The "Parking" Key Position in Gen III. Useful?

For the third time in about two months of ownership I came back to my parked Gen III today (after owning two Gen I's) to find the damn taillights and front markers burning. Damn. Left the key in that "P" position. I'm used to cranking the key over to "Locked" and leaving it fairly secure, and don't really want to have to double check which of the two very close-together key positions I've left it in. What benefit is there from being able to leave your bike with these lights burning? Seriously, who finds this useful?

It reminds me of the great feature Gen I's had of automatically retracting the windshield on turning the key off--something most everyone soon disabled. No benefit I could ever see, and lots of extra wear on the windshield motor. I see this "P" feature as equally valueless. Does anybody really USE it, and able to explain the value it adds? I'd really love to know. If I hadn't noticed it, I could have left the lights on all night--or until the battery was completely dead. How's that a good thing again?

Can this be disabled like the auto-retract? Has anybody done that?

My kraut bike had this feature, but it wasn't key actuated. I wonder if it's a European thing.

I have never understood the real use for the parking lights feature, and I have not read any regulations relating to their use.

Seen it on many bikes and also killed my battery on occasion

Its the only position the hazards will stay on when the bike is not running. Must be for safety when the bike won't run.

Those Yamaha engineers think everything. We didn't even know we needed a kill the battery and end your trip position on the ignition switch. What amazing times we live in.

My '79 Yammy SR500 had the same "feature"...compared to the FJR, it's battery was about AA-sized. But then again it didn't have an electric starter.

I thought I read somewhere previously that it was a European thing. The flash to pass is also.

In the same category as forgetting to unplug my jacket before walking away. Now I've got two things to be aware of before I walk away! It does help to keep the brain active.

Motorcycles don't need any safety features, regardless of their usefulness, because all motorcyclists have vastly

superior intelligence and always use the utmost care and

consideration for their safety as well as others.

You can see evidence of this everyday on highways all

across America.

( Pulling tongue out of cheek. )

Good way to end up with a dead battery...

Intech said:

I thought I read somewhere previously that it was a European thing. The flash to pass is also.

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Bingo! That's the deal.

Funny thing is my Katoom has the flash to pass (nice feature) and a P position on the ignition switch but that does not work.

In some places it's required for a vehicle parked on the street to have a light active. On cars, it's often enabled by putting the turn signal into that position (i.e. if parked on the right, put on left turn signal so the projecting corners of the vehicle are lit.)

You could probably disable it by removing a wire or two for the contacts in the ignition switch.

Madmudder said:

Its the only position the hazards will stay on when the bike is not running. Must be for safety when the bike won't run.

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+1 Stopping during the night to take a leak on the side of the road is when I've had to use it.

Well, Mikey. Leave it on once, shame on them...leave it on twice, shame on you.

Intech said:

I thought I read somewhere previously that it was a European thing. The flash to pass is also.

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...my 16 has both

El Toro Joe said:

Intech said:

I thought I read somewhere previously that it was a European thing. The flash to pass is also.

Click to expand...

...my 16 has both

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Yeah, all the Genlll's have them. I guess Yamaha didn't feel like making any difference between the US and any of the other world models.

Perhaps they figured 'muricans would want to do a long way round kind of thing..

eflyguy said:

Perhaps they figured 'muricans would want to do a long way round kind of thing..

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I would LOVE to!

eflyguy said:

Perhaps they figured 'muricans would want to do a long way round kind of thing..

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Yeah...starting with the IOM TT.