Key Lost - Ignition switch removal Q's

No worries mate. Wow, that was 8 years ago. Glad it helped.

 

Hi - thanks for providing this info. Old I know, but I found by Googling and assume someone else might. I wanted to post some additional information based on having just been through this process myself. Mine is a 99 VFR800FiX. I have mislaid the keys and thought that if I removed the lock I could get the code and get some new ones. I tried to follow this guide, but found that:-

a) the "Torx" bolts appeared rounded off - I've since learned that they are actually one-way security bolts which are rounded off by design on fitting. I can only assume that yours had been replaced previously with normal Torx bolts?
b) I could not get satisfactory access to the bolts (this is before I realised I wouldn't be able to get them out anyway). I removed more and more of the front of the bike ending up with the fairings, instruments and supporting frame all removed in the end. At this point I was able to drill off the heads of the bolts.

This is not actually necessary however. The better way is to support the front of the bike with a jack and then remove the top/yoke tree and send that with lock attached for decoding. There is no key code stamped, but a suitable locksmith can decode quite easily.

Stuart