Bob, I am sorry that your C14 had an unreliable KiPass system.
From what I hear on here maybe 10 people have had the gritty ignition switch problem and one had an actual KiPass failure.
That is a pretty low number. Yes there will be more who ain't on the forum, but equally there are many more who never had a KiPass issue.
What I find a little boring is hearing the same "KiPass is ****" over and over from the same people as soon as someone even mentions the word.
Well, for you maybe it was, but for most of us it isn't.
Some probably don't care either way, others may love it, but from what I hear there are very few who hate it.
If I am wrong then please get the haters to post here and we can count them.
These systems are not aimed at convenience but more at security.
Yes, they can still lift the bike and sell it off for parts, but they can't sell it as a running bike.
Here in the UK these systems in cars have reduced car theft a massive amount.
I don't expect it to have the same effect with bikes but if it reduces the thefts by 20% then that makes our insurance cheaper.
If you live in a rural area then I envy you. The majority of us live in cities where bike theft is a daily problem.
I also carry a chain and if I leave my bike in a public place the chain goes through the rear wheel.
It won't stop a determined thief but it will slow them down.
So, most MC manufacturers will be following suit pretty soon, and the first bikes to get it will be the bigger sports bikes and other high-value bikes.
I don't think it will be long before we have HoPass, SuPass, YaPass and maybe even HDPass.
Once you have to have electronic engine management to comply with emissions regs then adding this kind of security is cheap and adds almost no extra weight.