What is a kill switch on a motorcycle

Whether you’re a noobie motorcyclist or a diehard Harley-Davidson fanatic, you’ve used or at least seen the kill switch used on a motorcycle. And I’m sure you, like most of us, don’t really know very much about it.

The ignition switch and kill switches are emergency switch for motorcycles. Kill switch cuts power from the motorcycle engine and you can use the kill switch to stop the bike. The ignition key can activate the ignition switch and start the bike. The function of the stop switch is to immediately shut the motorcycle. It helps to lock position of the bike. Different types of bikes like a dirt bike or modern bikes all have a fuel pump and the same circuit. Since the ignition switch and kill switches have the exact opposite functions, make sure not to use them in an off position situation. If you accidentally hit the ignition switch or the kill switches, ensure that there is no harm caused.

So, in this article, we’re going to cover 7 facts that most riders don’t know about the kill switch of a motorcycle.

1. What is a motorcycle kill switch?

A motorcycle kill switch is a Red switch on the right-hand side of your motorcycle’s handlebars that completely turns off your motorcycle’s engine. The kill switch is an electronic device that shuts off the engine when the rider is not in control of it.

It is designed to stop the bike from running. A kill switch can be manually activated by hand. Almost every motorcycle on the market has a kill switch. The kill switch is mandatory in some countries because it is seen as a safety feature. It can be used to stop the engine in an emergency situation.

2. Why do motorcycles have a kill switch?

Motorcycles have a kill switch for safety reasons. A motorcycle’s engine can become dangerous if it is on when the rider has fallen off or is being towed. And in certain situations having the motorcycle’s engine on is just dangerous. It’s so much so that in some countries, every motorcycle must have a working kill switch in order to pass inspection.

The kill switch is an emergency shut-off for the engine. It’s a simple, red button/switch that is located on the handlebars of a motorcycle. Kill switches are usually within reach of the right thumb, making it easy to turn off the engine quickly.

Engineers designed motorcycles this way because if you have to take one hand off the handlebars to turn the key off, it’s possible to slip the clutch while doing so and risk jolting forward unexpectedly. A kill switch helps you stay in total control of your motorcycle.

There are times when a kill switch comes in handy in certain emergency situations. Such situations may include tipping the motorcycle over onto yourself while it’s still on; it’s useful to have a switch that will immediately shut the bike off to prevent further burns and injuries.

If you have electrical problems on your motorcycle and you’re seeing sparks, a kill switch comes in handy to immediately turn off the bike, stop the spark, and prevent further damage and/or injury. This is especially useful if your engine starts leaking fuel or oil because then it can be very dangerous and would need an immediate shutdown.

In all of these emergency situations having to take the time to locate the key, turn it off and take it out is just too slow. A big red button just works.

3. How To Know When A Kill Switch Is ON?

To determine if the kill switch of a motorcycle is activated when it is pushed towards the front of the bike. That is to say, if the switch is pushed towards the back of the bike, the bike will start.

I know, this seems like a dumb one for most of us, but you wouldn’t believe how many new riders mix this up. A big mistake is pushing the switch forward to turn the bike off. Most riders go through their first month of riding like this because it seems logical. I know I did it when I got my motorcycle endorsement many years ago.

4. What happens when the Kill Switch is Activated?

The basic thing that happens when you hit the kill switch on your motorcycle is that all power gets cut from the motor. This means there’s no fuel getting pumped, so it stops running. At the same time, there’s also no spark being created by the ignition coil, so all of the power to the plugs is gone as well.

5. What happens if you hit the kill switch while riding?

Hitting your kill switch is very dangerous whilst riding. This is because your wheels have the ability to lock, and you could lose control of your motorcycle very quickly. In fact, hitting the kill switch while riding is considered a serious infraction in most states. If you’re going about 50 mph or faster when you hit the switch, it’s also going to be a lot harder for you to bring your bike to a stop before running into something.

Hitting the kill switch on a moving motorcycle tends to cause an ‘endo’ as well. This is because picking up the front end from under-steer only makes the issue worse, so now you have two problems instead of one. Ultimately this can lead to either running off of the road or crashing into whatever was directly in front of you at the time that you pulled over (or hit) the kill switch.

6. How to safely stop your motorcycle using the kill switch

The best way to safely stop your motorcycle using the kill switch is by slowing down gradually before hitting the switch, then applying the brake. This will help you to avoid losing control of your bike and crashing. Remember, it’s still very dangerous to hit the kill switch while riding, so be very careful!

So there you have it – everything you need to know about why motorcycles have a kill switch, and how to use it safely. Be sure to always practice caution when hitting the switch, and never do so while riding at high speeds.

7. Does the kill switch damage your bike?

There is no evidence that the kill switch damages your motorcycle. In fact, it’s a very important part of the bike and is used to safely stop it in emergency situations. Always be sure to use caution when hitting the switch, as it can be dangerous if done while in motion.

Bonus Fact: Does leaving the kill switch on damage my bike?

Absolutely not! So many motorcyclists use their kill switch as a way to turn off their bike and leave it off for days on end. I am not a fan, because when I hope on the bike I just want to go. But there is no damage happening to the bike when it’s left off for an extended period of time. It will basically do nothing but sit there, even if you forget the key in the ignition. The only thing that might happen is that your battery could drain slightly, which isn’t a big deal at all.

Conclusion

So there you have it – everything you need to know about why motorcycles have a kill switch, and how to use it safely. Be sure to always practice caution when hitting the switch, and never do so while riding at high speeds. Remember, the kill switch is an important safety feature, so make sure you know how to use it properly!

When I bought my Harley 12 years ago, the salesman always told me to turn off the bike via the kill switch on the handlebars.  I did not give it any thought until I filled up the tank last week.

What is the purpose of a motorcycle kill switch? The function of a kill switch is to cut off power to the motorcycle engine in case of an emergency so you do not have to take your hand off the handlebars.  Some riders use it to try to save fuel by shutting off the motorcycle at stop lights.

There is more to this short answer.  Here are the other things you need to know.

Different Emergencies To Use The Kill Switch

So I listed the main purpose of the kill switch as shutting off your motorcycle in case of an emergency.  You may wonder about the different emergencies.  

Throttle Stuck Wide Open

Let us imagine (or reflect if this has happened to you) you are going down the road at 65 mph and a sign tells you about a sharp turn ahead in the road.  You roll off the throttle only to find out the RPM’s will not drop and the bike keeps moving at a high rate of speed. You then realize the throttle is stuck.

You have two choices to make at this point. One of them is lightly press on the back brake to slow the bike down.  If there is a sharp curve ahead, you will not scrub enough speed.

Your second option is to shut off the bike. Here again you have two options: a. take your hand off the handlebars and turn the ignition off. b. flip the kill switch to the off position.  

We know what you should do (shut the bike off via the kill switch) but if you do not have the right habit; you may end up taking a hand off the bars to turn the ignition. This choice could cause an accident.

You Are in Wreck

For the second example, let’s assume you ended up in a wreck somehow and you have little mobility of your arm.  Maybe you are in a position where the bike cannot move and letting it run makes little sense.  

You can shut the bike off via the ignition switch or by using the kill switch.  It is safer to use the kill switch so you don’t have to take your hands off the bars.

Stranger Helping In A Wreck:  

Continuing with the example of a wreck, this time let’s assume it knocked you out and someone nearby comes over to turn the motorcycle off. 

Will they know how to turn it off via the ignition?  They may not be able too. I will talk more about this in the next section of the post.  

A kill switch is much easier to find than an ignition switch. Many motorcycles have the button in red on the handlebars.  The bright color catches the helpers eye to shut off the motorcycle.  

Differences Between A Motorcycle

Kill Switch and Ignition Switch

If you’re new to street motorcycles, you may wonder about the difference between a kill switch and ignition switch.  There are important differences and they can affect your safety.

Location Of Kill And Ignition Switches

You probably picked up by now that each switch is located in a different spot.  What makes this topic so interesting is we can find the ignition switch just about anywhere on the motorcycle.

On my Harley for example, we locate the ignition switch right in the middle of the tank with a big chrome knob.  I use my key to lock the ignition.

I have had other motorcycles where the ignition uses the key and found right in the middle of the handlebars.

Even a third motorcycle I placed the ignition right below the seat on the left-hand side of the bike.  Imagine reaching below your left butt cheek if you were sitting on the bike.

My sister’s Sportster has it on the right-hand side of the bike in front of the tank.

We find the kill switch for these motorcycles on the band bars within a thumb’s reach. 

You can see the location of each switch makes a difference in how quickly you shut off the motorcycle.

What Do Motorcycle

Kill and Ignition Switches Do

Aside from shutting off the motorcycle, the kill switch does not do much else.   It can keep the bike from starting which can be helpful in a few scenarios.

Have you ever seen a kid trying and start a motorcycle after being told to not mess with anything?  If you have been around motorcycles for any length of time, you will see it. If they know little about bikes, they cannot start it.

Perhaps you’re letting a child get used to the motorcycle and letting them sit on it (it is cool.) I do this with my daughter as a way to let her get familiar with things.  Like all little ones, she gets curious and starts poking buttons. When the kill switch is off, it significantly reduces the chance she will start it. I am never far away. 

Going to the extreme with the kill switch

Would do you think would happen if the kill switch shut off all power to the bike? You could not turn on the blinkers and 4 ways. Sometimes it would stop ABS or other important functions of the computer.

Overall, it would be a complete disaster, more so modern bikes.  Still with older bikes, you need to be seen at night which means using your blinkers.

This is exactly why the kill switch shuts off the motor. It does this by killing the spark to the engine.

Ignition Switch And Accessories

Riders still need to turn the accessories, turn signals, and other electrical features on and off. Therefore, the ignition still has a place on the motorcycle.  

Most manufactures have a locking mechanism associated with the accessories on the bike.

How To Properly Turn Off Your Motorcycle: The Kill or Ignition Switch?

As dumb as it sounds, the habit of turning your bike off just may save your life one day.  Let’s talk about why.

If you have read my other posts, you know we are creatures of habit.  In emergency situations we automatically use the habits we develop. It is not a conscious but the sub-conscience reaction to the situation.

Turning your bike off using the kill switch first allows you to create the conditioning for the correct sub-conscience reaction in an emergency.  We already talked about a few scenarios where this might come in handy.

Using The Kill Switch To Save Fuel

While doing a little investigating I came across information stating the main purpose of the kill switch was to help riders save fuel.  At first, I thought this was a ridiculous article, but I kept reading.

The reasoning was similar to how newer cars shut off at stop lights and start back up when you let off the brake and accelerate away from the stop.  

It makes sense, but I find this hard to believe it is the main reason they introduced the kill switch to motorcycles.  The safety features make the most sense, riders just might use the kill switch for this function.

I, however, will not be doing this.  

Do All Motorcycles Have Kill Switches?

I cannot speak for every rider or manufacture, but all the motorcycles I’ve owned had some kind of kill switch. 

Some have had the location on the left handlebar and some on the right.  They were all within a thumb’s reach away and all were used at least once for some kind of emergency.

Different Kill Switches

Even though each bike has as a kill switch, there are differences that many apply to the style of bike being ridden. Here is a table to help.

You will note for the kid ATV/ dirt bike the parent holds a rope and can trigger the switch (shut off the engine.) Here is an article that talks more about this and general ATV safety for kids.