What is \"P\" for?

Question on my new 750LTD--what is "P" for on the ignition switch? See attached image.

Thanks! Mike

P is for park.
when you put the key in the ignition and turn it to P, your tail light should come on. I believe it is that way for safety. But I didn't figure it out until not too long ago.

Parking light.

It's the same as "lock", but the tail light should stay on as a parking light.

Like mentioned it is for "park". I'd recommend to not use it. For some reason a lot of the time the switch will turn easily to park, then not turn back the other way so you are permenantly "parked". No fun.

RonKZ650 wrote:

Like mentioned it is for "park". I'd recommend to not use it. For some reason a lot of the time the switch will turn easily to park, then not turn back the other way so you are permenantly "parked". No fun.

That reminds me of the time my friend's RD400 broke a clutch cable then, almost at the same time, the kick stand fell off from vibration. He looked at me and said "damn, I can't ride it, and... I can't park it. I'm screwed!"

I found out the hard way what "P" stands for when I switched to P one evening, removed the key and found I had a flat battery the next morning. I just had'nt noticed the tail light on.
Duh !

Yep, just checked when I went home for lunch and it works like you guys said. Not too useful IMO, but at least I know what it does now.

Thanks guys!

I think it was meant for road side stops. So if you were off your bike for whatever reason, the tail light could stay on with out the engine running to make you more visible to traffic.

I found out the hard way that it doesn't like to leave the park position on my ol 550. I thought I was going to have to unplug the lights fuse. I fought for 20 minutes and finally it let go. Seemed like the locking mechanism was stuck. Then I tried the "lock" position, the one in the opposite direction with the key. You would think I would have learned already, but no. I thought I would spend the rest of my life driving in circles after fighting with it for another 20 minutes. Finally came unlocked. Believe it or not, I never tried it again. ha!

Remember how you adjusted your handlebars... if you ever lock the forks, all you have to do is put the wheel up against some solid object and give the bars a good yank and you will no longer be bothered by that pesky steering lock bwhahaha

Not sure about other bikes, but my flashers (turn signals and hazard lights) also work in that position (without the key).