kill switch for my 66 Monza????

[Chuck]

Is there a way to wire a kill switch for my 66 Monza? I would like to have a kill switch on the handlebars, like the ones I have on my British bikes with magnetos; that ground out the magneto to kill the engine. The Monza is not a magneto bike so I don't know if this is possible. Any suggestion for any kind of handlebar mounted kill switch wiring? The wiring on the bike has been butchered; an "after market" ON/OFF (push/pull) switch is mounted to the left side tool box and it interrupts the positive wire to the battery. The only wires going into the headlight are for the light. The horn and horn switch are non existent. The headlight, taillight and stop light work. Any suggestions?

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" Is there a way to wire a kill switch for my 66 Monza?
Any suggestion for any kind of handlebar mounted kill switch wiring? "

____ Sure, just connect a wire from your chosen k.button switch to the same terminal-post on the ign.coil that's connected to the wire-lead which goes to the ign.points.
__ You'll have to hold-down your kill-button until the engine completely stops, or-else it will reignite. _ Keep in mind that whenever the k.button is being held-down, you'll then be running-down the battery's charge. _ And also, if you leave your Duke only 'killed' (without also turning-off the power to the ign.coil), it's then possible for the engine to come to rest at a point where/when the ign.points happened to have become closed, which will thus-then drain the battery and overheat the ign.coil in the process.
____ Something that's possible to be done with a kill-button on a battery-powered ignition-system, is fire-up the engine with the use of the button (instead of kicking the kick-lever). ...
On a warmed-up engine that's just been running, it's possible to learn to hold-down the k.button while slowly turning-over the engine to (ever so slightly) just past compression-TDC, and then quickly release the k.button, which then creates a spark to ignite the freshly compressed fuel-mix and fire the engine over (possibly with enough burning fuel-mix to begin running the engine).
__ So how about giving that a try and let us know if you got any success.
I know that can be done, but I-myself never bothered practicing at it to become able to accomplish the process consistently.


" like the ones I have on my British bikes with magnetos; "

____ Many Brit.bikes from the '50s & early '60s have what I was trained-to-believe are REAL 'magnetos' ! _ THEY perform the ENTIRE job of producing & providing (timed)- ign.spark, all completely done internally within JUST the magneto-unit itself (without help from any other external/remotely-located ign.circuit parts) !
__ If you could post a pic or two of such real magneto-units (as you have installed on any of your Brit.bikes), then others here who think their Duke has a "magneto", may then better understand what I-myself have meant whenever I've stated that no stock-production Duke-model employs a (true)- 'magneto' .


" The wiring on the bike has been butchered; an "after market" ON/OFF (push/pull) switch is mounted to the left side tool box and it interrupts the positive wire to the battery. The only wires going into the headlight are for the light. The horn and horn switch are non existent. The headlight, taillight and stop light work. Any suggestions? "

____ Yes,, if you're up to it, I'd suggest doing a more desirable rewiring-job.
Whatever load-circuit you'd like to accomplish next, just ask, and I'll then suggest better-quality wiring-connections.


Hopeful-Cheers,
-Bob

[Chuck]

Thanks for your help. I was hoping that it would be that simple but I was afraid that grounding the coil might hurt something . I plan to work on the bike this winter and try and fix all the electrics. I want the kill switch because I am teaching my son to ride and I don't want him to get stuck in gear with no way to shut off the bike - the ON/OFF is with the left hand.

I will post a picture of a magneto by this weekend, I have to get the Velocette out in the sun to take the picture.

Thanks again,

Chuck

[jbcollier]

I did not go the short-to-ground route because the battery draw combined with my ever advancing dementia would have me flatting the battery more often than not. I ran the coil power to the bars and used an aprillia on/off switch. Now, of course, I occasionally forget that it is set to off but at least it will start when I do figure that out.

[JimF]

Yes, I think jbcollier is correct.

I have a kill switch on an 'AC' bike that grounds the coil but of course there is no battery so it's a viable solution for my bike but not for yours with the battery.

a grounding kill switch could short the battery and at worst fry wires to crisp or at least drain the battery.

If, rather than short the battery to ground, you instead open the power connection to the coil you have implemented the kill function with none of the inherent dangers expressed before about the battery short.

Most kill switches are like horn switches, normally open (NO) momentarily closed on a spring so that after the bike dies you take your finger off the switch and the motorcycle is ready for the next restart. If you find a normally closed (NC) momentarily open you would not have to worry about forgetting to toggle the switch prior to the next restart.

[Eldert]

Honda motocross bikes have nice waterproof kill switch buttons . original ones are a kind of pricey but there are aftermarked kill swith buttons out there

E bay item 360386802178 is a example of one

i think one lead goes to the breakerpoint side of the coil , the other one goes to earth

Eldert

[DewCatTea-Bob]

By: JimF...
" I think jbcollier is correct.
I have a kill switch on an 'AC' bike that grounds the coil but of course there is no battery so it's a viable solution for my bike but not for yours with the battery.
a grounding kill switch could short the battery and at worst fry wires to crisp or at least drain the battery.
If, rather than short the battery to ground, you instead open the power connection to the coil you have implemented the kill function with none of the inherent dangers expressed before about the battery short. "

____ Well evidently Jim, YOU weren't thinking-out this issue all clearly ! _ Did you not understand WHICH side of the ign.coil I had clearly stated the kill-switch's wire is to be connected to, (as Eldert obviously DOES understand !) ? _ (As only an air-head would think it possibly okay to short-out the (other) terminal-post that's connected to the battery-side !)
So actually (as I've directed), there is NO SHORT-circuit !! ...
__ So-thus when the (regular)- k.button is activated, the current-draw THROUGH the ign.coil, (NOT direct from the battery !), is no greater than when the ign.points complete the EXACT same circuit (in parallel) !
And of-course many Duke-models with battery-powered ign.systems have stalled-off and been left with the ign.key turned-on when also the engine has happened to stop where/when the ign.points have become closed, (which is a considerably much worse happenstance than momentarily engaging a kill-switch !), and yet nothing of real consequence occurs, (except running-down of the battery, only while the ign.points remain closed) !
____ This particular (added)- circuit is quite very basic, and thus should be easily properly understood by anyone with basic-knowledge of motorcycle wiring-system functions !
__ I had expected that (at least) Chuck would already know that regular-type kill-button switches need to be HELD-down (until the engine dies-off), and reset (back to open-circuit) all on their own. _ As that must be the type of kill-switch which his magneto-equipped Brit.bikes employ, (and not the type of OFF-switch which many Jap.bikes have).
JB's posted-concern is a valid one, IF we had been in reference to the type of OFF-switches as employed on most-all Jap.bikes (to kill the ignition). _ (So it seems he must be too young to be very familiar with the 'kill-button' as was used on many of the older vintage-bikes.)


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
-Bob

[Chuck]

I know that the kill button has to held down until the engine stops, just like on a magneto twin British bike. My British singles turn off by holding in the compression release.

Chuck

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" I know that the kill button has to held down until the engine stops, just like on a magneto twin British bike. "

____ Well of-course YOU already knew that Chuck, (as did Jim). _ However if you decide to consider a handlebar-located 'off-switch' type of kill-switch (instead of a std.kill-button), THEN it would of-course be wiser to wire-up THAT type of kill-switch on/to the HOT-side of the ign.coil ! _ So as to address the legitimate concern which JB. had the insight to get pointed-out, (for the use of a Jap.bike-type kill-switch, ONLY).
__ Of-course if you still wish to use a Brit.bike 'kill-button' (as meant to be used for mag.ignition), then I'll again confirm that such will work without any real consequence, (so long as it is of-course not wired-up to the battery -(hot) side of the ign.coil !).
____ I hope that I've now cleared-up any confusion that's been brought-into this thread. _ (Which was actually a GOOD-thing, so that such possible confusion could get addressed ahead-of-time !)


Dukaddy-DUKEs,
-Bob