Author Topic: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!  (Read 1119 times)

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Offline Hope

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Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« on: July 12, 2007, 11:43:13 AM »
Alright folks,

If you look at Cassandra, you will find that I am pretty much keeping her old school and have not made a lot of modifications....

I have not relocated the ignition.  Most have, I haven't.  I never would have thought this would have happened... not in a million years....  until today....

I rode Cassandra to school, nice 15 mile interstate ride.... the whole while thinking about how the idle is a little high since I put on that Dyna ignition...  Got to school, parked 'er, turned the faded red button to "off" and then reached down the left side of the bike to turn the key off....   GONE!!!!!!

I rattled the damn key out of the ignition!!!!!!


I used my lawnmower key to turn the bike off, so the battery would not be drained, and so that no one would ride off on her while I am in class.  Now that I have turned the ignition off with my lawnmower key, I am ponder if I still have a spare and where it could be and how I am going to get a ride home to look for the key....

Maybe I will adjust my idle.  Maybe I will relocate my ignition.  Maybe the locksmith won't charge me $60 to make the new key when I bring in the ignition from Cassandra.

Just one o those days in biker world  :'(

Offline Bob Wessner

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2007, 11:46:51 AM »
Wow. That hasn't happened to me yet, but you have convinced me to carry a spare in my wallet. ;)
We'll all be someone else's PO some day.

jdigga

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2007, 11:50:25 AM »
Oh man, that sucks.  I broke my key off in the seat lock recently, but I swapped the ignition and seat lock from another bike.

So I have to ask--why do you carry your lawnmower key to school, or at all for that matter?  ;)

Offline 333

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2007, 11:58:15 AM »
I would urge you not to move the ignition switch.  It is not made to be exposed to the weather.  They make caps, but that only protects the (now) top, not the backside of the switch.  And no matter how hard we try, we all have been caught out in the weather.

A source for keys has been ndiscussed in a thread somewhere here.  It's something like HondaKeyman.com or something like that.  Someone will see my attempt at remembering and correct me I hope.
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Offline mikedialect

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2007, 12:01:07 PM »
Yeah, as I understand it there weren't a whole lot of key codes for these fellas. I see a guy on ebay selling them all the time. Often he is selling them in tandem with another item like a chain guard or something. You'd be extra in lucky if you knew they key number:):)
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Offline neil young

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2007, 12:06:57 PM »
Yeah, as I understand it there weren't a whole lot of key codes for these fellas. I see a guy on ebay selling them all the time. Often he is selling them in tandem with another item like a chain guard or something. You'd be extra in lucky if you knew they key number:):)
i have a 71 cb 500 and a 77 550 and the keys work on both bikes 8)
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eldar

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2007, 12:41:34 PM »
You could maybe make some sort of little catch that hooks onto the key when it is inserted. Then it would not vibrate out or catch it if it did kick the key out again.

A lot of keys will work on the older bikes as far as turning it from OFF to RUN. Now I sue my fork lock ALL the time and I dont know if just any key would work for that.

Offline merc2dogs

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2007, 12:44:37 PM »
 Happened to me before twice, back in the late 70's somewhere between guerrerro/24th and turk/market and again up here a while ago, along 131 or m37, think I mentioned it in a post here somewhere. never found either.

 since then I tie a string above the ignition, and have a clip on my key ring, -always- clip the keys to the string.  this ignition holds the key tightly though, so don't think it will get lost, but don't want to take the chance.

ken.

Offline firecracker

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2007, 12:49:19 PM »
It's   http://www.hondakeys.com/

Got a "new" key from him, since the bike only came with one key.

Good Luck!
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Offline Chris Schneiter

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2007, 01:46:57 PM »
My ignition switch on my 750K6 has been moved up between the clocks...I've never had any problem with weather. I did however seal the bottom of the switch where the wires attach with silicone.
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Offline Hope

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2007, 01:52:43 PM »

So I have to ask--why do you carry your lawnmower key to school, or at all for that matter?  ;)

The lawnmower key was on my "house keychain" that I keep in my pocket while I am riding.  It has my house key along with other keys that I use around the house.  When I checked the ignition & the key was missing from the ignition, the only thing that I could think is to find a key that is small enough to fit in the ignition of the bike.  The house key was too thick, but the lawnmower key was thin enough to fit in the ignition.

Offline Gordon

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2007, 03:54:02 PM »
All you need is the number stamped on the ignition switch housing and you can get a replacement key pretty cheap.

Offline edbikerii

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2007, 05:27:34 PM »
Yes, I hit a pothole with my 77 cb550, and the key (along with all my other keys) fell out of the ignition and landed in the middle of Park Ave. in rush hour traffic!  Luckily I noticed it right away.  I had to retrieve the keys, or I couldn't get into my house, either.  I made a quick u-turn, went back around, and slowly rode in the lane until I came across the keys.  Then I parked the bike with the turn signals on, so I wouldn't get clobbered from behind, and got off to get my keys.  Taxicabs were honking!
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Offline Hope

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Re: Has this ever happened to you?!?!?!
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2007, 08:48:48 PM »
thanks guys.

I got the number off my ignition and was able to get a key from the Honda dealership for $3.27 (that price includes tax).  Now tor rig up some sort of keeper in case the key comes out of the ignition again!