Panic stop

Anybody know what happens if you turn a Silver Wing key to the Off position while doing 20 or 30 mph (or faster)?

I was just musing about panic stops ... say, catastrophic brake failure ... how would I reduce my speed?

I know the axiom with a car is turn the key off and put it in neutral and use the parking brake, but of course there's no neutral on a Wing.

Lights will go out. ABS will not work if you have it. Normal braking will be fully functional minus ABS  but no problem stopping.  Drive belt will free wheel once engine is off.

I've coasted down a few hills the silence is nice . Just the wind.

Total brake failure? PRAY.

"Drive belt will free wheel once engine is off."

That's precisely what I was looking for, thank you!

Do you turn the key back on and the engine resumes after you're done coasting down the hills?

The experience of silent gliding sounds tempting. There are nights along the ocean when the moon is full and there's no traffic ....

Delray wrote:

"Drive belt will free wheel once engine is off."

That's precisely what I was looking for, thank you!

Do you turn the key back on and the engine resumes after you're done coasting down the hills?

The experience of silent gliding sounds tempting. There are nights along the ocean when the moon is full and there's no traffic ....

Of course you'll have to come to a complete stop so that you can fully apply the rear brake to engage the Start microswitch. As mech 1 mentions, with the engine OFF the centrifical clutch disengages. The scoot can't be bump started.

"Of course you'll have to come to a complete stop so that you can fully apply the rear brake to engage the Start microswitch."

Good clarification, thanks. Now I have a good mental picture of my options if I need them (and I most likely never will).

Haha, also good to update my technological thinking -- I started many cheap cars with buddies at the ages of 16, 17, 18 by pushing them until they hit a certain speed and then popping the clutch or turning the key on.

In an emergency, try applying a little bit of the parking brake. As mentioned, that brake is used to lock the rear wheel when parking your Swing, but in a pinch, I would apply it gradually to slow the bike. Won't do much in a panic braking situation.
I can't see both front and rear brakes failing at the same time.

Delray says in a car you put it in neural and use the handbrake, really, taking the drive away from the engine ( that you can use for braking) I don't think so. As for using the hand brake of the Silverwing, in an emergency stop, you take your right hand off the front brake, and lean down to take hold of the parking brake how does that make sense! You would never turn the engine off whilst riding ( why would you)? In an Emergency both hands would be firmly on the handlebars pulling on both brakes and looking for an escape route, well it would in the UK.

Delray wrote:

I know the axiom with a car is turn the key off and put it in neutral and use the parking brake

Please, please, please do NOT EVER turn off the key in a moving car. The steering lock will engage and no matter how bad your day has been up to that point it will just get worse.

On the bike just grab both brakes (its unlikely both will fail).
If they do just close the throttle and engine braking will slow you down till about 10 mph when the centrifugal will disengage. At this point feel free to grab the handbrake it.
If you are pointing downhill the bike will start to accelerate again (gravity can be s treacherous thing). At this point I would recommend aiming for something soft or just jumping off.
If at the point of brake failure you are progressing swiftly downhill on a twisty road you have the option of developing GP level cornering skills or learning to play the harp!

"Please, please, please do NOT EVER turn off the key in a moving car. The steering lock will engage ..."

Excellent James Brown exhortation, thank you ("Please ... please ... please ...").

My bad. I graduated from high school in 1972 and my buddies and I drove American beaters from the mid- to late-60's. No steering wheel locks on those babies. Although I believe with the ones that did have locks, you could turn the power off (keeping the battery on) and not lock the steering wheel.

I drive a Prius now and there's a Power button that provides no choice. Wax on or wax off ("The Karate Kid"). I have no idea what would happen if I turned off the power while moving. I may try it later at low speed in an empty parking lot, though. Now I'm curious.

"If you are pointing downhill the bike will start to accelerate again ... at this point I would recommend aiming for something soft or just jumping off."

I've told more than one motorcycle buddy (who has told me my Wing looks like a girl's bicycle) that it's actually safer than a traditional bike. In an emergency, I don't have to dismount. I can jump left or right instantly and toss the bike the other way. Again, highly unlikely that will ever happen, but I've prepared for it in my head.

Why on earth in those circumstances would anyone want to kill the engine with the key?
My Silverwing has a 'Kill' switch.

In my X9 days I managed to inadvertently operated the Kill switch whilst travelling between 50 and 60 MPH. My excuse is that the Heated Grips switch on the X9 is/was mounted on top of the Kill switch housing and I had handlebar muffs on the bike.

My superior skill and calmness (believe that if you will!) enabled me to very quickly turn on the switch again and do the business with ignition switch and brake-lever, on both occasions being quick enough to avoid being rear-ended by following cars.

I certainly don't advocate switching off the engine as a way of stopping forward motion; others here have made the point much more clearly than I could but all should not be lost if the Kill switch is activated 'on the move'.

Incidentally, for the benefit of friends here who live in and/or know South Essex, I was travelling along the A127 Southend Road, not the most user-friendly highway in the South-East of England!

Why would anyone want to jump from scooter? Or turn off key, or try to use parking brake? I say get some real riding experience.