Dumb Arse Rookie stuff

Yesterday, after 2 years, I thought I'd finally broken it.  

Dodged into the shop, "only for a  minute" leaving the keys in the ignition, but not running.  

Came back out and there it was turned on the key, did up the helmet strap while all the electronics were lighting up and the gizmos settled down from all their flashing, pushed the button and NADA - Nothing at all.  WHAT? 

But hang on, something is different  - CHEC on the display.  HMMM. That's an error code, right.  Far out! How am I supposed to know what it means?  Yeah, I know, I have an owners manual.  I have read it at least twice, but not MEMORIZED it. anyway there did not seem to be much in the way of error codes in there, (as well as I couldn't remember).   

So off with the seat, looking for loose connectors, fuses - all good, Side stand switch, can't do much about the clutch lock out without a meter.  A good 5 minutes worth.  

Then I spotted it - One of the guys from the (bike) shop going for lunch had seen the keys, decided to do me a favour - KILL SWITCH.  I can only imagine the laughter from inside the shop. 

All good. 

Seems there is one fairly significant detail in that manual that I will NEVER forget now.  

Odd, that is the first thing I look at on the SRX, even before the first good kicking it gets.  Get it wrong and that little mongrel will give you a workout.  At least the Bandit is not so temperamental.  I like it a lot, but there are times when I'd just like to know a little more about it.

I haven't used a kill switch since I had dirt bikes with no key, it catches me out if I jump on a bike that where someone else uses it

Yep I too am guilty to being caught out by the kill switch

Lol I used to do that a lot, on my CB400..... But have you ever sat on your bike, and not remember HOW to start it at all? Bruce might be able to tell you about that day I sat in driveway, panicking it wouldn't start!

madmax wrote:Yep I too am guilty to being caught out by the kill switch

Same. One of the guys went down a whole row of bikes on a group ride and turned off the kill switches. Most couldnt get there bikes going.

NZspokes wrote:

madmax wrote:Yep I too am guilty to being caught out by the kill switch

Same. One of the guys went down a whole row of bikes on a group ride and turned off the kill switches. Most couldnt get there bikes going.

Same again. Only happened to me once on the last bike I had. I'd been cleaning it, & inadvertently knocked the kill switch to OFF. Had me stumped for quite some time.
Didn't I feel like a right dill when I realised what the problem was!

The kill switch is only there to flatten the battery!

Fortunately it hasn't happened to me but I know a few of varying experience who use it and forget to turn the ignition off as well and park in the garage over night.

I dont understand WTF its there for these days anyway. Suzuki don't even have a temp gauge on the B1250 but they have 2 electronic ways of stopping the engine.


Now a question;
Do you switch the kill switch ON or OFF to stop the engine?

2wheelsagain wrote:The kill switch is only there to flatten the battery!

Fortunately it hasn't happened to me but I know a few of varying experience who use it and forget to turn the ignition off as well and park in the garage over night.

I dont understand WTF its there for these days anyway. Suzuki don't even have a temp gauge on the B1250 but they have 2 electronic ways of stopping the engine.


Now a question;
Do you switch the kill switch ON or OFF to stop the engine?

And do you use your thumb or index finger ...???    


If you call it a kill switch you would turn ti on , if you call it an engine run switch like some manuals do, you turn it off 

2wheelsagain wrote:
Now a question;
Do you switch the kill switch ON or OFF to stop the engine?

You need to turn the switch ON to turn the engine OFF

Chook wrote:

2wheelsagain wrote:
Now a question;
Do you switch the kill switch ON or OFF to stop the engine?

You need to turn the switch ON to turn the engine OFF

In that case, you would have to turn the switch OFF to turn the engine ON.  

I would say it depends on if the switch is normally open or normally closed

But the thread proves trouble with kill switches is the norm, not dumb-arsed.

Tag wrote:But the thread proves trouble with kill switches is the norm, not dumb-arsed.

You as well eh Tag 

paul wrote:

Tag wrote:But the thread proves trouble with kill switches is the norm, not dumb-arsed.

You as well eh Tag 

Anyone that says they've never been caught out is either a liar or never ridden a bike

Chook wrote:

paul wrote:

Tag wrote:But the thread proves trouble with kill switches is the norm, not dumb-arsed.

You as well eh Tag 

Anyone that says they've never been caught out is either a liar or never ridden a bike

I always thought that's why they put it on there ........you don't use it for anything else 
( the only reason I can see is in the case of an accident & on some bikes where the key is on the side so you can kill it in a hurry if need be )

paul wrote:( the only reason I can see is in the case of an accident & on some bikes where the key is on the side so you can kill it in a hurry if need be )

That's the only reason I can see for it and the only time I can recall using it

Its there so you can shut the motor down without taking your hands off the bars. Eg if the throttle jams open.

My old mate (I like saying that, makes me feel younger) was following me on his R1200R as he usually does. We rolled into a north coast town and turned left through  a round-about. I was all eyes on the traffic ahead. I glanced in my mirror and could see my mate's single round headlight a 100 m or so back. What's he doing? 

I could see a few cars swerving around him. I made a U turn and fortunately parked opposite him. My mate was stopped and had rolled down a slight grade to the side of the road across from me. Another old bloke (all old blokes up here!) was talking to him for a few secs and the R1200R then burst into life and moved on, finally parking next to me. 

My mate had hit the Kill Switch - on the move. I didn't think it was possible. When he told me it was the kill switch I started to imagine all the horrible places this could have happened while moving. He still doesn't know how he did it - and neither do I!  The throttle hand ?

So consolation for us who have been puzzled at the 'no start' while stopped in a carpark. How about doing it on the move!

Cheers GG

GGiant wrote:My old mate (I like saying that, makes me feel younger) was following me on his R1200R as he usually does. We rolled into a north coast town and turned left through  a round-about. I was all eyes on the traffic ahead. I glanced in my mirror and could see my mate's single round headlight a 100 m or so back. What's he doing? 

I could see a few cars swerving around him. I made a U turn and fortunately parked opposite him. My mate was stopped and had rolled down a slight grade to the side of the road across from me. Another old bloke (all old blokes up here!) was talking to him for a few secs and the R1200R then burst into life and moved on, finally parking next to me. 

My mate had hit the Kill Switch - on the move. I didn't think it was possible. When he told me it was the kill switch I started to imagine all the horrible places this could have happened while moving. He still doesn't know how he did it - and neither do I!  The throttle hand ?

So consolation for us who have been puzzled at the 'no start' while stopped in a carpark. How about doing it on the move!

Cheers GG

Does the BMW have a switch next to the kill switch he could have fumbled with ....................scary thought 

Can't remember Paul if there is anything near the Kill switch. I think somehow he had bumped or thumbed it with his winter gloves. Hard to imagine but possible. It was an education for him, and me.