Stop leaving the key on!

[wfooshee]

Wait. Something just clicked in my head.

You walk away from the bike without turning around to look at it and bask in the glory that is your FJR?!?!?!?

See, if you did that, you'd notice the shit still lit up.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I developed a new habit from watching IBR riders get 'welcomed' into Kingsport. An IBR official walked up to them and -- very quietly -- asked two questions in quick succession: "Is your kickstand down? Is it all the way down?"
Each rider turned his/her head and looked down at their stand. So I do that now, too. I look down and watch my sidestand contact the ground and take the weight of the bike.

The ignition is never left on, but I leave the key in the ignition a lot when I walk away .....

Don't know what bike I developed the habit on, but when I use the kickstand (usually centerstand these days) the kickstand gets kicked down and then it gets a second kick to make sure it's in position. One bike I had, had a nasty habit of not going all the way into the down position thus me developing my habit.

 

[art miller]

You leave the key in the ignition in L.A. you won't have a dead battery, you won't have a bike !!!

Now we have a bell ringer!! How in the devil can one get off his bike and walk away with the dash lights on? I can admit leaving the key in the ignition a time or two, but never with the ignition on!!! If you do not change your ways you will come back for your bike and forget where you parked it. You may be able to buy it back on ebay!!

 

[Big Sky]

As I age the only hope is habit. Keys always go in the same place. Bike is parked the same way. Disk brake lock pouch goes over the ignition switch. Hell, I get the left pannier, she gets the right. Every time. Rainsuits go in the tank bag. Helps me keep my shit together.

Don't mean to divert, but... Yes, habits. Like with youse guys, she gets the right pannier, I get the left. Why? Here's our logic: the right one is on the high side when the bike is resting on the side stand, thus it is easier to rummage around in when we're parked as the lid doesn't flop down beyond horizontal as it does on the left - low - side (we don't use liners). And she needs to rummage in her pannier about 10 times more often than I do. She used to have difficulty identifying which was which when not mounted on the bike, but it's easier now: her bag - the right - is the rashed one. And, yup, rain suits in the tank bag... About 95 percent of the way we conduct ourselves when in riding mode is habit developed over three decades.

 

[mcatrophy]

I've learned over the years to always turn the engine off with the key. My only exception to this was when I had a bike with a clutch lever and parking on a slope, when I couldn't let go of the front brake or the clutch, so couldn't turn of the key, but I could thumb the stop switch.

Just develop the habit of using the key.

.. as the lid doesn't flop down beyond horizontal as it does on the left - low - side ...

You have done the two second mod to stop the lid going down so far, haven't you?(Click on image for larger view)

Before and After

 

[BkerChuck]

Maybe I'm just fortunate but I developed the habit ages ago of pulling the key out as soon as I shut the bike off. I have seen friends of mine walk away and let the key hanging in the ignition, never left turned on though.

On another note, as the owner of a Buell S-2 you learn early on to let the bike in gear on the sidestand. Early models would sometimes roll forward and you'd return to a bike on it's side with smashed up bodywork.

 

[Old Guy]

Habits are hard to break. Find something and /or a routine that has you turning off the key to stop the bike.
FWIW, I never use the side stand or kill switch to stop the bike. Too easy for CRS to kick in or a shiny metal object to divert my attention.

Of course, if putting the kickstand down is your habit, you might not want to try to learn a new habit. It'd be a bad day if in your brain you think "Bike's off, that means the kickstand is down."

...but in that case, once would probably break the habit!

--G

And his leg.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Also, one more tip. If you get into the habit of using your key to shut off the bike, just remember that the kill switch does keep the bike from starting and it does sometimes get bumped or shut off by well meaning friends.

I won't tell how many times I've tried to troubleshoot a bike that wouldn't start because of this, or how many things were checked prior to looking at said switch...or the amount of time wasted in the troubleshooting process.

 

[beemerdons]

Also, one more tip. If you get into the habit of using your key to shut off the bike, just remember that the kill switch does keep the bike from starting and it does sometimes get bumped or shut off by well meaning friends.
I won't tell how many times I've tried to troubleshoot a bike that wouldn't start because of this, or how many things were checked prior to looking at said switch...or the amount of time wasted in the troubleshooting process.

Friends? You mean like those Assholes SkooterG, HotRodZilla, GalaxyBlue and Patch 308, they did this the first night at SW-FOG in Taos, New Mexico!

2nd night these four Jerkoffs put 2by4's through the spokes and carried Lucy to a Circle K Store down the street, I filed it as a theft with Toas Police Dept.!

 

[Old Guy]

I road raced a bit back in the stone ages, and my bike was kick start only. And, for safety purposes, the kick start lever had to be removed, so the bike had to be bump started. It didn't take long to form the habit of checking that kill switch before pushing that **** thing for 20 minutes while the ******* who turned it off giggled at me.

 

[cbviars]

Tell me more about jump starting an FJR? Thank you in advance.

Tell me more about jump starting an FJR? Thank you in advance.

 

[RossKean]

From a car? Plus to plus, minus to minus. (Without car running) Start it up, disconnect and go. Best to hook up with jumper cables to the battery terminals rather than a battery tender cord - too much current and would pop the fuse.

If you are "Bump" starting, you have to have enough juice to run the injectors and ECU (9 V, I think). A good downhill run on a non-gravel surface (or rear wheel will lock up). Probably 2nd gear is best.

Edit: If it is an option, charge the battery at no more than 2 amps rather than have the bike's charging system do it. Charge rates from the on-board system are higher than ideal. Battery likes slow charge but sometimes there is no choice.

 

[Big Sky]

.. as the lid doesn't flop down beyond horizontal as it does on the left - low - side ...

You have done the two second mod to stop the lid going down so far, haven't you?(Click on image for larger view)

Before and After

I am aware of this mod/adjustment but am so seldom in MY side pannier while it's mounted that it is inconsequential. Besides, we carry our bags into our room at night and I want the lid to stay open when the bag is set flat.

 

[CA G-Man]

Maybe with some modification this would help:

www.amazon.ca/Remove-Before-Flight-Key-Chain/dp/B001BNCMFG

BEFORE AFTER

;-)

 

[Uncle Hud]

Haven't had to bump start the FJR yet, but there's an advantage to parking on the 4th floor of a 7-floor parking deck.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Maybe with some modification this would help:
www.amazon.ca/Remove-Before-Flight-Key-Chain/dp/B001BNCMFG

BEFORE AFTER

;-)

Regardless of what it says, it could work. I have a friend sporting one of those for his bike.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Take 1 six foot length of 34# test monofilament fishing line,

Double it,

Tie both bitter ends to your key,

When you ride, loop the looped end around your balls and fish the key out over your belt,

You'll only leave the key in the bike one more time.

Guaranteed!

 

[beemerdons]

Take 1 six foot length of 34# test monofilament fishing line, Double it, Tie both bitter ends to your key, When you ride, loop the looped end around your balls and fish the key out over your belt, You'll only leave the key in the bike one more time. Guaranteed!

That is a great idea El Grande Juan del Dakota Sur, but I have an even better one! Just have Lupita here of El Barrio del Phoenix ride pillion passenger with you ese, if you don't remove the keys from the bike then Lupita will bitch slap you silly!

JSNS, even HotRodZilla AJ runs scared of Señorita Lupita ese!

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I've used these for years for the spare keys I use for my bags.

Maybe with some modification this would help:
www.amazon.ca/Remove-Before-Flight-Key-Chain/dp/B001BNCMFG

BEFORE AFTER

;-)

 

[Uncle Hud]

bigjohnsd posted: Take 1 six foot length of 34# test monofilament fishing line, Double it, Tie both bitter ends to your key, When you ride, loop the looped end around your balls and fish the key out over your belt, You'll only leave the key in the bike one more time. Guaranteed!

Uh, yeah, I think that would work. Of course I'd need seven feet of monofilament.

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..... because I sit well back on the seat.