Kill switch?

[beemer]

Do you guys normally stop your engine using the Kill Switch?or do you turn off the ignition with the key? :-/

[nhmaf]

Personally, I hardly ever use the kill switch.   About the only times that I do are:
1)  something is going terribly wrong (like my clutch disintegrating while riding for example) and I will be busy
     pulling in the clutch and turning off the engine as quickly as possible while keep my hands on the handlebars to steer the bike
     to the side of the road
2) If I am parking the bike in a public place for a while - it isn't much of an impediment, but if it makes a casual thief's attempts to
start the engine and escape with the bike just a little more complicated then I am all for it.
3) (Heaven forbid, but it's happened once) when I crash the bike and the engine is still running while the bike is on top of me.

Other than the above conditions, I always use the ignition key.

[Ed Miller]

My trouble with routinely using the kill switch to stop the bike is that I'm prone to forgetting to then turn the key off.  Oops.

I do use it sometimes, and flip it up and down sometimes, just to minimize the odds of corrosion in what ever electrical contacts the thing has inside it.

[awaffa2003]

What?? Kill switch? ignition? i just let the clutch out!

[MrRiden]

Interesting note. A co-werker just took a motorcycle safety course for beginners where she was told that she should always use the Kill Switch to turn the bike off. I thought this odd but perhaps it is to familiarize the rider with the location of the switch so that in an emergency finding it would be second nature. I always use the key but I may change that habit.
rich
who cant find the windshield wiper switch in the car when it finally does rain here.

[crazy_dan]

when my wife took the riders course, she was also told to use the kill switch.  i've always been told and read that you should use the key, the kill switch is meant to be more for emergency use.

[montmil]

Interesting note. A co-werker just took a motorcycle safety course for beginners where she was told that she should always use the Kill Switch to turn the bike off. I thought this odd but perhaps it is to familiarize the rider with the location of the switch so that in an emergency finding it would be second nature. I always use the key but I may change that habit. rich who cant find the windshield wiper switch in the car when it finally does rain here.

Even though I mounted up my first motorcycle forty-seven years ago -an Allstate MoPed actually- I'm also a recent graduate of a Motorcycle Safety Institute rider course. Insurance price reduction for taking the course.

The lame Kawasaki 125cc Invader Harley-Wannabes have the ignition switch buried down near the lower triple clamp... hidden by the faux HD fuel tank. We, too, were instructed to use the kill switch rather than risk, "dropping the bike while looking for the key switch."

I did it their way for almost two whole days.    Also had to "stay after school" the second day because I was bored and lit up the back tire while holding the anemic front disc brake! Instructor informed me my behavior was inappropriate for the activity. My bad.  

[crazy_dan]

my wife popped a wheelie after she passed her test at the end, the instructor told her he was gonna pretend he didn't see that (he's known my dad for years, thankfully!).

[beemer]

It's surprising how things have changed over the years regarding riding/driving habits,when i had driving lessons(car)many years ago,we were always taught to change down the gears when coming up to a junction etc,but nowdays you are taught to just apply the brakes and change into 1st gear when you came to a halt,i still change down in my car,and also the bike,of course we are talking stick shift here for the car ,i guess old habits never die!

[not-so-fast-ed]

I usually turn the key off to shut down the bike.  Reserving the kill switch for rare occasions when it's inconvenient to reach the key.  Like Ed M, my memory tends to let me down occasionally and I'm prone to forget to turn things back on.  I too took the course,  "Fuel, Key, Neutral, Choke, Start"  - "Neutral, Kill, Fuel, Key" (don't forget to recheck the Kill)  
I start by fuel, Key, Choke & Start and would probably forget to check the Kill switch until it failed to start, so I don't use the Kill to shut down.  I have a hard enough time remembering the fuel petcock on restart.   :-/

[nothing]

When my motorcycle was still new to me, I took it to have it's first state-mandated safety inspection at the local independent BMW shop (Motorcycle R&R, highly recommended to any Utah airheads). The friendly inspector noted that my kill switch was in the off position, since that was how I turned it off, and informed me that that was the incorrect way to do it. He said that the kill switches on these bikes were intended for emergencies only, and would soon wear out and need replacement if used often. Since then I have not ever used it.

The guys at this shop know more about airheads than anyone I have ever met in person, I trust what they say - although I must admit that I have not since heard any confirmation of this particular bit of information.

[Jon_P]

i used to mess with the drivers that would park there bikes in front of my shop doors thnking it was ok to park their bikes there. all of them would never use the kill switch and i would flip them down. so at the end of the night they couldnt get them started they would ask if i would look at it for them.

I would jump on the bike and flip it up when they werent looking and hit the starter button. they would look at me like how in the heck i did that. then i would jump them them for parking in front of my shop doors so i couldnt get a truck in.

it also works great on your buddy that has been drinking a bit to much.

gotta love them kills