Do I need a kill switch?

GoldenMotor.com

crazyinsane51

Member
Apr 2, 2012
38
0
6
Florida
The kit I got didn't have a kill switch. It was missing. Long story short can just use a twist throttle from a dirt bike or ATV that I have to go out and buy because without the kill switch I can't use the throttle at all.
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
yes. you can use any aftermarket throttle that'll fit your bars, with or without a kill switch.

to kill the bike, you can "choke" it out or come to a stop and dump the clutch.

assuming you're running the china kit.

you can also buy a switch from any electronic or hardware store and wire it up and mount it wherever you want.
 

crazyinsane51

Member
Apr 2, 2012
38
0
6
Florida
yes. you can use any aftermarket throttle that'll fit your bars, with or without a kill switch.

to kill the bike, you can "choke" it out or come to a stop and dump the clutch.

assuming you're running the china kit.

you can also buy a switch from any electronic or hardware store and wire it up and mount it wherever you want.
Thanks. Yeah I used to stop the engine on the first bike I had with the clutch. Cool Beans!
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
The kill switch can be/is a safety feature that should be employed.

Picture this: The throttle sticks wide open and you're coming to an intersection. Dumping the clutch isn't going to help you stop. Reaching down and fumbling to find the choke lever will just add to your problems.
If you have a properly operating kill switch with an easily reached button the engine can be shut down in a fraction of the time thereby shortening your stopping distance.

I highly recommend that you make provisions for a functioning kill circuit no matter if you run a 2 stroke, a 4 stroke or a small block Chevy. You need a way to shut down that engine in an emergency situation.
Tom
 

KCvale

Well-Known Member
Feb 28, 2010
3,966
57
48
Phoenix,AZ
The kill switch can be/is a safety feature that should be employed.

Picture this: The throttle sticks wide open and you're coming to an intersection. Dumping the clutch isn't going to help you stop. Reaching down and fumbling to find the choke lever will just add to your problems.
If you have a properly operating kill switch with an easily reached button the engine can be shut down in a fraction of the time thereby shortening your stopping distance.

I highly recommend that you make provisions for a functioning kill circuit no matter if you run a 2 stroke, a 4 stroke or a small block Chevy. You need a way to shut down that engine in an emergency situation.
Tom
In addition to Toms excellent reasons to have a handy motor kill button, I took a seemingly harmless 'fall over' spill hitting a patch of gravel in a parking lot to my left and the bike landed on me.

The thing is my jeans pant leg got caught in the still turning chain and sprocket and chewed a big chunk out of my leg at the calf like a chain saw in a matter of seconds.
If I hadn't had a throttle kill button I may have lost use of my right leg.
(I actually have a video of it)
~$40K and a skin graft and I'm OK since I was quick enough to push the kill button, but you get my point.

Besides safety, one of my most favorite parts of riding my MB is flying back on to my street (or my destination) and killing the motor and coasting all the way to my door in dead silence. Jason and I actually make a sport of that too, the last one to kill their motor looses unless the first motor killer didn't have the momentum to coast all the way to the door without pedaling.

And ya, riding with someone else is way more fun than just 'getting there and back' for me ;-}
 

The_Aleman

Active Member
Jul 31, 2008
2,653
4
38
el People's Republik de Kalifornistan
Some people like to kill the engine if they see a black n white, too.

However, if a cop already knows you're motorvated, and he knows you killed the engine when you saw him, he might get even more suspicious...
but that's another story!
 

rustycase

Gutter Rider
May 26, 2011
2,746
5
0
Left coast
I never hooked up the kill button on my motorized bicycle.
No prob to dump the clutch and kill the motor.

Yet I would have liked it operational more than a few times so I could have pulled in the clutch lever, killed the motor, and coasted quietly (er?) up to a stop where folks were standing about. Instead, I arrived with enthusiasm! lol NOT my intent!

Tom's reasoning is 1st cabin. The switch provides you with one more control over the engine, and you never know when that may be VERY important.

Similar to KCv, I was pinned under a harley once, with the engine racing. Heavy, and getting hotter! Good thing someone was there to shut it off and help get it off me!
I would have just laid there in the grease spot, frying on the pipes like bacon! lol
rc
 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
58
Moosylvania
Had the throttle stick open twice on me. Once on a 2 stroke, (my fault, 1st build) and on a 4 smoke. (Return spring failed) Neither put me in great danger but never ride with out one now.

Like brakes, I like to think I can get out of trouble almost as fast as I got in it.
 
Last edited:

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
Like brakes, I like to think I can get out of trouble almost as fast as I got in it.
I am thinking heavy on the throttle sometimes mebbe? for that lol. He He:)

I vote install a kill no matter what. There is no harm in stalling a little H.T. To shut it down
Kill Switch is a Kill switch! Good to have. I tried the my throttle is sticking ditty once. My fault. Was running out of road quick. Reached right over no panic at all and hit the switchlaff
 

MEASURE TWICE

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2010
2,741
1,211
113
CA
I have the button kill switch I bought for my DIY'er build, but also am putting in parallel a second toggle switch, the kind the you don't have to hold down, just flip. Both!

All the more, maybe a bit much, but I also ran both a ground from magneto and a magneto wire both to the switches. Yea the ground goes to a ring lug that is on the clamp of the switch that is the momentary one by the handle bar as it only came with one connection and the clamp. The second goes just in front of the seat on the top bar.

If both don't work, jump off the bike... NOT.. well anyway the lube in the head set probably does not stop most kill switch from working, but the two wires eliminates the worry as ground is direct from the bolt through the lamentations with external tooth star washer on the magneto.

MT