kill switch

[Norman]

you all need to have an operating kill switch if you don't you'd better figure out how to make it work cause trying to kill the bike with the choke going wide open through an inner section with cars whizzing by and you using one hand trying to find the choke ain't going to cut it. It's going to be one hella of a wreak and you will have a front row seat.

 

[eDJ]

AMEN ! Every motorcycle I've ever owned came equipped with a kill switch right there at thumbs reach. Some were buttons to press and some were slide or rocker swithces.

Think of it as SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

I've seen alot of riding lawn mowers that were built with a kill switch under the seat so that if the driver fell off or whatever the engine was instantly shut down. You had to be sitting in the seat to start the engine. Alot of people have had the things turn over on them trapping them with gasoline or hot motor oil pouring on them. Some were unfortuanately horribly burnt when the gasoline spilled from the tank and ignited. Those lawn mowers fuel tanks aren't that much larger than the tanks on our motorized bikes. Just pointing this out for sake of Norman's point. Who wants to be knocked unconscious and wake up in a burn unit ?

 

[pedalpower]

you all need to have an operating kill switch if you don't you'd better figure out how to make it work cause trying to kill the bike with the choke going wide open through an inner section with cars whizzing by and you using one hand trying to find the choke ain't going to cut it. It's going to be one hella of a wreak and you will have a front row seat.

why would I want to kill the engine in a intersection? just askin.

 

[Norman]

Look you read the post what I'm talking about is a working kill switch that operates from the handle bars one that you don't have to fumble for or even give much though about to operate.
I've been there and so has my son he hasn't had much experience on motorized bikes at all and he not a kid any more he over 30 years old.
I've rode, drove,and flew many different kinds of fast things and when the going gets rough and you want to stop it is very hard to take your hands off the bars/wheel/stick and try to find some means of killing the power when the throttle is stuck wide open and things are very badly out of control.
There is going to be a wreak soon if things don't slow down and you've got a front row seat. something to think about.
Norman

 

[Ilikeabikea]

why would I want to kill the engine in a intersection? just askin.

I'd say if a car bumped you and knocked you down and your leg was laying across a moving chain you'd want to kill a screaming engine really fast. I mostly like the kill switch so when I meet a city cop I can push the button, kill the engine and start pedaling................................

 

[Pablo]

I never figured out the whole no kill switch philosophy - the only two arguments presented are:

1) It's not reliable/causes running problems.
2) It could be hard on the magneto.

To these I say: "So? - Such hurdles would stop a dedicated MBer?"

 

[pedalpower]

I'd say if a car bumped you and knocked you down and your leg was laying across a moving chain you'd want to kill a screaming engine really fast. I mostly like the kill switch so when I meet a city cop I can push the button, kill the engine and start pedaling................................

if I get run over or off, a sippy cup of a motor racing on it's side is gonna be the least of my worries, pull the clutch, lift, kill motor-wipe dirt from wounds. that's what a chain guard is for-very functional-ever get your fingers caught in a track bike chain?

so, do you mount the kill switch on the left so you can throttle right before you press the button for normal shut off? Actually, I'll probably be putting on a switch-like a firing switch STDP to interupt the blue wire. but unless you're installing some sort of passive (seadoo, snow machine) switch-it shouldn't be considered an emergency kill switch.

 

[Large Filipino]

The only way I would have a Kill switch on my china engine is a toggle switch or a key switch to cut the blue wire not unlike how they would do it in let's say... a car. Grounding the white wire in my experience is asking for magneto failure. That white wire is for accessories anyway like headlights.
I deal with cutting off my engine by simply twisting my throttle back. I set my idle to stop my engine when the throttle is down.

 

[pedalpower]

I deal with cutting off my engine by simply twisting my throttle back. I set my idle to stop my engine when the throttle is down.

yep, now that my motor is mostly broken in I have to back out the idle screw another 1/4-1/2 turn so the choke kills it pretty quick. Also, I would like someone to post the schematics for a discharge capacitor like switch to use as a kill switch-or something that pulls enough watts to rob the spark etc.
then maybe it can be called a stop switch and not a "kill" switch.

 

[Ilikeabikea]

My kill switch just hooks the black and blue wire together, basically grounding the mag. Hey, thats the same way you kill a mag on an airplane. The white wire runs my headlight...................

 

[Pablo]

My white to ground is my kill switch. It's been working for 8+ months. When my magneto goes, you guys will be the first to know. Thinking electrically - is the magneto that whimpy?

When and if I use my white wire for power, I'll rethink my setup.

 

[Large Filipino]

yep, now that my motor is mostly broken in I have to back out the idle screw another 1/4-1/2 turn so the choke kills it pretty quick. Also, I would like someone to post the schematics for a discharge capacitor like switch to use as a kill switch-or something that pulls enough watts to rob the spark etc.
then maybe it can be called a stop switch and not a "kill" switch.

But I don't use my choke at all. I used to choke up throttle till it quits.
No more.
Just turning my throttle down kills it.
And my throttle isn't so loose that when you let go it snaps back so I can keep it idling when I signal. (my throttle is on the left)

I do want to do the toggle to blue wire eventually. But I also want to keep my bike looking clean so it's in the back burner for now.

 

[Norman]

Since the beginning of engines grounding out the mag is the way of killing the mag it gives the current some place to go into, the frame, it will not hurt the mag or its systems, popping off the plug wire will do more harm if the plug wire can't discharge it's energy like its supposed to then it will fire its current possibly right out the side of the coil.
battery ignition's systems interrupt the flow of current.
choking the engine to stop is flooding it so bad that the spark plug can't fire. Gee Wally why isn't my engine performing so good and my plug is fowling out crumby ol china plugs. How many times have we heard that?
So go ahead and stop your bike how ever you want to.
I'll stick with a kill switch its saved my son a nasty wreak or a blown engine if he would have pulled in the clutch when the throttle stuck.

 

[jasonh]

I don't have a kill switch because...it's broken and I haven't made up a replacement yet.

I will agree though, trying to monkey with the choke while moving is tough and a little risky. That's why I start my bike by picking up the rear and kick it over - I can just let it sit there and warm up, instead of riding it.