Hey guys.

This week has been terrible, crashed, cars getting too close, and now my key breaks.

I have one spare key that only works for the gas cap and seat. I broke the key off in the gas cap trying to get gas before work.i took it out and put it in the ignition hoping that it would work with the stub trying to turn it but it didn't. Now the key is stuck in the ignition and i can't get it out now..

My question is, can i take the two stubs (once i get it out of the ignition) and take them to a key place and have them make one? Or should i call a lock smith, or should i get a new ignition switch?

I'm looking for the low cost alternative. Thanks guys,

Jake

Hi Jake. This has happened at least once to me over the years and if you have a bit of patience (and luck) you will be able to get the broken part out from the ignition switch.
Try:
1.  using tweezers to remove the broken part or,
2. a tiny (!) spot of epoxy glue to stick the two parts together. - you must use only a tiny bit and you must let it dry overnight! or
3. sometimes the ignition switch has a tiny hole at the bottom through which you can gently push a paper clip or piece of wire and raise the broken part enough to grab it with tweezers/pliers
Once removed a good locksmith will have no trouble in cutting you a new key provided he has the correct size blanks.
Patience and a bit of luck will win the day!
Tom

FYI to all:
When opening the gas cap, always press down hard on the cap. The springs put lots of pressure on the cap and its seal. I hear of many keys broken off that way. Probably the most common way keys break.

You might be lucky and have a gas cap easy to open. That is good.

Oiling the gas cap latches can help. They corrode and get really sticky. Especially when a bike sits for a long time.

Nobody else is cracking up thinking of calling a blacksmith about getting a key. A horse shoe maybe... Sorry.

Hahaha... Just noticed that. Now you have me cracking up.

Quote from: tomgus on July 18, 2013, 10:39:25 AM
Hi Jake. This has happened at least once to me over the years and if you have a bit of patience (and luck) you will be able to get the broken part out from the ignition switch.
Try:
1.  using tweezers to remove the broken part or,
2. a tiny (!) spot of epoxy glue to stick the two parts together. - you must use only a tiny bit and you must let it dry overnight! or
3. sometimes the ignition switch has a tiny hole at the bottom through which you can gently push a paper clip or piece of wire and raise the broken part enough to grab it with tweezers/pliers
Once removed a good locksmith will have no trouble in cutting you a new key provided he has the correct size blanks.
Patience and a bit of luck will win the day!
Tom

The lock smith estimated 180 dollars just to come out and look at it, so I would rather just buy a new one and put it in my self.

When I thought I had lost my key, I called the delership and they said sometimes the dealer can recreate the key. It depends on if they registered some number when they sold it. It's a long shot though.

Quote from: jacob92icu on July 18, 2013, 02:37:17 PM

Quote from: tomgus on July 18, 2013, 10:39:25 AM
Hi Jake. This has happened at least once to me over the years and if you have a bit of patience (and luck) you will be able to get the broken part out from the ignition switch.
Try:
1.  using tweezers to remove the broken part or,
2. a tiny (!) spot of epoxy glue to stick the two parts together. - you must use only a tiny bit and you must let it dry overnight! or
3. sometimes the ignition switch has a tiny hole at the bottom through which you can gently push a paper clip or piece of wire and raise the broken part enough to grab it with tweezers/pliers
Once removed a good locksmith will have no trouble in cutting you a new key provided he has the correct size blanks.
Patience and a bit of luck will win the day!
Tom

The lock smith estimated 180 dollars just to come out and look at it, so I would rather just buy a new one and put it in my self.

....which means a trip to the West Seattle Bike Cave for some parts?

Wow 180! ... Yeah definately try yourself first!! .. Gently!!

But of course a blacksmith!! ... Blacksmiths were once considered to have a nodding acquaintance with the land magic power! ... And a bike is made from metal mostly!! ... "They take their metal seriously down in Jake's neck of the woods!! " .. 

Just thinking though ... If you remove the ignition barrel assembly from the bike ... And took it TO a locksmith shop .... No actual 'callout' ... Just some time to sort things out on their workshop bench?! ... Dunno about your locksmith .. But the one near me ... Is about $160 for a call out ... And $120 of that is usually just for the travel ... If I take the 'problem' to them they only charge for materials used and maybe a little time if its a tricky one .... 

Quote from: adidasguy on July 18, 2013, 02:43:32 PM

Quote from: jacob92icu on July 18, 2013, 02:37:17 PM

Quote from: tomgus on July 18, 2013, 10:39:25 AM
Hi Jake. This has happened at least once to me over the years and if you have a bit of patience (and luck) you will be able to get the broken part out from the ignition switch.
Try:
1.  using tweezers to remove the broken part or,
2. a tiny (!) spot of epoxy glue to stick the two parts together. - you must use only a tiny bit and you must let it dry overnight! or
3. sometimes the ignition switch has a tiny hole at the bottom through which you can gently push a paper clip or piece of wire and raise the broken part enough to grab it with tweezers/pliers
Once removed a good locksmith will have no trouble in cutting you a new key provided he has the correct size blanks.
Patience and a bit of luck will win the day!
Tom

The lock smith estimated 180 dollars just to come out and look at it, so I would rather just buy a new one and put it in my self.

....which means a trip to the West Seattle Bike Cave for some parts?

Indeed it does! There will be quite the update to my "Jacobs Prolonged Project" build thread after I come back from the bike cave. Patrick is one hell of a guy!


Good idea Janxy, I'll have to look into that... Possibly... Maybe... Sometime...

Jake, if you do end up getting a new ignition switch (and a new key that won't work with the gas tank or seat) ... take a look at the old [Finally got a key made!] thread for info on combining two different keys into one. 

if you can open the gas cap, you can remove the cap and disassemble the lock, i i assemebled my 89 so many years ago,... It was a track bike and i got like 5 huge boxes of parts with it,  the seat lock, gascap and ignition were all diff keys but only one key came with the bike. i was able to pull apart the gascap and seat lock and swap tumblers around to match my ignition key.  as to my broken key issue, once i had the key out, i used some JB-weld epoxy all around the break wraped the key in wax paper and left it pressed in between 2 blocks of wood in my vice. once cured i took the key to lock smith to make duplicates

With my GS, I got an Emgo aftermarket OEM style replacement ignition, bought a used gas cap/key from from Adidas, and removed the seat lock, just left the cable hidden, but still accessible. It's not proper, but it did work pretty well! And it's very cheap. Ignition was $30, and the cap was $20 I want to say

Quote from: Blueknyt on July 18, 2013, 06:48:43 PM
if you can open the gas cap, you can remove the cap and disassemble the lock, i i assemebled my 89 so many years ago,... It was a track bike and i got like 5 huge boxes of parts with it,  the seat lock, gascap and ignition were all diff keys but only one key came with the bike. i was able to pull apart the gascap and seat lock and swap tumblers around to match my ignition key.  as to my broken key issue, once i had the key out, i used some JB-weld epoxy all around the break wraped the key in wax paper and left it pressed in between 2 blocks of wood in my vice. once cured i took the key to lock smith to make duplicates

you and patrick both gave sage advice here. although i dont think youll get a nicer title . lord knows ive been trying lol

Bumping to state the Ilco blank labeled X276  SUZ16 works on 500F locks. Hope that helps someone in the future.

american key supply sells x276 for $0.51 each if you buy a pack of 10.  you could keep a few and sell the rest here.  good luck

Ooh yeh! Pleeese don't pay for a callout locksmith! I pulled off my Petrol (gas) cap, (2 allen screws), took it into the local locksmith and he cut me x2 keys for about $50.
(That does assume the your gascap and ignition key is the same of course).
BTW Those super rare earth magnets you can get nowadays would probably pull a broken key out of a lock, they're amazing.