Ah, see that is where things begin to go wrong: I have seen the original 4 cylinder Gold Wings, both the 1000 and 1100's. Back when they were naked bikes or had Windjammers on them. And I very well remember the original 750 / fours, and even had the treat of riding an original K1 many years ago. Now that said, two things come up- I have never owned a Honda in my life (it just never worked out that way, no other reason) and two, I would not have tinkered with seeing if the kill switch prevented the starter turning on a bike I was offered to ride, or a bike I happen to be looking over, etc.
Early Kawasakis, Suzukis and Yamahas would not crank with the kill switch in the off position if memory serves. Again, it sounds like the Honda might have been a little unusual back in the early days?
40 years of street riding (with breaks here and there), and I was dirt riding at 11 years old although I stopped doing that when I started with road bikes (I thought dirt riding was more dangerous and street riding was safer).
Brian
I figured you'd been riding for about 30 years.
As you wish. It just surprises me that you never saw a 4 cylinder Gold Wing. Or a CX/GL v-twin. Or a sohc CB750. Or a dohc CB750. Or CB550. Or any Honda made prior to 1984. Or perhaps any later Honda - I'm pretty sure my Nighthawk S would spin the starter with the kill switch off - maybe ask Dan Bergman, as he still has one. All my old bikes are/were Hondas, so IDK what the other mfgs did.