What does your kill switch do?

[jaffa90]

I have had umpteen bikes and never used them but only checked them.

My latest bikes kill switches always prevented engine turn over when using the start button.

[mentalboy]

And the earlier ones didn't?

First thing to check when the bike wouldn't start was whether you had accidentally knocked the kill switch off.

Can't imagine anything has changed on them since they were introduced.
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Make mine a Corona.

[stinkwheel]

Early 90s Hondas allow you to turn the strarter with the kill switch off.

Oh how we laughed!
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[mentalboy]

[yen_powell]

I have hired japanese bikes abroad that I have also owned in the UK and quite a few don't have a kill switch at all.
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XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Polarbear]

My Suzuki GT500 kill switch used to operate at the first hint of rain.

I'm not sure that was what Suzuki intended though.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[blurredman]

Never use mine anyway.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[Nobby the Bastard]

Turns off everything except the trigger from the ignition to the heated grips relay....
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Awesome backfires especially so if it has carbs and without a catalytic converter.
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[Easy-X]

A kill switch just shorts the electrics going to the ignition coil so everything else'll work, just no spark. Isn't that how it works on all bikes?
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[jaffa90]

[MCN]

Possibly discombooberates the Main Relay switch wire so that Hee-Haw power gets past the main relay.
It depends on how the OEM wants to wire it.

I have never had a phaph with a kill switch.

The Rule is not to use the kill switch and only use the ignition key to shut off the engine.

That rule is to prevent 'over-use' creating a weakness in the system.

Unless it's used to fcuk with folk. That is 100% not a maintenance issue.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[ThatDippyTwat]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Polarbear]

[WD Forte]

Depends

On AC CDI bikes like Easy X's and Blurredmans
they short power from the CDI source coils to ground
preventing or killing the sparks

Some bikes, they open and cut off DC power to the
ignition circuit and coils and that's all

Those are simplest functions
On other bikes and in theory they can do whatever they're designed to do
related to stopping and inhibiting the starting.

On my bike it's a modified form of an AC CDI switch to give a ground to a relay coil
where the NC contacts supply the ignition components.

depends see?
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bikers smell of wee

[Easy-X]

Yeah, the DT is so old-skool you don't so much "hot wire" it as just unplug the ignition cable

Just checked the Rebel and the kill switch seems to operate the fuel pump (and I assume also the ignition coil) but everything else works, even the starter motor.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Sister Sledge]

Mine won't crank when off at the kill switch but I want to bypass it for maintenance reasons - the bike isn't used every day and has a dry sump system. I want to be able to crank it without the engine starting so that I can be sure that oil is at all critical surfaces when it does fire up. Kinda like you do with large diesel engines!
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CCM 404 DS

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Required by law in Murika, probably same for EU.

CBR6 kills engine, same way as if you drop sidestand in gear.
Won't let starter turn, this is 99 carbs model.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[WreckTangle]

Going back to the original question, I think the reason for the kill switch is that in an emergency, if the bike is crashed and on it's side, it might be a pain to get to the ignition switch to turn off the bike (my ignition switch is on the side of the bike, not the top, like most other bikes, which would be impossible to get to if it had been put on it's side) so it would be faster to hit the kill switch to kill the engine, than pick the bike up and turn it off. (if there is spilt petrol, time would be of the essence)

and.........

My friends reason is 'I usually drop the bike and the tip over switch turns it off'
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[mentalboy]

[MCN]

[hellkat]

I think mine does The Macarena.

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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[recman]

[1198]

it either kills the ignition or kills the ignition and starter in my experience if it doesn't kill the starter too you can look an absolute chump trying desperately to start a bike with it turning over fine but not firing...