So... I get out of work tonight, and lo and behold.. the only key to my GS is missing. Yay. I searched the entire store I work at (4 story mega-bookstore) to no avail, walked the 2 blocks between my bike and the store 3 times back and forth... nothing. Eventually I just decide to push it into a safe garage (3 bucks a day) and take the bus home. I have no idea what could have happened to it.  Its possible that it fell out of my pocket sometime during work, or walking to work.... but I was standing for 90% of the time, and even then, I keep the key in a fairly secure pocket (always the same one, out of habit, to be safe). No clue where it could have gone.

Who the hell should I contact about getting a new key? I'm going to triple check to make sure its not somewhere in my gear (I really, really dont think it is), and I'm going to wait a day or two to see if it turns up at work... but crap. I read another thread tyhat said it would be 90-120 bucks for the key alone.... but that didnt include locksmithing services.

Will I need the title to my bike? Registration, etc? Can I just call any automotive locksmith? Will they need to come to where the bike is? I'd just hotwire it and rig something up on my own, get a new key and lock barrel, etc... or some kind of alternate device... but the bike is now in a secure garage in the city, and theres NO way to push it home, not across the Bay Bridge; I somehow doubt they'd take kindly to a guy showing up and hotwiring a bike from inside the garage, owner or no.

Anyway, if you guys have any advice or knowhow in this situation.... argh, I'd appreciate it.

It's not illegal to hotwire your own bike.... Tho I'd not be ina hurry to cut on the ignition harness unless it's a last resort...

I assume you didn't lock your steering since you pushed it to a garage... One option to get it home  is to get another igntion switch  (I have several here but I'm on the east coast....). Take your headlight  out - unhook the switch on the bike (green plug)...plug the other one in and  ride it home (put the headlight back on..). Just tape the switch up to something for the ride home... That's if you have enough gas to get home....

Anyone in his area with a spare ignition switch ( a busted one will work  if its just the lock cylinder thats busted..you can use a screwdriver...). The only code that was on suzukis for ignitions came on a little black tab that came with your keys....which I doubt you have (?!?!?) Some other brands put codes on their cylinders...(which on some bikes you can read with a dental mirror...but so can other people...)...


I made my own lockpics and am decent at picking the igntions/gas tanks. I sometimes buy bikes with no keys...and to swap the gas caps etc out you need to unlock them....

Oh yeah most Suzuki igntions will work... (I think...)

Good luck- Maybe you'll find your key today.

jared,

*** sorry in advance for jacking this thread temporarily ***

do you know a place in the area that can rekey all my locks?  i have three different keys for my bike right now and it's kinda annoying.  plus, i too only have one copy for the ignition and the local home depots and lowes don't have the right blanks.

dan

Call a locksmith.  Many of them will travel to you and fit a key for the lock right there in the garage.  I know a locksmith in my area that will travel 29 miles to my house, fit a key for me in my garage, and only charge $60.00.  If you don't have a locksmith that knows and trusts you, you may need to show him the title to the bike, etc.   Also, Dennis Kirk has new ignitions for $30.00.  It won't match you gas tank or under-seat, but you can drive it to a locksmith, and have him fit a key for these locks for you.  

I know this because I have to use three different keys for my bike.   All of them are different at this point.

I dont mind a bit of thread jacking, I find that threads do intersting things when they veer sligtly off topic

I guess I'll go the locksmith route... See if it wont cost an arm and a leg. The bike also only came with one key. I'm going to email the previous owner and see if MAYBE he has another key... but I really doubt it.

I kind of like the idea of replacing my ignition module, but at that point I'll still need to pay for a locksmith to make me a new factory key, since I need to get gas at some point. >_< (i have plenty right now)

Also, th ere are a ton of switches on the Dennis Kirk site... which one would I use myself?

EDIT: just noticed the 'list of machines this part will fit' button.  

I had a locksmith make a key for a car once, he just stuck a soft blank in the door, jiggled it up and down to make impressions, then worked on it with a file until it fit right.  it didn't cost much, can't remember exactly, but it was definitely cheaper than a whole new set of locks.

Jigger- You may just want to shop for a complete lockset on Ebay....

My local tech knows how to "rekey" your cylinders.... basically you put the key you want in the cylinder (with the cylinder out so you can see the exposed tumblers)  and grind off all but the bottom (or is it the top..?) tumbler that sticks out.... You have to be careful  and make em smooth...

I've haven't tried this yet... and I'd like to verify how to do it... What you might do is pull all your locks off the bike and take them to a locksmith and ask how much to rekey-take all your keys with you...(or I'll ask my local tech how much for him to do it...) .
I'm in a hurry at the moment...I'll PM you when I get back.

Hope it works out for you Eisen....

gotta run..

If left mine in the seat lock a few times.
It'd be pretty funny if that's where your ended up.
Broke mine off in there too, but luckely they were able to make copies from the two pieces.  Doesn't work as well as it should though.

OK some suzuki lock sets will work ... like a katana 6 from 89-97 ... but a B6 or B12 ... look like they'd work but no they dont ... But that's ignition only, tank ... many of the old suzuki B6/12, kat, pre 96 GSXR 750 and 1100 gsxr are all gonna be OK, seat latch ... only other bike it shared it with AFAIK ... TL/R ... well is that the same as the TL/S ... dont remember ...
Cool.
Srinath.

Can I get the seat lock and gas tank lock off the bike without having the key for them?

Anyway, I'm going to call a locksmith tomorrow (well, many locksmiths) and ask what my options are.

I'm cool with spending 60 or 70 bucks to get this done... 200 is not an option. I mean, I can spend the money, but that means that no one in my family (including myself) gets christmas presents this year. I'd rather be without the bike for a few weeks than not be able to get my mom and GF gifts. (yes, I know its late, but I just got paid today for the first time in 4 weeks) >_<

You can get the seat off without the key....... hit this link...
http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10614

Essentially a longish slightly bent  rod with a short hook bent on the end (I have a screwdriver that i made this tool out of..)...
From the right side of the bike...you pry up on the seat  and slide your  homemade tool up under the seat and into the latch release mechanism and push...

The lock on the cap needs to be unlocked... You can't get the cap off without unlocking it...

I can show you how to make your own pics and tell you how  to pic it..... Just don't carry the pics around with you...(Some states consider them burglary tools and you get hauled away if they find them on you...but I digress). Locks keep honest people honest...thats about it.

Motorcycle locks aren't the best locks to learn on anyway....

Well, I called about 20 locksmiths today, they pretty much all want 140-190 dollars to make me a new key... except one guy.

This guy says that if I can bring the lock (IE, ignition barell) to him, he can fit me a new key for much less: 18 bucks if the ignition has a code, 30 if it doesent.

Now, what I want to know.. if I bring the guy my seat lock, will that work? Will it have all the same tumblers and whatnot that the ignition system would have, or is it a mechanically simpler lock that only uses a few tumblers?

If I need to take him the ignition module... do I need to remove the upper triple clamp to get it out? If thats what it takes, i'm just going to puch the bike to him, and let him work on the lock that way... i hink its only 15 blocks or so. O_O

Or not.. eek. It looks like its more like 4 or 5 miles. Damn.

Eisenfaust-

What kind of timetable are you working on?  I am a locksmith, and could make a key without even seeing your bike.  I would however need the numbers stamped on the cylinder itself (either from the ignition, tank cylinder, or seat lock).  I can then look it up in the master listing, and code cut the key.  Normally we charge about $80 for something like that (providing you aren't too far away or we don't have to tear things apart too much).  If you can get me that information, I can look it up for you, cut the key, and have it in the mail ASAP.  I'm just over the hill in Carson City, NV so it wouldn't take long.  I'd only charge you shipping and the cost of the key blank (about $3.00 for the key).  Let me know if I can help.

Aaron

Sorry, I missed one of your questions.  Normally, the seat and ignition lock will have the same internals, so either will work for getting the code.  The ignition will come out fairly easily from below with a security torx bit.  I don't have my van with me right now (since I'm with my family for Christmas), or I could let you know for sure if I can help.  I could find out for sure tonight though.

Aaron