Creating a dedicated key for the storage compartment

[treybrad]

Here's a picture of mine, with the first few teeth filed off.

IMAG0148 by treybrad, on Flickr

It would start the bike before filing, now it won't. What are the odds someone would go to the trouble of pulling off the epoxied on cap so it could be inserted far enough to start the bike anyway? Probably pretty slim, assuming anyone would ever notice it to start with.

trey

 

[Grey1one]

Thanks for the picture treybrad, yeah I was " showing off " how it won't turn the ignition, and it did, must have worn off a left over bit from when it was cut.
It would not turn the ignition at all when new, now it makes a perfect wallet key, but I'm trying to make a key I don't have to dig for at stops.

 

[Lord la la]

Great ideas here.

I'm in the U.S. and my ignition has no electronic immobilsr built into it. I simply want to get a cheap replacement key made.

If I understand this thread correctly... I will need an Ilco 265 or HD109 for the U.S. ignition.

And for the frunk, I can use either the above, or the Ilco 246/HD105 (?)

 

[zirconx]

Great ideas here.
I'm in the U.S. and my ignition has no electronic immobilsr built into it. I simply want to get a cheap replacement key made.
...

If you are just trying to get a replacement key, go to a locksmith and they will make you one. Cost me $3. You don't need to know anything about which blanks, they know all that.

You only need to know about specific blanks if you are trying to make a short key that will open the frunk but not start the bike.

 

[Heavy-H]

What I have written down is....

X265 HD109
X246 HD105

One is long one is short....

 

[Grey1one]

HD 109 is the same length as the original key, didn't read the thread close enough so I have not seen an HD 105.

Though now that I'm thinking about it maybe I'll use the 109 as a wallet key if I can find a shorter 105.

 

[Jelly]

Well I've finally got the ball rolling for mine.

I've been looking at different knobs for this, I wanted something suitable that wasn't obviously 'something else' other than made for my bike, if you see what I mean. Oh, and it had to be black.

I like the use of a Goldwing radio knob but don't want to spend unnecessary cash just for a knob.

Anyway, I've been rooting around the cupboards at home and found an old rubber coated mini torch that was buggered, I'll be using the end that unscrews to put batteries in the torch, I think it looks rather neat.

I'll get a key cut this week and hopefully find time at the weekend to farkle something together.

 

[Brillot2000]

The HD109 is grooved like an ignition key and would start the bike if cut identical to the original. The hardware store I went to did not have a HD105 to look at but the key blank I used to make my frunk key is about 2/3rd the length of a 109 and will not start the bike.

I had the lock smith cut off about 3/4" from the recommended blank for the ignition key, see the below image.



I will not be able to start the bike as it is too short. I used this same trick for my ST1300 many years before.

I have both the "Frunk" and trunk key on the same ring. I wear the coiled loop on my left arm when riding.

 

[Harald]

I had the lock smith cut off about 3/4" from the recommended blank for the ignition key, see the below image.

View attachment 19380

I will not be able to start the bike as it is too short. I used this same trick for my ST1300 many years before.

I have both the "Frunk" and trunk key on the same ring. I wear the coiled loop on my left arm when riding.

I like this idea. I had made up a nice shortened key in a knob and the wife proceeded to drop it within a day of me giving it to her. It fell somewhere in the steering head area and ended up in the bowels of the bike. Not sure if it's still lurking down there somewhere, but I'll look for it when I strip plastic to install driving lights.

 

[navigator]

Here's mine. A chunk of 1.25 inch Aluminum, knurled, polished, with the submarine dolphins put on with "JP Weld"

 

[Fuzzy]

Here's mine. A chunk of 1.25 inch Aluminum, knurled, polished, with the submarine dolphins put on with "JP Weld"
View attachment 19422

I like it. As a mid I spent 6 weeks on the Thomas Jefferson. Probably dates me as it was decommissioned a long long time ago.

Did the rest of my time riding the waves, not under them. My brother spent 4 years on diesel boats, dating him as even older than me.

 

[navigator]

I also spent 4 years on diesel boats. Qualified 51 years ago in 1963, and as we all know: There are only two types of people in the world, Those who are qualified in submarines and the rest of you a#$@%$es.

A very old joke

 

[Jelly]

I managed to farkle together my new frunk key knob type thing tonight, and I have to say I'm dead chuffed with the results.

Here's a little step by step run down.

The kit I used, a new key cut at the shop (I'd already cut it to length before I thought about taking pics), two packs of epoxy resin (but only used one), drill bits and my 'knob'.

Next step was to check the height of the key with the knob on top.

Next I drilled a hole in the key.

Then I cut the drill bit I'd used to length and slotted into the key.

Next I set up a make shift jig to hold everything in place, I placed the key between the two strips of aluminium (or aloominum as my American cousins say) so I could slide it down into place.

Next was to simply pour the resin in, carefully to just below the brim.

And here's the finished job.

I don't have to move my sat nav to get into the frunk anymore, and as an added bonus the sat nav now rests on the new frunk knob. (The ball on the sat nav case has worn a little and it started to keep drooping down over bumps)

As I said, I'm well pleased with the result.

Many thanks again to DDuelin for starting this thread and spreading the idea.

 

[Ponyperformance8]

So I just had a key printed up at ACE AND wouldn't you know it's exactly as long as it needs to be to start the bike... Rather unsettling in fact that my key can be copied for $2.99 !

Anyways in imaging I'm not the only one in the same boat, what have others done? I'm thinking just cut the key about 1/3 and set it in the cap in epoxy so it can be short enough.... Any other approaches? How long does it need to be ?

 

[Grey1one]

Looks to me like once you've cut the key, then epoxied it in the "knob" it will be too short to reach far enough into the ignition to start it.

 

[Jelly]

My frunk knob key turns on the ignition but due to the HISS the bike won't start.

I don't know how short you'd have to cut the key to stop it turning on the ignition.

 

[L.B.S.]

It really depends on the depth of the knob chosen to epoxy the key stub into, I guess.

I cut my duplicated key down enough so that the knob I chose would sit relatively flush and low profile. I cannot use the frunk knob/key to start my bike, it is too short to turn the ignition, I made sure of this and have confirmed it by trying.

 

[Fuzzy]

It really depends on the depth of the knob chosen to epoxy the key stub into, I guess.

I cut my duplicated key down enough so that the knob I chose would sit relatively flush and low profile. I cannot use the frunk knob/key to start my bike, it is too short to turn the ignition, I made sure of this and have confirmed it by trying.

What L.B.S. said.

 

[Brillot2000]

I don't know how short you'd have to cut the key to stop it turning on the ignition.

The amount of length this key needs to be shortened by is about 3/4" or 19 mm. Then the key cannot engage the tumblers to actuate the lock mechanism.

This is useful for the rest of the world that does not have the HISS available in their counties, such as the United States.

 

[Wcmike]

This question is academic but I am curious. If you cut the shortened key off the knob and then shoved that even shorter key into the non-HISS ignition, wouldn't you be able to turn the key and start the bike? As long as the key is fully seated, even if it had to be shoved in and turned with the help of another key or piece of metal, wouldn't it be able to be turned? With that said I don't want to be the person to try it.

Like I said. It's an academic question. I keep a hidden spare and there are easier ways to steal a 450 pound bike.