The keyed ignition switch on the CRF230F is nothing more than a locking kill switch. When the switch is turned off, the ignition is disabled, so the engine will not start. Then by removing the key, it will be difficult (and time consuming) to hot-wire the bike to start the engine. It's a light, reliable, and handy theft deterrent, and nothing more. Nevertheless, I and many of the CRF230F owners prefer to remove the keyed ignition switch, to reduce complexity, improve reliability by removing a part that could fail, to rid the bike of a few ounces of needless weight, and because we're worried about losing or forgetting the stupid key!

 

Luckily, this is very easy to do, following these step-by-step instructions.

  1. Cut off the gas tank petcock, and pull the gas line from the carburetor.
  2. Remove the gas tank and the front number plate.
  3. Follow he wire harness from the keyed ignition switch down under where the gas tank was, until you locate the connections shown in Photo A. Disconnect all four of the wires shown, and move the switch wiring harness aside.
  4. At the four wires still under the tank, plug the black wire (the only male connector there) into the red wire female connector, as seen in Photo B. Although it's not necessary to do so, you can tape the connectors into a bundle if you so desire.
  5. See Photo C. To remove the ignition switch cleanly, you need to work from underneath and use two small flat-tip screwdrivers to depress the two locking tabs. This is not easy to do, but when done correctly, the switch will easily slide up and out of its mounting hole. As you can see in the photo, I butchered mine to remove it, because I didn't know about the two locking tabs until it was out. Another way to depress the two locking tabs is to make a sleeve from some thin but strong material like the plastic from a milk bottle. Cut a 3-4" wide strip, with the length just long enough to wrap around the switch. Slide this sleeve up between the switch and its mount, and if you get lucky, the plastic sleeve will depress the locking tabs and allow the switch to pop right out.
  6. Now replace the gas tank, reconnect the gas line to the carburetor, reinstall the front number plate, and you're done.

The push-button kill switch still kills the engine just as before, and you no longer have to worry about losing or forgetting the ignition key.

 

CRF's Only "How-To" By Gordon Banks, December 2004
 

Copyright 2004 CRF's Only. All Rights Reserved.

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