use it only when I am doing engine work and do not want the engine to start....handy gadget then.

Bob

+1

I always park in gear or reverse, if I want engine off and key on for some reason I just put down side stand while in 1st gear. Like if I want to hear something on radio for a minute, news, weather. Kill switch, or side stand in gear is handy that way.
Otherwise I have to turn key off to remove it so I just shut off that way normally.

I guess also kill switch is handy to freewheel down a hill. Without power steering or power brakes like on a car, why do I need the engine running downhill LOL
I guess I have done that a couple times.
Maybe that's why I went from 42mpg to 48mpg on one tank last year, was a lot of engine off downhill run on the 1100 that tank. LOL

 

[DaveO430]

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I hate the stupid thing, the only time mine gets turned off is by accident. It caused me a breakdown once and caused me to do a lot of extra work when I didn't notice it accidentally turned off after doing some maintenance. It is a government mandated PITA.

 

[da_bull]

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I use mine, totally on accident, about once a quarter and then cant figure out why it wont crank. I have my GPS on the Ram Mount above the kill switch. I hang my helmet over the GPS when parked (kinda outta site, outta mind reasoning. I'll pull the helmet off the GPS on occasion, and pull the switch in the off position. I havent really ever found a reason I need it, but if I figure it out, I'll let ya'll know

 

[CrystalPistol]

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Use it about 99.44% of the time. If needed in a hurry, it's good for that reflex to be there as it's a long deliberate and slower reach to that key.

 

[John1948]

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If I stop on an incline, left hand holding clutch, right holding front brake, both feet on the ground - - - it's either side stand or kill switch. Use it often.