The "Parking" Key Position in Gen III. Useful?

[Old Guy]

To me, whether it's useful or not isn't the question. The question would be why did the engineers decide to put it so close to the Off position that it's very easy to inadvertently hit the Park position instead. I've had a Park position on several bikes, but as far as I can remember it was always at the other end of the switch position to activate it -- extremely unlikely to do accidentally.

I've done it once, but luckily it was in my garage. When I turned the lights off in the garage I was momentarily puzzled about why the bike lights were still on.

 

[whoknewit]

The "Parking" Key Position in Gen III. Useful?
No.

+1.

Left my Gen III in "Parking" mode accidentally once during the day, came back many hours later in the dark to find it glowing.

Resigned myself to hitching a ride home, but was relieved when it started right up. Won't make that mistake again.

 

[wheatonFJR]

If you won't make that mistake again, it's not a problem, right?

 

[Niehart]

Another reason those led signal, brake and taillight are so cool.

 

[Nanahanman]

You know, I don't remember coming across any recent bikes that DON't have a parking position..... It confuses me why this still a hot topic?

The fact that this feature is on most bikes and the fact that no one really finds it particularly useful IS the reason for the "hot topic"

 

[Old Guy]

My old ZRX has a Park position in the switch. Locked is as far as it'll turn counterclockwise -- Park is as far as it'll go clockwise. In 17 years of ownership I've not accidentally left it in Park even once

 

[Panotaker]

If they are going to add a parking position, they need to add it to the opposite direction on the ignition switch like they used to, or put a beeper on it to let you know you left it on, and add a button to turn off the beeper. That way, you won't accidentally leave the parking lights on in the day time. Most cars have a beeper to let you know you left your lights on.

 

[mcatrophy]

If they are going to add a parking position, they need to add it to the opposite direction on the ignition switch like they used to ...

Point is you can leave the bike with its steering locked, tricky to do turning the key the other way.

Anyway, someone is bound to use their left hand to turn off the ignition the wrong way, then they'd be moaning about that.

 

[Fred W]

I had never inadvertently left my 2014 in "Park" light position, so I had to go fiddle with the key to see why that was.

Turn key CCW as far as it can go with the bars straight it only goes as far as Off. Will not go any further unless you push the key in, and then it will not go into the Lock position unless the steering is at either one of the stops. Since I'm not in the habit of locking the front fork, I have never inadvertently hit the Park position.

Fiddling with the key switch further I find that to get the switch into the "Parking" position it needs to be in Lock, and you then have to release the pressure on the key, it pops out, and then continue turning CCW to reach "Park". So if you are in the habit of using the fork lock, just keeping pressure in on the key while turning, it will stop before reaching Park. Then pull the key all the way out without turning further.

Seems simple enough.

 

[Old Guy]

If they are going to add a parking position, they need to add it to the opposite direction on the ignition switch like they used to ...

Point is you can leave the bike with its steering locked, tricky to do turning the key the other way.
Anyway, someone is bound to use their left hand to turn off the ignition the wrong way, then they'd be moaning about that.

My ZRX has the Park position as far clockwise as it'll go. I'm telling you with 100% certainty, that won't happen accidentally

It's very clumsy after locking the forks counterclockwise for a while.

As Fred said, though, it won't happen on the FJR unless you're locking your forks.. I've had my '13 for over three years, and I've put it in Park once. When I turned the lights off in the shop, I thought "What the hell?" After that, I haven't done it.