[Craig McClure]

Speaking of kill switches, My favorites were the old time British handlebar mounted chrome button. I never really understood why a switch was needed just a foot away from the Key - which is also a switch?
  The old kill buttons could be used in an emergency (if the clutch cable broke in shifting gears) I've already told my kill switch "if it messes up - its gone".

[bluesdaddy2]

My 2012 C5 joined the ranks of the dreaded "broken battery terminal from too much Thump" over the long weekend.  I was going to be out of town for the weekend and told my son he could use the bike.  He got about 30 miles out and it died while in traffic.  He calls me for some help and I had him check the usual things without any luck. With the description he gave of the symptoms (nothing happens when I turn the key on) I thought it must be the battery terminal.  He had other things on his mind, like getting to the next party on time, but was able to have his friend come pick him and the bike up with his pickup truck.  I got home yesterday and found that the negative battery terminal had broken at the 90 degree bend where it attaches to the battery.  Stress failure, wrong part for the job in my opinion.  Anyway had her up and running in fifteen minutes with the tools and spares I had stashed on the bike for just such an occasion.

[mattsz]

Welcome to the club!  There's a number of us members.  I've been wondering whether this part has been upgraded more recently.  It looks like the Conti's have different cable ends then we've got...

[bluesdaddy2]

Welcome to the club!  There's a number of us members.  I've been wondering whether this part has been upgraded more recently.  It looks like the Conti's have different cable ends then we've got...

Thanks Mattz.....
I suppose I should go back in and change out the positive terminal as a "preventative maintenance" measure just so I don't have to deal with it on my way to work some morning.......

I hope by now word has got back to the boys in India and they have taken this opportunity to provide a better solution for the cable ends on the bikes coming off the line today.

[lemming]

Had the same experience as the OP a few days ago...battery was low so I was kickstarting the bike, cursing my poor Tonks when she refused to start up kick after kick. After a couple minutes of this abuse, I looked down and realized that I had neglected to turn the kill switch to "on". Doh. Apologies to Tonks, flipped the switch, roared to life. Palm to face shield.

[jkrobin]

Yep... been there, OP. Took me a while to figure it out, too. 

[barenekd]

You probably turned it off yourself. It's easy to brush your hand across it especially if you pushing the bike around. I do that often enough to know to look at the switch first if it doesn't start. My first real encounter was back in the early '90s with my GB500 sitting in a parking lot at night. I tried the electric starter, kick starting, pushing, and jump starting. Noting worked, then I just happened to look at the switch and finally noticed it was off. Tuned it on and it started right up! I guess it being at  night kinda through me off. There was probably a half hour of my life I'll never get back!
Bare

[Kevin Mahoney]

Done it at least three times personally. Generally speaking it only happens when others are watching you.

[gmmechanic]

i was showing off my c5 and had put my helmet on the rt. bar...yep it cut the kill switch off and I lost 5 bucks as I said it would start on first kick...

[High On Octane]

i was showing off my c5 and had put my helmet on the rt. bar...yep it cut the kill switch off and I lost 5 bucks as I said it would start on first kick...

Hahahahaha   Now that's funny.    I have a similar story, but I didn't lose any money, just pride.  I had the Blackhawk entered in a bike show and at one point I started looking at the electronic ignition because the bike had a misfire on the way over to the show.  Turns out that the 2 screws that secure the trigger plate to the magneto had loosened.  When I had tightened the screws back up, I must have grounded the screwdriver because I had blown the fuse for the EI.  After hours of lots of people admiring my old beast it was time to leave.  Well, practically the ENTIRE Aurora, CO Police Moto Squad was watching intently on me kick starting my bike "on the first kick".  A dozen or so kicks of humiliation later I checked the fuse for the EI to find it blown.  Replace the fuse and THEN it starts on the first kick.  *palm to face shield*     

Scottie J

[MrMike]

Thanks for this tip!

Sounds like a good possibility with my 2011 G5.  After replacing the fuel pump relay it starts right up but dogs down/revs up when ever I give it throttle.  The bike had sat for awhile waiting for the relay so I loosened it and put a charger on.  Noted that when I tightened the battery clamp she died (?).  Didn't make sense then, it might now.  Tomorrow when daylight I'll check it out.  Thanks