Topic: Time warp Honda Ignition key

[CharlieVT]

Just for grins:

I have had this key from either my CL350 or my CB500, both purchased new in early seventies lying around in a tool box for decades. (I sold both bikes back in the 70s, but one key lingered on).
I needed to replace the ignition switch on my "new" CB550, so when I got it I had to try the old key. It WORKS !  I knew I was saving that key for something

Jeez, what are the odds of that?

Charlie

[skamania19]

That just goes to prove what I tell my wife whenever she wants me to clean some of my old stuff out of the shop:

1) You never know when I might need that.
2) Everything is valuable.
3) If I clean it up I'll never find anything when I do need it.

Then I clean it up.

[Bodi]

Hmm.
I had to get a new spare key for a CB750K1 about a year after it was new, and went to the local Honda dealer parts guy. He looked at the key then went to the shelf for a cardboard shelf bin about 3 inches wide. He scratched in it for about 5 seconds and handed me the key.
I mentioned that I was pretty amazed he found it so fast and didn't have to cut it from a blank.
He said it was no problem, there were only 7 different keys.
I don't know if that meant 7 keys for all 750-K1's, 7 keys for all 1970 Honda bikes, or 7 keys for every Honda bike made with that lockset... or what...
I didn't tell the bike's owner.
But your coincidence might just be a one in seven chance.

[Mark M]

Bodi, You may well be right.
I recently sold a loosly assembled pile of parts resembling a CB750F1 - it still had a lock but it came without a key, so I tried a spare I had from another F1 and it worked. So 1-7 may even be on the high side.

 

[dusterdude]

i remember back before gm went to lock cylinders in the steering column you could take a key and it would fit a lot of other gm vehicles,it seems they only had a few keys to fit its cars too.

[Jim Shea]

Mark,
Got any old F1 keys lying about? I am having a bugger of a time getting an ignition key?
Cheers,
JIm.

[74cb750]

JIm,
thry this guy out.
michel

http://www.hondakeys.com/key_id.html

[Jim Shea]

Michel,
Thanks, I had a look, but unfortunately as I do not have the original key they couldn't help me. But see my post in the open forum re key replacment, it was interesting what I found out.
Jim.

[ElCheapo]

I had two old Fords like that. One key for both. Funny one was US and the other was Canadian. What are the chances that they would ever endup in the same place?

I saw this a few times with keyless entry FOBS in a Ford dealership. Hit the button and three cars are honking at you LOL

[dusterdude]

cheapo,think about it,how many lock codes can these keyless entry systems have.makes me glad i have regular door locks.

[Dennis]

cheapo,think about it,how many lock codes can these keyless entry systems have.makes me glad i have regular door locks.

Actually far more than the available combinations on mechanical lock tumblers. In many cases millions of digital combinations are available. The aftermarket manufacturers use them and even incorporate rolling codes. Don't ask me how they do it, it is far beyond my understanding of electronics.
Now, how many codes do the OEM's use? I have no idea, but if 3 cars in the same lot responded to the same transmitter, I'd have to wonder ......... unless some smartass (or seriously dishonest) service guy programmed the cars that way ........
It CAN be done ................what do you think?

[74cb750]

Oh nice. Now some smart as* kid is going to show up at your local
mall and reconfigure a few hundred cars to all go off remotely at the
same time.
This would be good for a reality show prank,

or at the local ski area to really mess with the tourists.

[Dennis]

Oh nice. Now some smart as* kid is going to ...... reconfigure a few hundred cars to all go off remotely at the
same time.
This would be good for a reality show prank,

or at the local ski area to really mess with the tourists.

I doesn't quite work that way. It is usually pretty easy to do but you have to have access to the car and usually at least an ignition key. That is why it is usually done by dishonest service people, parking attendants or others with similar access to the car.

[ElCheapo]

While you cant really reprogram the cars without having the keys you can use a transmitter with a rolling code and possibly set of about %80 of the cars in the lot. This is how the thieves used to open garage doors to pinch your stuff.

[Dennis]

While you cant really reprogram the cars without having the keys you can use a transmitter with a rolling code and possibly set of about %80 of the cars in the lot. This is how the thieves used to open garage doors to pinch your stuff.

Now that's one I haven't heard about. I haven't been working with this stuff for a number of years. Rolling codes were just starting when I was getting away from that. I thought that many of the receivers were set not to accept rapidly repeated codes (like only accepting one signal after a 10 second pause or something like that - specifically to prevent a thief from blasting a vehicle with a large number of codes in only a few seconds).
How does that work?
We all need to protect our stuff!!

[Mark M]

Jim, I've got an F1 one (I think) but I have been able to get replacement keys cut by my local master lockcsmith (a real one not the kind you find in the high st). He did one that I couldn't find ANY code numbers on - perhaps he X Rays them? anyway you do need to take the whole lock to them. It was about a tenner inc one new key.

On the subject of car security - a friend of mine invented the combined security/engine management system for fords - It saved Fords a fortune and gave them a nice new feature to advertise - they gave him a little plack to stick on the wall, then made him redundant because two R+D departments could then be combined!

[Jim Shea]

Mark,
Thanks. I did manage to find a key in a car accessory shop of all places! It is made by a company called JMA and it has a fake Honda wing on it, but it does work and was 3 quid cutting incl. Talking about your chap Xraying the key, I found a place in Orpington that will make you a key if you send them a photocopy of your key!! they say that is all they need and they swear it works.