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advice for lost key

26K views 35 replies 23 participants last post by  WinstonRudolph 
#1 ·
Hi guys,

I have an 1990 KLR 650 that I had loaned to a friend who had fallen on hard times. I didn't know how bad it was and unfortunatly my friend chose to end his life.
This happened over a year ago. Some friends and I carried the bike ...loaded on a truck... and brought it home with it's forks still locked. There was no key found.
Well now the time has come that I have to deal with the bike in the corner with locked forks. Should I call a locksmith? It's an old bike but I do have the title...would the dealer be able to help?
I haven't decided if I am going to sell or keep. At this point I would like to be able to roll it.
I miss my friend. I wish I could have helped him.

I would be thankful for some advice.
 
#3 ·
Yes..as I said above I have the title....I am not sure the dealer can go back to 1990
for key replace. I would be happy just to be able to roll it around...it's a Bi#@h to do so with the forks locked. It's a pretty clean example of that year...thinking of moving and we have to do something with the bike. I hate to part it out but may have to.
 
#4 ·
Get a locksmith or check the cost of a replacement ignition switch with key ($85).
 
#5 ·
a lock smith

my guess is $100 for a lock smith to get er done
biggest problem will be scheduling a convenient time
I also taken a small drill bit (same width as the key) straight into where the key goes and drilled some locks open
can't say if works in this case
if they are harden tumblers ... forget it
brass tumblers ... piece of cake

sorry about you friend ... always hard
 
#6 · (Edited)
trapper -

My condolences on the loss of your friend; that's never an easy situation.

Take your title down to the dealer. They may be able to resurrect the key code from the VIN#. It's worth a shot. Once you have the key code, a locksmith can make a key. You may have to buy a blank at the dealer. My locksmith had Kawasaki blanks, but only had one in stock, so you can't count on all locksmiths to have the blanks.

Failing that, if you can get the cylinder out of the ignition there should be a code on the back of it. That's a tough job (they are designed to be hard to remove), and you'll have to take your title with you. The locksmith may refuse to work on an ignition lock that's out of the bike, so check first.

But, before all that, if there is any chance you can find the original paperwork on the bike, it would have the key code on it. I know, the chance of having the paper after 20 years is Slim and None, and Slim just left town...

T
 
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#7 ·
Thanks Guys for all your help. I was a member here years ago but went ahead and re-registered...my email has changed along with alot of other stuff.
So it was less difficult to redo as opposed to try and figure out my old user name/password.
I will try the local K shop tomorrow. It was easy to forget about the old KLR because I also have an 08. I may renew my intrest with my first love (motorcycles) The friend I lost was my riding buddy. He would go anywhere at the drop of a hat. Didn't matter if it was raining or snowing he was always ready.
The old bike looks pretty good cleaned up...I may have to keep her too.
This forum was always a friendly place to come. I am glad some things stay the same.
Thanks Again!
Tim in TN
 
#8 ·
Tim -

Welcome back!

Let us know how it goes at the Kawaski shop. This could add to our knowledge base. You're not the first to lose a key and very likely not the last.

T
 
#9 · (Edited)
Have not seen to many lock smiths that can not key a ing. right in a bike.

BTW: instead of trying to pull the ign. Take the seat lock assem. to them.........same as the gas cap and ign. easier to pull also.

Most can and will.

Kurt
 
#10 ·
Keying an ignition to the gas cap or helmet lock is not a good answer. My 06' KLR key will open half my friends KLRs gas caps of years 99 to 07. It won't start a single one of them. Just a thought. :)
 
#11 ·
First, AFAIK, the only possible recovery of the key code might come from the ORIGINAL SELLING DEALER; only if said dealer executes a policy of recording and filing key codes of new machines sold at that particular dealership.

Kawasaki, in Q's and A's on its web page, essentially says: ABANDON ALL HOPE: KAWASAKI DOES NOT CORRELATE KEY CODES AND VIN NUMBERS.

Bet a competent locksmith and pick the lock; maybe even key it. Otherwise, a new lockset (ignition, tank, helmet) may be in order, or . . . just rig some "any flat-blade screwdriver" mechanisms; who'd want to steal a KLR anyway?

Also, condolences; attended a funeral for a friend who left this world by his own hand last week, myself.
 
#12 ·
Went to Kaw dealer this morning....they didn't offer any suggestions that hasn't been offered here. I was referred to a local locksmith who said to drop the bike off at his shop....he would key it up. I had to push to get him to quote "ballpark" price...he said $25.00 up.

I will have the bike at his shop tomorrow morning. If his estimate is anywhere close to 25 bucks I will feel good about it. I was expecting $100 to $200 to be honest. I will post here the results..thanks
 
#13 ·
trapper, your thread here has prompted me to do something I've been meaning to do for a while - get a new key cut.

On all my vehicles I have always kept the factory keys in a safe place and used copies to drive with. My copy for the KLR has been getting stubborn lately, thus my need to get a new key.

The copy I have was cut from a Taylor X105 blank. I also had another copy made, in a fit of OCD, but it would not even fit in the slot. It looks identical to the X105, but is an X91. The web thickness is just about .025" too thick.

Armed with that knowledge I took the helmet lock (so as I wouldn't get home with another dud) to the locksmith, along with a factory key and my X105. I slapped the X105 on the counter and said "Grab a Taylor X105 and cut me a new one, Dudesickle!" Which he did.

And it fidn't dit. Seems the X105 now has the same dimensional problem as the X91 did. Dudesickle grumbled, pitched a bit of a fit, and set about scouring the shop for a blank that would work. After a few minutes an "Aha!" emerged from the dark and dank regions of the shop.

Dudesickle comes out with a Silca KW15BP and it doesn't look like a generic key blank. It looks exactly like the Kawasaki factory key. I mean spittin' image exactly, down to the plastic cover. From this he cuts a key and it fid dit perfectly.

The blank you want your locksmith to use is the Silca KW15BP.

All youse guys what don't know where your three (one for safekeeping, one to use, and one to lose) keys are should go get at least another one made, and soon....

T
 
#14 ·
I have two keys for each bike. One stays with the bikes, since they are all garaged no problem, the others are kept in a safe place and are tagged as to what they go to.

Tapper, hope your locksmith is successful and comes back with a reasonable price.
 
#15 ·
All this good advice about spare keys . . . no one has mentined recording the KEY CODE . . . I put it on my title . . . also, I scanned my keys with a . . . well, a SCANNER . . .

Even if I'm short a key somewhere in the Hindu Kush, perhaps transiting the Khyber Pass, a skilled artisan can fashion a replacement key for me!

(Everyone MUST know, never mind the Silica blanks, whatever, Kawasakis take ONE of TWO AVAILABLE key blank types; "A," and "B," if I'm not mistaken . . . the designation being the side upon which the key is relieved . . . a sort of "left-handed," "right-handed" thing; clearly illustrated in the parts diagrams at http://www.kawasaki.com
 
#17 ·
Hey guys, just resurrecting this old post as I'm dealing with the lost key issue, sort of...
I'm working on my neighbor's 2008 KLR that he hasn't ridden in the last 3 years, of course, one of the problems is the lost key
So, I went to a semi-local locksmith and had him make a key from the helmet lock, found this suggestion on a couple sites and forums, but it doesn't work :( it will open the helmet lock fine but won't work on the ignition or gas cap!!!!!
Next step is to take the ignition to the shop and see if they'd be willing to work with it, it would be sort of pointless to ask for title/registration as I'm not bringing a bike, but we'll see what happens
BTW, they charged me $30 to make the key from the helmet lock, not too bad IMO
I'll post updates after I take the ignition to the shop, I didn't remove it from the triple, taking the whole thing :D
Later!
-Jerry
 
#18 ·
Just a thought....You might be able to purchase a complete assembly from a motorcycle salvage yard for that year of bike easier than from the dealer.
I know what loosing a good long time friend is like...Tryand focus on the good times when you think of him.
Best regards....justjeff
 
#19 ·
Update!
So, I took the top triple to a mobile locksmith in my area, found the guy through a Google search and his web page said he worked on bike locks, long story short, he was able to figure out the lock combo by picking it, made 2 keys for me and it was only $50 total, didn't ask for paperwork or anything, just year/model/make of the bike, moral of the story, start from the top (triple) and work your way down :p now I got 2 ignition/gas/helmet lock keys and 2 for the helmet lock only :D bike starts right up, after we figured out how to hook up the carb fuel lines correctly hehe
Hope this info helps!
Later!

-Jerry
 
#22 ·
This may have been said, but giving a key to someone near you ain't a bad idea. I have Mark B4's spare and he has one of mine. The other I keep in my jacket.
 
#26 ·
You reply to an old thread on an even older topic.

From Post # 11 on this thread: Kawasaki maintains no files correlating VIN numbers with key codes (as stated in Qs and As on the Kawasaki website).

Unless the selling dealer recorded the key code (as some do), or someone else did so along the "custody chain" of the bike . . . FORGET ABOUT IT!
 
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