...I have been hit by the ol' "my bike wont start...wtf...oh wait...I used the kill switch to shut it off" routine.    
After fumbling with my bike for a couple of minutes in the parking lot of my gym, I finally realized it.  I just started using the kill switch to shut it off because my new tank bag makes it annoying to reach for the key. 

Oh well, at least I am man enough to admit it. 

Confession complete.   

when i demo'd the 696 the previous rider used the kill switch... i looked like a complete retard in front of about 4 people including the owner of the shop (who reached over and switched it on)

You are not alone.. !    It happened to me as well, but I was riding and some how I turned the switch off at a red light,    cars behind me honking and for the life of me I could not think what the hell had happened to my bike, I had to roll it out of the way, just to notice the switch once I had called my brother, God and few more saints to come and help me out..!!  

I've always been in the habit of using the kill switch to shutoff the bike. As a result, if I happen to brush it with a glove to whatnot when riding, it's fairly instinctual to look there for a fix.

Tends to minimize the awkward hangups.

I've never used the one on my current bike, and I've had it for like five years. There was one time on a previous bike I had where a shop did the 600 mile service for me and turned the switch, and I had absolutely no idea how to start it. Like you, I spent about 5 minutes looking like an idiot in the parking lot of the shop until someone came over and showed me how stupid I was.

I've done this more times than I can count.....

Quote from: Juan on May 21, 2008, 08:31:26 AM
You are not alone.. !     It happened to me as well, but I was riding and some how I turned the switch off at a red light,     cars behind me honking and for the life of me I could not think what the hell had happened to my bike, I had to roll it out of the way, just to notice the switch once I had called my brother, God and few more saints to come and help me out..!! 

I did almost the same thing, a week after getting my bike. I ended up pushing around the corner and sitting on the curb for a few minutes with my head in my hands thinking I'd bought a lemon. It was almost worth it for the relief I felt when I figured it out.

I've definitely had the oh shit moment when it didn't start.  But I think after doing it once or twice you learn to check the kill switch before panicking TOO much. 

ha! I just remembered what started my habit of always using the kill switch.

My first bike was a 79 honda CB400. I bought it right when I graduated high school. Rode it for about a week, and then left town for the summer. Came back ten weeks later, and it wouldn't start.

I always thought I was pretty mechanically inclined, and I figured the carbs were just gummed up from old gas, so I took them off, cleaned 'em, rebuilt 'em, polished 'em, and put them back on. Still didn't start.

Replaced air filters
Replaced fuel filters
Replaced spark plugs
Replaced battery
nothing!

So I took it to the a local independent motorcycle shop in a truck, dropped it off, said "this thing won't start, it ran fine three months ago, now nothing." He's like, it'll be about a week before we can look at it.

Calls me a week later, "man, I don't know what was going on, but we just started it with the gas that was in it, and it's running great."

I went up there, watched him turn the petcock to run, flip the cutoff switch (neither of which I had done), and fire the bike right up.
I felt like a complete dumbass.

Quote from: DucPete on May 21, 2008, 10:49:08 AM
I've definitely had the oh shit moment when it didn't start.  But I think after doing it once or twice you learn to check the kill switch before panicking TOO much. 

Yeah, I hadn't gotten to the panic point YET, but I was pissed that everything seemed fine and it just wouldn't do anything.  It felt pretty good when I realized it was just the kill switch  

Quote from: Adam in MO on May 21, 2008, 10:53:53 AM


I went up there, watched him turn the petcock to run, flip the cutoff switch (neither of which I had done), and fire the bike right up.
I felt like a complete dumbass.

I'm curious Adam, did they charge you anything for the "fix?"

I had  a minor panic today when my starter motor wouldn't turn (I'd been reading a thread about seized starters earlier today so my starter paranoia was set to 'high').

...then I remembered I'd deliberately left the bike in gear when I parked it, so it was saving the bike from ploughing into a wall.

I hate getting out-smarted by machines.

uh huh... i have a garage now. with an opener. i feel grownup. i use the kill switch when i roll into the garage. and so far, half the time i forget about it when i try to start it.

spey-shul, that's what the wife says...

Quote from: Adam in MO on May 21, 2008, 09:37:04 AM
I've always been in the habit of using the kill switch to shutoff the bike. As a result, if I happen to brush it with a glove to whatnot when riding, it's fairly instinctual to look there for a fix.

Tends to minimize the awkward hangups.

I always use the kill switch to turn off the bike, but I flip it back to on right away.  I've done this too quickly and she's roared back to life on me!

Did it saturday for the first time. Sitting in front of Speed's and some cute blond I hadn't seen before.    Ultimately figured out what I'd done after she talked me into bringing the bike around back to let the shop take a look.  I never use the darn kill switch and I had when I stopped for some reason. Well, I admitted the brain fart in front of her and 2 mechanics and left a bit humbled.