[The CyberPoet]

I agree it is silly, who here actually uses the "park"
position?

I do...

If I'm stopped on the side of the road or highway during a long road trip adjusting the load or checking something (esp at night), parked in a poorly-lit parking lot during heavy fog, a few other select times.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Badkitty]

ya but isnt that what hazards are for ? and at least you know those are on

[The CyberPoet]

ya but isnt that what hazards are for ? and at least you know those are on

Hazard lights only appeared on the Kat in the '03 model; those of us with older Kats don't have them.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[md86]

or you could just make sure you didnt turn it too far before you take the key out. Doesnt your switch have the letters on it?

Letters rub off eventually , and it's REALLY easy to miss the detent when locking the steering head . That's why I got into the habit of turning it all the way , then back one .

[paperairplane]

<Nelson>
Ha Ha
</Nelson>

Isn't the price of a new battery enough to break the habbit?

[KatanaO215]

or you could just make sure you didnt turn it too far before you take the key out. Doesnt your switch have the letters on it?

Letters rub off eventually , and it's REALLY easy to miss the detent when locking the steering head . That's why I got into the habit of turning it all the way , then back one .

Yeah, I guess. But it just seems like operator error to me. You would think after doing it multiple times you would just adapt

[md86]

True ...

[Humblekat]

just always train yourself to turn it ALL THE WAY...then back one detent

Thats the way I do it...

[wolfrider]

--My prev. bike was a Valkyrie... I was in the habit of killing the engine with the handlebar (red) switch, had been doing it that way since I started riding back in '96. Left the key in the ignition once (once!) and forgot to turn it to "OFF" after scramming the engine - and of course the battery drained, in just a couple of hours.

--Got it jumped OK (had to buy cables) and
**modified my habit.** I no longer kill the bike with the red switch; park, shift to neutral, put k-stand down, get off the bike while it's still running, then physically turn the switch to OFF and take the key out.

--I also have a spare key handy.
Just food for thought. (Those Yuasa batts are d--ngood, and can take at least 2 full-drains and trickle-charges. But you really don't want to keep making the same mistake.) And I was d--n lucky nobody decided to steal the bike.

There is one simple hardware solution (well, reasonably simple): replace your tail and 3rd eye bulb with LED replacements. These draw substancially less power than the stock bulbs and won't run your battery down at the same rate.

Now, that said, it's still easier to get in the habit of checking your rear light after you get off the bike, and getting into the habit of checking the key position when you take it out...

You know this is all bad karma for poking fun at someone else's after-run fan issue with their California model :P

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[crypt dog]

I did this once.. didnt drain my battery fortunately, but now, I always turn it off and then 1 more to lock the front end, and then just to be save, I wave my hand in front of the parking light, just to make sure it isnt on.

oh i see. if it waves back its on if it doesnt its off right lol sorry

[takirb]

i did that for the first week i rode it, left the park light on. drained the battery all the time after shutting it down. but now i never turn it that far, even when i lock the bars.....

the little square reflector thing under the brake light is a light too? i don't have one, but was looking to get one. i've only seen pics of others. never knew it was a light, guess i need to get that entire assembly instead of just the $14 plastic piece...

[The CyberPoet]

the little square reflector thing under the brake light is a light too? i don't have one, but was looking to get one. i've only seen pics of others. never knew it was a light, guess i need to get that entire assembly instead of just the $14 plastic piece...

It's the license plate illuminator.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[meanstrk]

I just turn the key back one click. Never use the steering lock, ever.

[WildKat]

I did this once.. didnt drain my battery fortunately, but now, I always turn it off and then 1 more to lock the front end, and then just to be save, I wave my hand in front of the parking light, just to make sure it isnt on.

oh i see. if it waves back its on if it doesnt its off right lol sorry

yeah its magic dont ya know!