With the progress in technology during the 21st century, motorcycles have also been developed to offer advanced emergency features to their riders. Be it in the form of back whips or Bluetooth headsets, these innovations have greatly enhanced the rider’s safety during their journey.
One such invention is in the form of a motorcycle kill switch. As is evident from its name, this feature refers to a red button that instantly powers off your vehicle during severe crashes or when running low on fuel. Today, we will shine some light on this motorcycle kill switch’s history, functionality, and benefits and discuss its importance to every beginner and professional rider in detail.
Therefore, continue reading ahead to learn more about this safety button and how you can make the most of this feature. So, without further ado, let us get started.
What is a motorcycle kill switch?
A kill switch is an installed red button on every motorcycle to immediately turn off the ignition and all the other running systems during emergencies. These are generally located on the right side of your handlebar and come in two different types; manual and automatic options.
The purpose of both a manual and automatic kill switch is the same: preventing the flow of electricity to the engine, but both operate on different mechanisms. While a mechanical switch is activated when a rider falls or crashes into another vehicle, a manual kill switch gives you greater control over when to shut down the motorcycle’s engine.
What is the purpose of a kill switch?
Before we talk about the different purposes of a kill switch, we must look at its origination history. For over a hundred years, motorcycles were made from throttle bodies and lacked lined accelerator cables. This, backed by rugged, unpaved roads and cheap quality construction, meant that riding a bike was, at times, equivalent to taking a death trip off-road.
These factors also contributed significantly to the number of accidents occurring on the streets. To lower the severity of these crashes, biking experts designed a kill switch that would stop the power supply to your engine without taking your hands off the handlebar.
By doing so, your head is protected during harsh landings; meanwhile, the interrupted power supply prevents the chances of your vehicle erupting into flames and further damaging the internal system during unfortunate incidents. Apart from this safety, kill switches are also used by new motorcycles to cut down on fuel consumption costs when making various pit stops during your journey.
When to use the motorcycle kill switch?
Now that you have learned the purpose of a kill switch in detail, let us discuss the possible scenarios that may require you to press this emergency button. For example, suppose you are riding your bike at increasingly high speeds, but suddenly the accelerator cable comes apart, and your throttle stops responding; in such instances, a motorcycle kill switch is your last hope.
Additionally, once you have crashed into another commuting vehicle or fallen off your motorbike, you can use the kill switch to prevent your engine from overheating or damaging other internal components. However, the kill switch is not restricted to these scenarios; instead, riders use it regularly to cool down their machine after excessive use.
Equally important as knowing when to use a kill switch is to understand the situations where you must avoid pressing this emergency button at all costs. Remember that a kill switch should never be used while the motorcycle charges on roads. This is because doing so may result in your steering and wheels locking up, shutting down, and acting as a traffic hazard for those around you.
What is the effect of using a kill switch on a motorcycle’s engine?
One of the biggest concerns with using a kill switch repeatedly is worrying about the damage it might be causing to your motorcycle’s engine. For those of you overthinking this problem, we assure you that using a kill switch repeatedly has no adverse effects on the performance or engine of your motorbike.
That being said, there are still some pointers you should remember when using this emergency safety button. First, avoid pressing the button continuously for a short period since it can damage and ultimately ruin the integrated ignition coil. Next, remember to turn the kill switch on before powering up your motorcycle, or else pressing the button will produce no results.
Since kill switches are frequently labeled emergency buttons, they might scare the rider and limit their use to critical incidents. However, don’t let this label prevent you from pressing the switch repeatedly; try to do this by using your thumb only.
Wrap-Up
And with that being said, we have reached the end of our informative article about motorcycle kill switches in 2022. By this stage, you have already learned everything there is to know about the emergency motorbike kill switches and the situations that need the button to be pressed immediately.
Remember that while this safety option is a vital one to use by every rider, there are still certain limitations, like avoiding it while riding your motorcycle. To sum up, motorcycle kill switches can significantly boost the safety of your riding time if used and operated correctly.
