I busted mine in a wipeout a while back, and have been waiting for the cash to fix it.
One thing I've been thinking of is what if you fall on or manage to hit the starter switch with that disabled...can it blow your starter to bits. I'm an auto tech, and if these bike starters are like cars (extend to mesh the mating teeth) then BAM-O busted aluminum or burnt starter.

 

Thanks everyone for replying to my hijack of this post! I finally got the time to clean up the bike and have a look-see... I figured the pin on the "clutch switch" had crap in it so i cleaned it out really good. well, i stuck the garden hose upto it and let it rip... still didn't fix it. Hit the trails with it the other day and i guess the bumping around helped to clean the inside of the switch, because it works fine now!

Yup - bark busters are next for sure, the stupid brush guards are useless... and some hard knee pads.. once i have those i will truely be ATGATT and then some... oh, and new gloves now too

 

I dunno about everyone else, but 100% of the times I start my bike, I hold the clutch.. Same with cars.

 

I do, just out of habit. My '00 civic EX has two clutch switches, one to disengage the cruise control (actuated at a lite tap of the clutch) and one as a clutch lockout (starter permisive actuated with clutch fully depressed). I thought about putting a remote starter on (need to disable the clutch lockout switch) it but opted out after I weighed the benefit vs. risk.

I've been driving manuals for years and have seen friends run into problems with starter lockout switch disabling. Bad for the starter, could be bad for you (if parked near a car or bike on edge of a steep cliff ). IMHO not worth the risk of running without one and I'd rather rely on the switch than my dumb brain to keep me from doing something stupid like tryin to start the bike in gear. If the switch ever decides to break on me, I always carry a paper clip and jumpers to over-ride it temporarily. Oh and yah, get some barkbusters, they will save your levers from a beating during a spill

 

I hit my starter switch on accident while driving down the road ( meant to lay on the horn and my brain farted for forgot left hand from right) and thankfully nothing happened to the starter or tranny.

 

+1 for fixing the clutch switch. Side stand I could care less about but the starter button is too easy to hit for anyone, let someone's kid sit on the bike and turn to talk to your buddy, next thing you know they and your bike are taking a pavement nap, I'll pass.

 

agreed on the kiddo problem...my son loves to mess around with the bike.
BSJ425, did the starter wind up or what? Did the gears grind?

 

I would hope if he has the clutch switch installed and working that nothing happened (unless happen to hit start while shifting gears )

 

Riiiiight...

 

I hope i'm not thread jacking here. I'm putting some new levers on (i already bought the barkbusters). The levers that I'm looking at don't have the extension to hit the clutch switch. If connect the wires to bypass the switch, is this a constant draw on the battery?