Spare Keys

The keys/locks on my 2014 are really poor quality (unlike the rest of the bike). Every lock and both keys hang and grab. I am hopeful the locks will break in. Meanwhile, this is rough in the butter soft keys. Where do you guys get spare keys? If you order blanks and have them cut, who is your source? I usually have a spare basic key for bags/tank, so I'm not just interested in chip keys. Thanks for your help.

Use a locksmith. Any locksmith. Then put the originals in a drawer, or other safe place.

Bill Lumberg said:

Where do you guys get spare keys? If you order blanks and have them cut, who is your source? I usually have a spare basic key for bags/tank, so I'm not just interested in chip keys. Thanks for your help.

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My local real locksmith. Almost every community has one and they're the folks that are stuck in a hole-in-the-wall place, unknown by many, and often drive around a van that's 30 years old with oxidized paint. They're usually named "insert their grandfather's last name here" + 's + "Lock-n-Key", "Locksmith", "Lock Service", etc. They don't have names like Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, or other chain names. In my community of 200,000 we have several to choose from. You don't share where you live other than the US...so I can't help with something specific.

Regardless, I haven't found that a copy of a key hang or grab any less than the original key nor find them to be significantly different quality or particularly grabby for that matter. And copies don't have the plastic end so act as a backup for me with one of the originals locked away safely.

Otherwise, you want a true Yamaha key blank...talk to the dealer.

The blank is what I was really after. I figured there were smart key and normal key blank options. If I recall correctly reading the manual, my keys are chip keys. Would like to find non chip (cheaper) for the bags. But I'll have them made regardless. Thanks for the info, and thanks in advance for any other experiences that drift in.

I thought the keys have no chip in there? It's just a normal key.

Canadian bikes have it. European bikes too, right??

HotRodZilla said:

Canadian bikes have it. European bikes too, right??

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As far as I know, yes. U.S. bikes no chip.

Good deal. Thought I needed a chip key for the ignition. Hmmmm. May be that I'm making things harder than they need to be. Wouldn't be the first time..... Tell Beeblebrox I said hello.

Bill Lumberg said:

... Every lock and both keys hang and grab. I am hopeful the locks will break in. ...

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Bag locks can be stiff because the locking tab rubs hard on the plastic barrel surround. I did an easy mod to fix this, posted here. Makes life a lot easier.

OEM keys have been a common complaint. In the search box, type in ILCO and it will take you to the common threads where people recommend key blanks that are made of real metal such as ILCO. Keep in mind the cheap brass keys that are soft cause the key to wear, the hard steel keys wear the lock tumblers.

Thanks guys. Every lock on the bike, to include the ignition, is rough and hangs. Extra keys won't solve that, I just always have four keys. 2 on the bike, 2 spares. Thanks for the advice.

My ignition switch hangs from time to time. Seemed to be more when the weather is wet or after my bike sat outside for a night. I though it was more of a lubrication problem then a key problem. The cylinders on my bags work fine.

I was on a road trip and the ignition key got really sticky. In fact I though I was stuck at a gas station at one point. All they had was WD40. I know lock people tell you never spray WD40 on a lock, but I really had no choice. It freed the lock right up and I haven't had a problem since. I know I probably need to find an actual lock lubricate.

To the guys having key trouble have you tried to lubricate the locks? I live in a very wet humid area. So my problem might not be the same problem you guys are having.

If I have the key code I have the dealer cut a replacement. I do not have a key code for my FZ1, I bought a Yamaha blank from the dealer and I had my local Ace Hardware (old school Ace Hardware) machine the copy from the original. It works like a new one.