The Kill Switch - a safety lesson learned the hard way.

[larsn]

I just experienced an event sequence that could have been a serious injury or death. I am a new R1200R rider (~2000 miles), but have owned 5 other machines. I am going to swallow a small amount of pride, and write this story, hoping it will help other new riders (or even old heads) avoid my mistake. Here's my story:

I was making an approach to "the MC parking lot from hell" at a local university. (Hint: The one in Utah that beat Alabama in the recent Sugar Bowl - ha ha ) The lot has narrow ramp, right angle turns, vertical obstructions, and is covered in gravel. It is very suitable for Vespas, the standard U transport.

As I approached the critical left hand 90 degree turn, a speeding bicyclist crossed my path from the right, startling me. The brand new Granite R1200R went down, gently, to the left.

I made a huge mistake:
I went for the kill switch at the same time that I tried to get my "pride and joy" back "on its feet".
I missed the kill switch, which was now oriented differently than normally. The next sequence happened quickly. Trying to muscle the 500 lb machine back onto its feet, my right hand was still on the grip. Examining the geometry in hindsight, it seems impossible to exert a "pull up" on the grip without opening the throttle. That is exactly what happened. Instantly, the engine revved, the spinning horizontal rear wheel, moving to vertical, contacted the pavement, and the 500 lb motorcycle launched into the air, shedding me. The entire sequence took a great deal less than one second from "start pull."

Result: The R1200R traveled ~10 yards, fortunately, through open parking lot. I am grateful there were no students or other vehicles in the path.

Damage was extensive: $6,300. The tank was dented. Everything on the left side of the handle bars was scraped or taken off. The engine was saved from extensive damage by the SW MoTechs which took a heck of a beating. They are toast, but did their job well.
Personally, I got a huge bruise and my personal armor was shredded. Needless to say, I am "bummed out" and financially whacked.

The lesson: The kill switch! If (when) you go down, don't do anything until you use the kill switch effectively Repeat that as many times as it takes to make it reflexive.

I am not a new rider. In retrospect, I had not given proper consideration to the kill switch: When you are sitting on a new R1200R, you naturally avoid considering accident scenarios. I hope this sorry story will help someone avoid what I did. In a way, I was lucky. I got physically and financially "nicked," but not seriously, and my flying 500 lb motorcycle did not hit anyone midflight. It is not a "life altering" event. But it could have been. And it was avoidable.



1964 Honda 305 Dream
1970 Kawasaki 500 Mk III
1971 Honda CB 450
1974 Honda 50 Hobbit (no kidding!)
Kids
2008 Honda Shadow Spirit
2009 BMW R1200R

http://picasaweb.google.com/lnilssen6/B ... LzH75PbnQE#

[dderrig]

Wow, I have a question though? I assume the bike kept running and did not die because it fell on the clutch lever?

Dave

[larsn]

It was running and in gear (1st) the whole time. I used the kill switch properly after the damage was done - I will heal, and the bike will be fixed. All "we" need is time and money!
Happy riding -

[ShinySideUp]

Larry, I'm sorry this happened to you and your bike. And I appreciate your taking the time to write it up.

I find all the BMW switch gear less than intuitive, so much so that I've actually added my own horn button. The kill switch's being part of the starter button assembly makes me wonder if I would ever be able to actuate it instinctively. I suppose this is a good argument for getting in the habit of using the kill switch each and every time I stop the bike, so I can build muscle memory.

I almost always use the key, thinking it will save the battery from running the lights for the time it takes me to get from the kill switch to the key, but that bit of current draw is probably worth it to build an effective reflex.

Glad to hear it was only bruises and that the engine guard did its job. Thanks for helping us all.

[AllanCook]

Glad you're OK. Sorry about your bike. A good lesson for us all.

[Meatloaf]

I almost always use the key, thinking it will save the battery from running the lights for the time it takes me to get from the kill switch to the key, but that bit of current draw is probably worth it to build an effective reflex.

Just for fun, use the kill switch, then watch the light for a couple seconds. On the 2009 at least, the light cuts out in about 3 seconds by itself during the daytime. It stays on if it's night. The thing is too smart...

Larry, sad to hear of your misfortunes. Thanks for writing about it though.

[Ashveratu]

That is truly a shame what happened to you larsn. Hopefully karma will come back to that bicyclist and make him/her pay

[Cosmic-Rider]

Some lessons such as this, are never practiced and hope any rider never needs. You just hear stories from other riders who have made one of those "I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT" moments. Thank you for passing this along. I pray everything works out well for you and the bike. One big positive are the SW MoTechs. Could have been a lot uglier for the bike.

[bobw]

WOW! Glad you are "OK" for the most part. Thank you for passing this along and good luck mending as well as sorting your bike.

Hopefully karma will come back to that bicyclist and make him/her pay

I was thinking something a little more severe , but bad mojo is the very least that can be sent that cyclist's way. I know many folks ride both and I don't want to argue %, but for a group always demanding to be treated as having the same "right of way" status as other vehicles on public ways, so many (around here at least) display almost no skill nor respect for rules of the road, etc. They likely are of the same gene pool as the squids and rolling road block cruiser riders.

Safe travels!

[larsn]

Believe me, I have thought about it often. The cyclist is long gone, and has no idea of what happened only seconds after he passed - But I can't blame him for MY failure to kill the engine properly when I should have. If someone had written a letter like mine, and I had read it and thought about it, I believe the outcome would have been different. During a laydown, even at slow speed, we react. We don't think. That was my experience. If we are conditioned to react correctly, the outcome is good. That is my purpose. I guarantee you I won't do that again. I hope no one who reads my story will do that either.

I do like the suggestion to always use the kill switch to shut the engine down. That may make the "kill switch shutdown" completely natural - when you need it most, without thinking.

But, again, I look forward to getting "back on the horse." All I lost was a little time and money.
Happy Riding -

[ka5ysy]

I am confused: Did the engine not stop when you fell over the first time? The tilt switch should have functioned and stopped the engine quickly. It sounds like you did not go totally over on the engine guards and was trying to muscle it back up while mounted. Could you please elaborate?

[dderrig]

That was my question about falling on the clutch lever, I assumed when you crashed you eventually had to let go of the clutch which would have killed the engine? How/Why did the motor keep running. Inquiring minds want to know! By the way is there some sort of tilt switch as I was not aware of that?

dave

[deilenberger]

By the way is there some sort of tilt switch as I was not aware of that?

dave

BMW doesn't do "tilt switch" - I believe they feel since the bike can corner at angles that would tend to trigger it, it's a bad idea.

[websterize]

Another important lesson I learned in Basic Rider class is how to pick up a fallen bike, at least if you want to mitigate back strain. I "tested" the method on a hot summer day, at a stop light, surrounded by idling cars. Lot of fun.

Here's the demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjYweKeiLk

Glad you're ok.

[larsn]

That was my question about falling on the clutch lever, I assumed when you crashed you eventually had to let go of the clutch which would have killed the engine? How/Why did the motor keep running. Inquiring minds want to know! By the way is there some sort of tilt switch as I was not aware of that?

dave

Dave - Thats a good question. Let me first say this: The entire sequence happened so quickly, that I am really not sure what happened. I believe I reconstructed it to the best of my memory, but I do not remember my left hand at all, except for when I gave a huge pull on the handle bars and the bike came up and launched. I believe I would have the clutch lever engaged during a left turn at walking speed. When the bike went down to the left, my hand would disengage, as that grip was now the low grip, on the ground. I was straddling the machine, standing. The machine was horizontal, on its left side. That would mean that the rear wheel would be in 1st gear, spinning. Without the kill switch activated, I was doomed from the start. Straddling the machine, I gave a huge lift, and the bike came up, revved and launched. I was not in a position to engage the clutch lever, and I know I didn't. That does leave the thought that the rear wheel could have been idling when raised to vertical, and then hit the pavement in idle. But that would have the same effect: The machine would lurch forward, which would almost certainly open the throttle engaged in my right hand, and thereby launch the machine.
The result and the lesson learned are the same: Kill the engine before you do anything else. That is the point I want to emphasize.

I had no idea I had been injured - I have a square laceration on the back of my extensively bruised left thigh. I believe the luggage mounting rack protrusion caught me big time going by.
I also lost a toenail and shredded my padded right elbow. I have no idea how that happened.

I want to thank Bill for that UTube clip about "How to pick up a bike".. I note his first step is to use the kill switch so you don't get caught in the rear wheel. I believe that is not nearly as important or dangerous as the motorcycle becoming an unguided missile should you attempt to raise it with the motor running. However, the first step is always the same - kill the engine.

[Mollygrubber]

I tend to use the kill switch as an emergency measure on this bike. I have used them on other bikes to regularly shut down, but this particular one is very brittle looking plastic. I save it for times I really need it. That being said, I'd use it in a tip-over!

Glad you're OK Larsn, live to fight another day and all that rot... hey, it's a good opportunity to paint her Biarritz Blue!