I understand that it is a switch to connect the battery to the sarter. But why not just make the ignition switch the actual switch?
Is it because the amps are high so the switch would be too big to comfortably use? Because if that is the case, wouldn’t a simple mechanical solution be better?
The well-known “hundreds of amperes” are exactly the strongest current that the battery is able to give, and that’s what the engineer wanted.
The starter motor practically short circuits the battery in the first moment. The idea is to set the engine in motion as quick as possible.
With a set of drag wheels the bike could take off without you.