Question…Why do bikes have kill switches?

[MarkPBG]

I always wondered why motorcycles had a kill switch…you can just turn off the key, right? Unless you go down on that side of course. Is that the only reason?

[sgtslag]

It's faster to use your thumb, with both of your hands on the grips, allowing you to maintain control of the bike.  If the clutch cable breaks, you may want to control the throttle while switching the engine off/on, on the fly...

If you hit the kill switch on the highway, then flip it back on, your bike will 'start' instantly, running like you never touched the switch...  This assumes you do not pull in the clutch.  My wife discovered this one day when she accidentally bumped the switch.  She flipped it back on in around one second.  It was a strange experience -- I was on the back, when the bike suddenly went silent, and there was a very slight lurch when she flipped it back on -- but it answered one of the great questions I always had in the back of my mind.  Now we know.

[Piute]

   It's right there like your horn Fast and should be an automatic instinct if needed,So very good question .
 Any bike your throttle can stick(Wide open and climbing is very bad for any bike) or break very good time to use that switch.I was told to do/try on my bikes have and each time I've pulled in the clutch,Some I've gotten A back fire but kept it up and moving.,Removed return cable on my bike There's A reason Honda put it there ,But I fill save / cmfortable with my KILL switch.
  Some are taught how to lay there bike down (I was) again good time also,

[ksharp]

when you need it you will know and youll be thankfull it was there trust me

[shinyribs]

I always wondered the same thing when i was riding dirtbikes and was the only guy without a kill switch.I found out real quick.They are a real nice feature.Hope none of us ever need it on the street,but glad its there

[Lucky 1]

Bikes did not use to have kill switches but I think emergency crews needed a way to turn off the motorcycle in case it was laying on its side and they could not reach the key.

Later on they added mercury switches, so when the bike is down the ignition is cut off.

[Piute]

My 05 had one( mercury switche)thought was strange and unhooked it.

[dave Esch]

Your answers are all good ones, but all are incorrect. the kill switch is for making a rider look like a dumba**, nothing more, nothing less. Now, there are several methods in which I have found that you can accomplish this;
1; Turning round on the bike to wave people by always makes a rider look bad. Especially when you turn back round and bump said switch, causing the bike to mysteriously shut off.
2; Leaving said switch in the off position and having trouble getting bike to start the next time you ride (this is almost as bad as leaving the fuel off, except the kill switch does not allow you to get a block and a half away from home before mysteriously shutting off).
And my personal (and most experienced) least favorite
3; Shutting down bike using said switch and neglecting to shut off the key. This has the same effect as leaving the kill switch off, depending on how long the bike sits with the headlights on.
I hope this answers your question.

[Piute]

                                                 
                                                      MADE IN JAPAN
 Kamikaze Switch; containing explosives to be flown / ridden in a suicide crash on a target,cages making left turn in front of you.,switch in easy excess location for quick use,

 S.S. model ; Super Suicide nuclear bomb mode,clears any city guaranteed .

[MarkPBG]

OOh, I'm going to rewire mine to activate two frame-mounted full-auto paintball guns and the hoppers will be full of custom paintballs, loaded with paint stripper! LOL Let's see that mercedes cut me off now!

[Piute]

[shinyribs]

Paint stripper!You're a nut!

Dave,you make a good point.It is somewhat embarrassing when you dont realize you bumped the kill switch and you have to kick the bike twice to start it.Kick-PHUTPHutphut....oooh maaan....who saw that?...kick-VROOM!

[Lucky 1]

What if the paint stripper gets in someones eyes or hits other cars that were not the target?

You have to remember that on the internet some dumb person might actually do what you suggest.

[MarkPBG]

Seriously?

My "suggestion" was that ****I**** would do it. Not for anyone else to do it. (and I won't do it…it's called sarcasm) Lets see any lawyer try and hold me accountable for the stupidity of another. They will lose every time. (my Lawyer is fairly smart, for a Lawyer) LOL

[Piute]

 Used bleach in a squirt gun for dog that would chase me when I'd deliver papers as a kid
Some @#%@#$ tryed to get me in trouble and called the cop
  They said it was a good idea cause now they will keep there dog in the yard so it worked.dog was fine wasn't straight .

[shinyribs]

Mark,you better be careful!!! LOL ! Watch out for them legal types brother! LOL!   If someone's errant James Bond paint-stripper-shooter system happens to squirt you in the eye...just reach over and bash their kill switch rendering it useless...that'll teach 'em.Dang kids these days...

[MarkPBG]

Maybe I'll just keep my points ignition and use it to fire a nice low power two block radius EMP generator…that should take care of anything made after the mid 1970's! LOL


Time to move this to a "bikers fight back urban combat" thread? lol

[shinyribs]

LOL! I can't believe you mentioned an EMP! Less than a week ago my buddy Chunky,who does my powder coating,was swapping out the electronic distributor and his F100 for a dual point.

Me= "Chunk...what're ya doin'?"
Chunky="EMP man,they ain't getting me"
Me="Seriously?"
Chunky="Uh...YEAH?!?!"

For real,he's one of those guys.Conspiracy theorist to the MAX! You gotta love 'em! He's loaded to the hilt with guns and is always spouting off the scariest political facts.One day around him and you want to move to Zimbabwe just to be safe from Big Brother. Over a year ago he was even talking about something online he found where you could make an EMP out of an old microwave.I'm never letting him on my puter.Ever.He said the kid nextdoor played his radio too loud,too late at night

[MarkPBG]

LOL, I WANT neighbors like that! Too funny.

Burt Gummer's of the world….Unite! lol

ps. I hope Chunky's truck is old enough to be carburated, because if it's fuel injected he's got an ECU, a transmission control module, and several other EMP susceptible parts on the vehicle. If it was carb equipped, he's good for the nuclear attack and the zombie apocalypse! LOL

[shinyribs]

Oh yeah,its a '71 1/2 ton body on  '77 1 ton rails.460 ,c6 and co-ops.Hes ready.His other truck is a duece and a half military truck.Told you he was one of those !