Spin off, do leave the bike idling?

[Old Jock]

Most newer (last 20 years) bikes have a neutral / clutch safety switch.  The bike won't start if in gear, unless the clutch is pulled in.  Some are also tied to the side stand and won't start in gear if the side stand is deployed.

That being said, I always pull in the clutch to start the bike, even when standing beside it.  Force of habit, I guess.

Thing is Rocker my bikes are older but on the newer bikes these devices IMHO are far from foolproof.

I've had the Ducati which is equipped with all these whistles and bells try to start when it should not, neutral light on but nobody told the gearbox. It gets worse if the bike has a "servo start" and cranks a given number of cycles on a single press of the starter.

Given how capricious the Guzzi neutral light can be, on the 5 speeders anyway, there is not a cat in hell's chance that I'd place any faith in it (I look on it as a warning that I am approaching or in the approximate vicinity of neutral)..................b ut each to their own.

I just would not trust myself even holding in the clutch off of the bike, by the time I slowly released it and realized it wasn't in neutral I can guarantee the bike would be on the deck and if it was a really bad day with me underneath it

If you let the older models with can style coils, the coils heat up too much and can potentially fail during long idling. Not sure how the newer models handle that electronically.

You have a point but on the older bikes what is a lot worse is to shutdown the engine and leave the ignition switch and kill switch on, that's a sure recipe to fry them. A lot of ignition systems now sense through the engine speed sensor that the engine is no longer rotating and kill power to the coils

I'll get ma coat

[Huzo]

Run = Ride

Never sit and idle unless at start up, safety and equipment check. Chat?? LoL maybe at a traffic light or stopsign.

Always start and stop while straddled. Kill switch to shut off then key. Always clutch in while starting, never take off center stand while running. Safe and smart...

Why do you stop the motor with the kill switch and not just use the key ?

[Kev m]

Why do you stop the motor with the kill switch and not just use the key ?

The most compelling argument I ever heard was that it reinforces muscle memory/habit. If you do it regularly, it will be easy to automatically do it should you need to in an emergency.

I've heard secondary arguments that it's how the bike was designed to be shut off and using the ign switch might allow unwanted voltage spikes. Not sure I buy it. But maybe.

I've also heard that many switches are better off being used. And if they are left in one position all the time are more likely to corrode and fail. Again, not sure, but maybe.

Still See A, that's enough for me.

[n3303j]

Anyone mount the bike when on the center stand,  then ride off from the center stand ? 

-- I used to have a BMW and the manual said you could do that, but I never tried it..

The R100RT I had came with a Reynolds "Ride Off" centerstand. Was no problem riding off that one.

It also wasn't any real difficulty to put the bike on the centerstand while in the saddle. Left foot puts the stand on the ground and snap torso backwards while gripping bars.

This was really useful as I had a hard time deploying the factory sidestand and couldn't quite flat foot the tall bike to step confidently off without any stand at all.

Solved the issue with a Brown aftermarket sidestand.

[dustybarn]

With my '70 Ambo, I have to let it idle for a bit after a cold start so it won't cough and belch and be generally unhappy when I try to ride away. Once it is warmed up, though, I'll shut off rather than let it idle for any length of time.

I know the neutral light on this particular bike is untrustworthy, so I pretty much ignore it (well, if it's off, I KNOW the bike isn't in neutral; if it's on, it MIGHT be).

[Darren Williams]

Might check your owners manual, but on newer model Guzzis, it said to only use the kill switch in emergencies, not as normal off.