Help: Locksmith's key wont open gas cap

Hello All,

New to the boards. I have an issue getting going on my new (to me) bike.

I picked this example up last week from an owner who had lost all the keys to the thing (!). After reading on here and other spots that the ignition can be taken to a locksmith they can cut a key based on the code they read off the outer cylinder. Great.

So I pulled the ignition assm. out, paid for the bike and drove it home with the ignition out. This Saturday, I had the most reputable locksmith in town (Santa Rosa, CA) cut 3 keys for it. When I got home, the keys wont open the gas cap or the seat latch.

The locksmith claims "that's just the way it is"..."You brought us an ignition tumbler and we cut a key for it that works, right? So what's your beef?"

Well, for starters: I cant refuel the D!*$ thing!

Any help here?

I am about to drill out the tumbler and use a different fuel cap with a key.

 

call a real lock smith, they can hand cut a key based off of a lock. if you have wigled and jiggled and nothing but the ignition works with that key i would assume the ignition switch was changed at one time. even with the next key cut, you have a choice, live with 2 keys, or find a salvage yard with an appropriate bike and get the locks, and atleast one key.

or again back to the lock smith, some locks can be re-tumbled. i dunno if these can.


in the car world a vin number and a dealer and a key can be made. usually about 100$ but they will give you a couple keys and have you set up correctly... again unless the ignition was changed.

 

PO swears he used one key for all the locks less than a month ago. He is one of the higher creative directors @ zynga so he's not likely to be fibbing to me.

The key the locksmith cut wont even get past the gate - prob. 1/8" maybe - like the blank is wrong. This biz has been around for 25 years and they are acting like I'm the dumb-ass. So, I'm feeling like one caught in the middle. I just don't want to rush off with power tools without consulting the tribe on it's Wisdom.

I have another VFR tank off of a 2002 with a key for it's cap. My thought is tonight I will drill the lock to get the latch mech. to release and just transplant gas caps or perhaps even just the lock portion. The worst case is I have to use a screwdriver to open my gas cap but I get to ride it tomorrow.

 

Any statements on the comparability of 4th and 6th gen fuel caps?

 

I dunno what a 4th gen fuel cap looks like but if it's the same design as a 6th you could just unbolt it from the tank and not have to screw around with drilling, prying, etc.

 

Yes, tried that last night. Got the 3 cap screws out but without the key, the cap is still held on by the latch. I thought about drilling the seat lock and then removing the tank to collapse the latch from the inside (through the sender hole) but seems like a lot of work to save the cap when I have another one already.

Yes, it would appear the diff. year caps are compatible. At least all the aftermarket & race suppliers online are building one cap model that fits 4th though 6th gen VFRs.

 

Seems like you are going about the whole issue believing everyone involved and still not getting a fix.. Pull the tank and take that to the locksmith. If ya can't fill er up you ain't gonna be riding it anyway for very long. Short of that, the local Honda dealer that might have a trick or two you haven't thought of.

Dude, they got you jumpin through hoops into a pile of BS IMO..

 

Agree with Badbilly. If you haven't burnt bridges with the original locksmith take the tank back to him the key he cut. It may be that the ignition lock is more worn than the tank and it may just need a bit of tweaking to fit. That way you still get to use one key.

 

When I purchased my 2000 VFR the PO only gave me a single key and it was a copy of the original. The locksmith suggested that I get a key made by the manufacturer. The dealer required proof of ownership and valid registration in order to get the key done and it took a couple of days since they had to order the key blank. I did as he suggested and I had the same problem as you experienced, the key fit the ignition although it stuck a bit at first and required some wiggling (its fine now), but not the tank or the seat release. I was able to grind off the safety tabs the back of the seat lock bracket that hold it to the passenger footrest stantion and remove the lock cylinder and then took that cylinder and the factory cut key to the locksmith. The locksmith said the new key having really sharp edges was not as worn as the locks (he said that can sometimes cause issues) and all he did was to use a wire wheel on the bench grinder to smooth the edges and he used a file to work at some of the edges on the new key and after that it worked fine. Might be worth a try.

 

Thanks for the input, everyone. If my TDI didn't seize it's alt. pulley this week, there wouldn't be such a hurry to do this.

However, last night I drilled the thing out of the gas tank cap - something I wouldn't advise to future readers. I put on the 6th gen cap and drove it to work today:



What a great bike.