Topic: '78 CB550k kill switch

[egar]

Well, I've owned my bike for nearly two weeks and I figured out the electrical problem, thanks to this great site. I am addicted to this site now and my wife feels like a widow. The bike only runs for a few seconds (with a shot of starter fluid in the airbox). As I mentioned before, sounds like a carb problem now  - what with all the leaking gas from the drain tubes. I digress. The electrical problem was a faulty kill switch. The contact inside the red switch was bent. I can't seem to fix it and would like to buy a replacement switch. I have watched e-bay and scoured different vendor sites on the net. Does anyone know of another source? If not, I might just fuse the wires together for now and rely on the key to shut it off. Not that it is running yet anyhow.....[

[eldar]

I have my wires soldered right now. I have not found any place to get just a switch. I have onlu been able to find them with the whole control.

[oldbiker]

Have a look at eBay item No. 4564354787

[Bob Wessner]

Call me paranoid, some have called me worse  , but I've always considered the kill switch a critical safety item. So much so, that I routinely use it to shut off the engine after a ride, etc. so it becomes instinctive should I ever need it. Then I turn off the ignition. Sure, you have to make sure its in the neutral position to start the bike, but that should be part of the start-up drill anyway.

[Glenn Stauffer]

Do a search on 'motorcycle kill switch' and you'll find plenty of aftermarket parts - check Dennis Kirk, for instance.  There are at least three varieties that I can find - a kill button type of switch, one that has an integrated headlight on/off switch, and a teathered kill switch like those used on race bikes.

I agree with Bob that you should never wire around the kill switch.

--Glenn