ignition and lock key

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Dec 22, 2018 | 11:42 AM

#21

bagga

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 3,673

Likes: 606

From:

this is an old easy riders magazine tech tip.....take your tail light off and tape a spare ket inside if it. all you'll need is a phillips screwdriver to get it out. i had to do it once 100 miles from home. i locked the ignition and i had forgotten my keys at home. got a screwdriver, took the lens off and there the key was....just as i left it 30 years earlier.

Dec 22, 2018 | 12:07 PM

#22

grbrown

Club Member

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 45,429

Likes: 2,898

From: Bedford UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by bagga

That's an interesting tip. I wonder how many second keys there are still to be discovered by later owners!

Dec 24, 2018 | 08:55 AM

#23

cacomly

Road Master

Joined: Jan 2008

Posts: 1,175

Likes: 592

From: Philly PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by VAFish

I had the opposite happen to me. in my driveway.

My son was deployed and left his bike at my house with only one key. It was a nice day and his bike hadn't been run for a while so I decided to ride his bike. I took his key of the hook by the door, walked outside, opened the garage, pulled my bike out, then pulled his bike out, then put my bike back in the garage. Went to start his bike and no key. Someplace between my front door and the 15' to the garage I lost his key. Searched for about half an hour and couldn't find it. Pulled my bike back out, put his away and rode my bike to work.

That was over a year ago and we never found the key. I went to the dealership and got another set made.

Last memorial day his ignition switch went out on a ride to Arlington Cemetery. Bought a new ignition switch with the same key as the original. Now we have 5 keys for his bike.

On my first multi day rally I needed to use a bathroom so I stopped at a rest stop, walked in, did my business, and walked out. As I was getting to my bike I realized the key was not on my finger. I retraced my steps 3 times and nothing. I was wearing my rain pants at the time since it had been raining when we left and I had an idea so I took off my rain pants and sure enough the key was inside them.

I like that tail light idea but unfortunately it won't work for me because I run an LED tail light on both Sportsters and it's a sealed unit I believe. Maybe there is room, will have to check ...