broken shifter linkage and parasitic drain

krullbeast

krullbeast

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Apr 18, 2017
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Recently, I dropped my 961 in transport and snapped my linkage. I hate myself. Ken is going to help with that and I am very grateful for it.

I am also dealing with the parasitic drain when left parked for more than 4 days. I checked the drain on the fuses and the highest read that I got was .002 so i thought it might be fine. I replaced the battery and topped it off and within a week the battery was dead. Has anyone just installed a battery cut-off and did it solve the problem? also if you did put in a kill switch, where did you put it? I'm not really seeing an easy solution for that. Did anyone figure out a better solution to the parasitic drain? I don't have a garage or power at all times where I park the bike.

I apologize for the long list of questions and look forward to any advice you may have.
Thank you,
Lee
 
Last edited:
krullbeast said:
Recently, I dropped my 961 in transport and snapped my linkage. I hate myself. Ken is going to help with that and I am very grateful for it.

I am also dealing with the parasitic drain when left parked for more than 4 days. I checked the drain on the fuses and the highest read that I got was .002 so i thought it might be fine. I replaced the battery and topped it off and within a week the battery was dead. Has anyone just installed a battery cut-off and did it solve the problem? also if you did put in a kill switch, where did you put it? I'm not really seeing an easy solution for that. Did anyone figure out a better solution to the parasitic drain? I don't have a garage or power at all times where I park the bike.

I apologize for the long list of questions and look forward to any advice you may have.
Thank you,
Lee
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear about your busted linkage, but it’s not the end of the world.

I moved my battery and installed an isolator switch where it was previously….

cliffa

Post in thread 'Recommendations for a replacement battery for a 961'

Holidays are over, and now back to the battery relocation. I've started to make the platform. It's a piece of 2.5mm ally tread plate, with 2 x 29mm P clips which will go around the tube above the swing arm pivot.


1695394464928.png



I'm not decided yet on how to fix the back of it to the bike yet, but probably a metal strap going up to the back of the airbox. Sideways movement control of the battery is not necessary, as the frame tubes hold it in place.
  • Like
 
cliffa said:
Sorry to hear about your busted linkage, but it’s not the end of the world.

I moved my battery and installed an isolator switch where it was previously….

cliffa

Post in thread 'Recommendations for a replacement battery for a 961'

Holidays are over, and now back to the battery relocation. I've started to make the platform. It's a piece of 2.5mm ally tread plate, with 2 x 29mm P clips which will go around the tube above the swing arm pivot.


1695394464928.png



I'm not decided yet on how to fix the back of it to the bike yet, but probably a metal strap going up to the back of the airbox. Sideways movement control of the battery is not necessary, as the frame tubes hold it in place.
  • Like
Click to expand...
I completely understand WHY you did this! What a pain in the butt with a battery drain to have to take the tank off to rectify/diagnose it. It has me stumped for now. I'll keep checking real estate for a house with a GARAGE. I shouldn't own this high maintenance bike! but for some reason, I love Nortons. Glutton for punishment I guess?
 
krullbeast said:
Recently, I dropped my 961 in transport and snapped my linkage. I hate myself. Ken is going to help with that and I am very grateful for it.

I am also dealing with the parasitic drain when left parked for more than 4 days. I checked the drain on the fuses and the highest read that I got was .002 so i thought it might be fine. I replaced the battery and topped it off and within a week the battery was dead. Has anyone just installed a battery cut-off and did it solve the problem? also if you did put in a kill switch, where did you put it? I'm not really seeing an easy solution for that. Did anyone figure out a better solution to the parasitic drain? I don't have a garage or power at all times where I park the bike.

I apologize for the long list of questions and look forward to any advice you may have.
Thank you,
Lee
Click to expand...
If your 961 is the same as mine, there are three fuses under the tank, located just behind the battery. There isn’t much spare wire to play with, but it should be possible to splice in and add an isolator switch in series with the 25A main power fuse. You could run the leads to the isolator down the right side with the starter motor cable, there is some space there to play with. However, I don’t know if that will cure the parasitic drain problem. Where you store your bike, would you be able to use a battery tender that has a solar panel? That would be easier and would save you hacking into your wiring and allow you to keep your clock.
 
krullbeast said:
I completely understand WHY you did this! What a pain in the butt with a battery drain to have to take the tank off to rectify/diagnose it. It has me stumped for now. I'll keep checking real estate for a house with a GARAGE. I shouldn't own this high maintenance bike! but for some reason, I love Nortons. Glutton for punishment I guess?
Click to expand...
Join the club!!👍😂
 
krullbeast said:
Recently, I dropped my 961 in transport and snapped my linkage. I hate myself. Ken is going to help with that and I am very grateful for it.

I am also dealing with the parasitic drain when left parked for more than 4 days. I checked the drain on the fuses and the highest read that I got was .002 so i thought it might be fine. I replaced the battery and topped it off and within a week the battery was dead. Has anyone just installed a battery cut-off and did it solve the problem? also if you did put in a kill switch, where did you put it? I'm not really seeing an easy solution for that. Did anyone figure out a better solution to the parasitic drain? I don't have a garage or power at all times where I park the bike.

I apologize for the long list of questions and look forward to any advice you may have.
Thank you,
Lee
Click to expand...
Maybe you misread the amp meter ? Probably you have 20ma of parasitic loss ? 1 or 2 ma loss would not kill the battery in 4 days. If you pull out the optimate/clocks fuse (fuse is in the little grey fuse box under behind the seat) this should stop the battery drain while you are parked , if the drain is from the Speedo clock. All you will have to do then is reinstall the fuse before you ride. If you find this works for you then the fix will be to power the Speedo from the switched 12v there at the connector at the back of the Speedo. The only thing you won’t have is a clock , it will read 12:00 flashing . You can set the clock but it will work until you shut it off .. No big deal , and all of this is in the past threads. Hopefully someone can help find it. The conclusive test is to measure parasitic drain at the battery with your amp meter making sure all current flows through the amp meter going to the battery with the key off. Then pull out your optimate/clocks fuse and read ammeter again . Should be near zero amps.
 
TonyA said:
and all of this is in the past threads
Click to expand...
I can't find any threads that discuss this problem when searching the modern commando forums dangit. Could someone please point me in the right direction? I am desperate to find a good solution. TonyA also mentioned a solar panel power bank which I hadn't thought of. I think I might be able to rig that up on the top of my trailer, if I can't fix it by just removing the clock fuse, or a battery kill switch install.
 
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