Leaving the key on

[IndyFitz]

Okay, I can't possibly be the only person in the world who does this. I know, it's an idiot thing, and it shouldn't happen repeatedly, but it does. I've done it four times since I began riding less than 3,000 miles ago. It drives me bananas that the kill switch off and the key on leaves all the lights on and kills the battery. There's no point in lecturing me; I know I'm an idiot. I have accepted that I'm going to probably do this a lot. But I can't be the ONLY person who doesn't understand why they can't make a motorcycle beep at you like your car when you leave the key on.

So... is there ANY SOLUTION (besides burning it into my retinas so I always see DID YOU TAKE THE KEY OUT? in my field of vision) to this? Is there any adapter, kit, modification, etc. that will kill the power when I do this boneheaded thing? Is there an add-on that will beep or buzz or swear at me or SOMETHING when I do this? It only happens (as per Murphy's Law) at the WORST possible time, like at work today when I had to cancel three vital appointments and look like an idiot.

The worst part: when I started riding this year, three weeks back, I learned to pop start the thing. Got good at it. But do you think I can pop start it today? Heck, no. And I'm too old to be pushing a 524-pound Honda Shadow VT750 up hills repeatedly.

The person who give me a solution to this (that doesn't involve telling me to "just learn to take the key out") will have my undying gratitude forever.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress.

[Buicknick72]

STOP USING THE KILL SWITCH!

Just turn the bike off with the key.

I did it a few times, I was in the habit of killing the bike by dropping the kickstand.

But if you just always use the key to shut the bike off, there is no problem.

To wire in the kill switch to kill the entire bike would get pretty messy.

[IndyFitz]

I know, that sounds like the best solution. But if you take the BRC, they burn into you the order to do things. I really DO have the steps burned in. But if I get distracted, I forget. Like this morning -- pulled into a parking space, and as I killed the bike, a co-worker pulled in next to me and started talking. Forget to shut off the ignition and fuel. I fully accept that I'll just keep doing this. I just hate that I have to accept going through this pile of crap every time I do. I LOVE absolutely EVERYTHING about my motorcycle -- except for the damn key. Arrrgghh!!!

But thanks for the hint. I might be able to train myself to not use the kill switch, and use the key... but I thought I'd trained myself to take the key out!

[dgraves49]

Oki I won't tell you to remember to take the key out. Forget that it has a kill switch except in emergency situations. The only other way to shut it down is to turn it off with the key. With the key in your fingers you will rember to pull it out.

The only thing accomplished by using the kill switch is making a thief scratch his head once or twice when it wont start, and saves you from moving your hand from the bar to the key.
Another option is one of the retractable key rings thet attach to your belt.

[IndyFitz]

You know, I've joked with my wife that maybe there's a retractable thing to hook on somewhere. Do they actually make them? I'm all for that!

[GadgetDad]

+1 on the using only the key to shut it off. I had to train myself to do it also because I know i'm the type to always forget to shut it off. Now what I really need is something to remind me to shut my blinker off!

[FreakShow]

Well, if remembering to remove the key is an issue maybe a proximity key is in order. You can find them:

Here

That was just from a hasty Google search. I'm not promoting that product over any other proximity key system.

For $400 I could teach myself to use the key...

[ChuckDiesel]

This happened the very first day I got my bike. The guy selling it started it up so I could hear it run, and after he killed the engine, he forgot to turn the key off and it drained the battery.

[IndyFitz]

Yep, $400 is steep. I'd like to think I could teach myself to use the key. I really have my doubts, though. This is the fifth time (I said four earlier, but it was four last year alone... first time this year is today). I do it with my car frequently, and I've been driving for 25 years. The car reminds me with a beep or a ding, so I've rarely actually left it. Once in a while. The bike, though... man, it's frustrating. I'm getting too old to push that kind of weight up hills. Wouldn't be so bad if the pop start actually worked. Ah, well...

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

[FreakShow]

Maybe picking up one of these: Kiddo Proximity Alarms would work for you. Clip the little one to your bike's key and keep the bigger one in your pocket/bag/something. If you set it on "close proximity" it's supposed to beep or something when you get more than 13 feet away.

I can't find the price but I found THIS which is similar for about $30.

Maybe an option.