Quote from: adidasguy on September 21, 2011, 10:23:08 PM

Quote from: missk8t on September 21, 2011, 07:54:45 PM
I recently went to a learner training course and they advised to turn off with the kill switch then the key. 

Does it really matter in the end so long as the key is taken out?

In one sense, no.

However I find it really easy to flick the kill switch with my right thumb as the first thing I do. Since I always park in gear so the bike doesn't roll, the bike is off right away so I can dismount, take hands off the bars (and clutch) and do whatever else I do without fear of the bike taking a jump because I accidentally let go of the clutch while bike is on and in gear.

So for me, it is a really safe habit.

Never have to worry about draining the battery - I always lock the steering and take the key --- and to do that, you gotta turn the key off.

umm even with the kill switch on u can still kill ure battery, i did it the other day, went pasted the locked postition with the key after turning off with the kill switch so it went to park and killed the battery by the lights being on all day

however i also sorta have gotten into the habbit of turning it off by the side stand when i get it up my driveway

MSF habit here as well. a bit of both, but kill switch more than key

MSF taught me to use the kill switch every time, so I did that for a while. I've since changed and leave the kill switch in the run position while turning the bike on and off with the key since I'm lazy.

The thought has crossed my mind that, due to this laziness, I may not have the best muscle memory in place if I ever need to kill the bike while at speed. Every once in a while I flick the kill switch off and on to remind myself and to simply go through the ritual, but it's not the same kind of insurance as having the good reflex to be able to kill the engine without thinking about it because I've done it that way every time.

I guess we all choose our own risks in favor of certain "freedoms."

If I lived in Illinois, Arizona, Iowa... any of those states that don't have mandatory helmet laws (I'm in California), I would still wear a helmet on every ride.

This makes me question whether or not I should change my habits (I believe in good habits since they require no conscious effort) and go back to parking in gear, using the kill switch, and not sitting in neutral at stop lights while unprotected from traffic behind.

I question why the kill switch is considered a good habit. Side stand, key or kill will all shut off the engine. Only one will not see you have a flat battery if you accidentally leave the key in the ignition.

Side stand: Bike is already in gear and will not roll anywhere. Downside, might forget key and walk from bike with lights still on and get flat battery.
Key: No risk of flat battery. Downside, need to take one hand off bike to turn bike off which means, either have bike in neutral and use left hand or in gear with foot on brake and use right hand.
Kill switch. Downside, might leave lights on. Sorry, can think of no benefits Intrinsic to the kill switch only.

Conclusion: use whatever method floats your boat 

And do sit at traffic lights in gear cause you just never know...

Michael

Quote from: missk8t on September 21, 2011, 07:54:45 PM
I recently went to a learner training course and they advised to turn off with the kill switch then the key. 

Interesting.  When I did mine (learner training) a couple of years ago we were taught to turn off with the key.  Their theory was that by over using the kill switch it has a tendency to wear out. 

I tend to use the kill switch myself. I don't use the key so I can restart quicker. I do tend to turn the bike off at lights when I'll be waiting for a while. That way its in gear I just hit the switch and I'm gone.

Side stand never EVER gets used to kill except by accident of me not having it in neutral properly.

Quote from: mister on September 24, 2011, 01:24:02 AM
I question why the kill switch is considered a good habit. Side stand, key or kill will all shut off the engine. Only one will not see you have a flat battery if you accidentally leave the key in the ignition.

Side stand: Bike is already in gear and will not roll anywhere. Downside, might forget key and walk from bike with lights still on and get flat battery.
Key: No risk of flat battery. Downside, need to take one hand off bike to turn bike off which means, either have bike in neutral and use left hand or in gear with foot on brake and use right hand.
Kill switch. Downside, might leave lights on. Sorry, can think of no benefits Intrinsic to the kill switch only.

Conclusion: use whatever method floats your boat 

And do sit at traffic lights in gear cause you just never know...

Michael

Nice analysis!

Remember you can shut off with the keyand still be in gear ...this way you don't leave the electrics on, and you still have it in gear to prevent rolling.

I usually shut down in neutral, because I'm in my garage, and I often need to roll the bike around to get the car out or whatever..But I do worry about parking in neutral if there is a slight downhill...bike could roll forward and retract the side stand...

I also like to shut down in neutral, so I can restart in neutral )without having to shift) for warm up...

I noramlly stay in first gear at a stoplight...except that stupid 3 minute light I have to go thru...left had gets tired..so I go neutral...or sometimes shut down completely!

In the grand scheme of things...it doesn't matter!

Cookie

If I ever have to park on any kind of an incline (my driveway) I just let the clutch out in gear at an idle then lock the bars.

At home, I park in neutral before switching off - space restrictions means I need to move the bike to house it.

At work, it is parked in gear.

The first thing I do when getting off the bike is remove the key and pocket it - still with gloves on. No way I can leave it behind this way. 

Michael