[eprovenzano]

I work out of town all week, only home on weekends. I get home and uncover my 08 1100 Silverado. I turn on the key, hit the starter button... nothing. I check the neutral switch, side stand, pull in the clutch, still nothing.

While I was gone, my son had his quad in the garage and was doing some work to it, so of course I ASSumed he did something to my bike... the lights were bright, so the battery is fine... hmmm try making sure run / stop button is in the proper position. I flip the button to run, hit the starter button, and she fires right up.... Yes I am an idiot.

I guess I should apologize to my son for thinking he did something to my bike... naaaaa, I'm sure he did something I don't know nor want to know about, so all is good....

How many others out there have had similar situations....

 

[DMTJOY]

Everytime I try to start my bike and have the same problem you did. Only I don't have any kids to blame it on.

 

[Sugar Bear]

Believe Ol Sugar Bear, we have ALL done some smack me in the forhead silly things!! Some will admit it, some not. I know for sure over the years I sure have done some stuff that is a bit EM BARE ASSIN Ride Safe.

 

[bevo1981]

wow. i'm sure all of us do things like that from time to time, but rarely would admit stuff like this. not like me though. i never do anything like that. ever.

 

[Tonydtiger1971]

Try starting it and remembering your gloves are on the counter so you put down the kick stand and wonder why your bike stopped.

 

[alfa1six4]

Remember FINE-C. Which stands for Fuel, Ignition, Neutral, Engine cut-off switch, Choke and Clutch. Shut down is Thumb, Key, Valve.

 

[TinyBear]

Did one better on my old bike.

Was rideng home late at night from work. Was on a long country 2 lane road so i set the throttle lock on and kinda sat back. A few minutes later the bike looses all power and i pull off to the side of the road. Cant get the bike to crank over nothing its dead. The headlights worked but it was hard to check all the wireing without a flash light. finnly i decided to go try to start it again and found my Throttle lock broke and when the throttle closed it swung the piece of the trottle lock and flicked the kill switch. Took my 15 minutes at the side of the road to find that lol (and im a friggen mechanic for a living LOL).

 

[orygun]

I have a question, do any of you actually use the run/stop switch? Back in the day (way too many years ago) when I rode dirt bikes there were a couple of times when I ended up in compromisimg positions and used the kill switch. Like in a shallow ditch with the bike on top of me and the tire eating my leg. On a street bike it just seems to be another thing put there to create "doh" moments for this old fart.

 

[Tonydtiger1971]

Sometimes I've used it when I stop to back into a spot, mostly just an extra button.

I have a question, do any of you actually use the run/stop switch? Back in the day (way too many years ago) when I rode dirt bikes there were a couple of times when I ended up in compromisimg positions and used the kill switch. Like in a shallow ditch with the bike on top of me and the tire eating my leg. On a street bike it just seems to be another thing put there to create "doh" moments for this old fart.

 

[DonDar]

I have a question, do any of you actually use the run/stop switch? Back in the day (way too many years ago) when I rode dirt bikes there were a couple of times when I ended up in compromisimg positions and used the kill switch. Like in a shallow ditch with the bike on top of me and the tire eating my leg. On a street bike it just seems to be another thing put there to create "doh" moments for this old fart.

I use mine every time I shut the bike off. When I took the MSF course 20 or so years ago, they taught us to use it all the time to train your brain where it is. That way if you ever do have to use it in an emergency, your thumb automatically goes to it without your brain having to think about it. It does, however, create the occasional "duh"; I usually flip it back to run as soon as the engine stops, but occasionally forget, as I did at work the other day. Then you feel like an idiot when you're sitting on your beautiful shiny bike (that you've been bragging about since you bought it) in front of your co-workers and you can't figure out why it won't start...

Don

 

[DMTJOY]

I have a question, do any of you actually use the run/stop switch? Back in the day (way too many years ago) when I rode dirt bikes there were a couple of times when I ended up in compromisimg positions and used the kill switch. Like in a shallow ditch with the bike on top of me and the tire eating my leg. On a street bike it just seems to be another thing put there to create "doh" moments for this old fart.

I change which switch I use between the ignition, kill and kickstand. This way I can have them all fail at once and really give myself a headache.LOL

 

[tombstone]

OK here's another question

Why turn off the fuel valve? I never do... but I may be willing to concede that I'm an idiot if anyone can give me a good reason to turn it off. LOL

 

[DMTJOY]

OK here's another question

Why turn off the fuel valve? I never do... but I may be willing to concede that I'm an idiot if anyone can give me a good reason to turn it off. LOL

Tombstone, don't worry about turning off your fuel I never do either. The one time I did I forgot to turn it on the next day and stalled my bike when it ran out of fuel. LOL

 

[tombstone]

LOL, I've done that too.

I do give it a twist every now and then to keep it freely moving but don't see the need to turn it off unless I'm doing some maintenance.

 

[Sugar Bear]

OK here's another question

Why turn off the fuel valve? I never do... but I may be willing to concede that I'm an idiot if anyone can give me a good reason to turn it off. LOL

I am no expert at all, but according to my owners manual for an 1100 v-star, it says on page 3-8 talking of the "off" position"Always turn the fuel cock lever to this position when the engine is not running". I know of only 1 guy who had his crankcase fill was gas because of leaveing in "on". At least so he says. That may be the thinking behind what Yamaha says to do,or overflow carbs? just thought I'd pass that along, right or wrong.

 

[Tonydtiger1971]

Fuel injection, I just love the new fuel injection. Then again the petcock on my old bike only had on or reserve.

 

[metalhead]

Back to the 'stupid things we've done' question. Rode to Hell, Michigan for the Blessing of the Bikes get together last weekend. HOT day (in Hell, go figure). 85 degrees and very sunny. Rode most of the day. By the time I got home, I was tired and my brain was cooked. Pulled up on the pad, shut the bike down, removed my helmet, and stood up to get off the bike. Never put the kickstand down! The bike never hit the ground, but I heard every one of my vertebrate pop before I got her to stop moving downward and back upright. Stupid.