Turning Your Bike Off

[outlawtorn]

Hi guys, might be a dumb question here , but I've seen and heard many different things.

Which is the safest way to switch of your bike when its running? Once again it does sound dumb but I have heard conflicting stories. One person said always use your key to switch the bike off and never use your red killswitch (or whatever the hell its called) and another person has said vice versa.

Today I saw two guys get off their bikes and they both used their keys to kill the motor, I always use my killswitch. Can anyone enlighten me as to which, if any, is better or if it makes no difference.

Thanks.......

[Sniper]

Doesnt ever make a difference mate. Both kill electrical current to the motor as far as Im aware so both are as safe to use as the other.

[vifferman]

Stall it by dropping the clutch with the brakes on, or run it into something, like a car, building etc.
Then if it's a really quiet bike engine, or you're deeeef, you can at least be sure the engine's stopped.

[Dooly]

I always use the key, no reason, just habit. You've gotta turn the key off anyway so...

[SpankMe]

I've always used the kill switch. Again it's no reason other than habit.

[onearmedbandit]

I have read that on certain models you should not use the kill switch, can't remember exactly why but no doubt something to do with the injection etc. Don't know if it causes any damage. Anyway, I always turn the bike off with the key. A kill switch to me is an emergency switch.

[Big Dave]

I've always used the kill switch. Again it's no reason other than habit.

so do i but - if you have a digitally fuel injected machine or an ECM on your bike you should always use the key - unless emegency.
The shut down from the key saves the current data to the eprom and performs a shut down wheras the kill switch voids the data and is harder on the circuits.

Carbs and coils it doesn't matter.

That is the Triumph call anyway.

[Rashika]

Some bikes (like mine) have to be done by the key....got told off for turning it off by killswitch the first time I rode it (how WAS I meant to know??)

Something to do with the killswitch buggering up the computer if it is used all the time to switch off the bike. Emergency use only.
But that maybe just mine....maybe...

See now I KNEW someone would say the same!

[snuffles]

I always use the key, stops me forgetting to take the damn thing out of the ignition.

[SimJen]

If it was bad for the machine Im sure the manufacturers would state it in the manuals.
I always use the key, I occasionally use the killswitch but then you are left wondering why it won't start as you forget to switch it back.............

[NinjaBoy]

I've always used the kill switch. Once heard that this avoids the switch freezing up and then causing the bike to start at all.

Interesting comments on the digital injection bike ... have to check the manual

[Ghost Lemur]

On the CReaMe 250 I should use the key, but tend to just stall it (not intentional).

As for the kill switch, all mine does is turn off the lights. It has not effect on the engine what so ever. Don't know why.

[The_Dover]

sidestand.

pull up in gear and kick it down.

or key, sometimes killswitch.

I'm not fussy.

[ManDownUnder]

so do i but - if you have a digitally fuel injected machine or an ECM on your bike you should always use the key - unless emegency.
The shut down from the key saves the current data to the eprom and performs a shut down wheras the kill switch voids the data and is harder on the circuits.

Carbs and coils it doesn't matter.

That is the Triumph call anyway.

Best the remove the kill switch then... or perhaps add the same functionlity to it. It seems daft to give a rider a control that knowingly harms part of the bike in it's normal operation.

[ManDownUnder]

sidestand.

pull up in gear and kick it down.

or key, sometimes killswitch.

I'm not fussy.

Please Note - Dover is talking about turning the bike off, rather than "killing the engine" which is known to involve one wheel, lots of speed and an unexpected lack of control following a bump in the road.

Thought I should clarify...

as you were