First time post- excellent forum; I have gotten a lot of great information here already.

I am looking at a 1990 CBR that has no keys. The owner has the title (clean) but claims that he lost the keys when he sold his car. Assuming the story is valid, anyone have any idea what it takes to get a new key made? Owner claims that the bike runs fine once you get it started. I would do a 30 minute buyback type of deal if the key is not too expensive.

Thanks,
Don

 

make sure to google the vin # on the actual frame, not on the title. Let me know if its stolen and you live around texas. My 90 cbr600 got stolen about 6 months ago :P

There are two ways you can do this to make sure it runs before buying. One is a locksmith, the other is to cut the ignition cable. inside there, there will be 3 seperate wires, a blue, black and red. cut some insulation between the red and blue and connect the wires. Hit the start button and that will fire it up. If you have any questions about this, go ahead and post again and ill pm you my number or something.

 

Actually, I have an ignition and key from my old 90cbr600, but I dont know if it works. Id send it to you for the cost of shipping, but it IS a crapshoot. I'd prolly try the other two options before this one, but im just putting it out there.

 

you can get a key made from the dealer. they will cut you one if you can get the 4 numbers off the ignition barrel. it will have to be unbolted from the top triple clamp (torx bits) and the 4 digit number will be stamped on the barrel itself. once you have the 4 digits, make sure whoever cuts the key does it right. it makes a difference if cut is made according to the numbers read left to right or vise versa.

 

If you find a dealer who won't make you a key from the #s as mentioned, a good locksmith should be able to make you one in about 10 minutes. I had the same problem, and pulled the ignition barrel out and took it to a locksmith and they did it on the spot. $20. It was awesome.

Make sure if you do go to the locksmith, make sure they don't "re-key" it, just make a key for the existing setup. that way your gas cap and helmet holder will still work.

 

Thanks for the information. A follow up question: I am not mechanically inclined- is it difficult to pull the ignition barrel out? Is it simply a matter of unbolting it from the triple clamp and disconnecting the wires (I assume that there is a quick connect)? Putting it back in just the opposite?
If it really is that easy, what prevents people from doing it and stealing our bikes?

Thanks,
Don

 

No it's very easy. You might have to take a few pieces off, maybe the front fairing and the gauge cluster. But once you can get to it, it's two bolts and a color-coded electrical connector.

As far as stealing stuff, I doubt anyone would want to spend 5-10 minutes to steal a $1500 bike. If someone wants to steal it, they'll pick it up and throw it in a truck or something.

EDIT: Take off the two plastic pieces on the backside of the mirrors, inside the windshield (phillips), and the (upper-inner inside the front fairing) pieces (m5 allen). Then take out the gauge cluster (2 phillips or 10mm socket, and 1 8mm in the middle), undo the two multi-connectors for the gauge cluster, unscrew the speedo cable, and pull the cluster out. Then you should be able to get to the ignition switch bolts and connector. Don't worry about labeling the multi connectors, they're all unique sizes and colors so you can't mess 'em up.

 

"As far as stealing stuff, I doubt anyone would want to spend 5-10 minutes to steal a $1500 bike."

1500$sounds like a good deal for 5-10 minutes worth of work, if that long. Basically, if someone wants your bike, they are going to have it. Insurance and an alarm will help :P

 

Insure it and forget it. If someone really wants it, they'll get it. With insurance, you can do something better and cheaper the next time.
I guess what I meant is: If some jacka$$ 14-year old can take a screwdriver and steal a Jeep Cherokee in 45 seconds, I doubt they'd take the time to carefully remove your gauge cluster and splice the wires to the ignition block.

THAT SAID, I'll never understand why they will break a $100 window to steal a $49 stereo.

 

it is pretty easy to steal a bike. but lucky for us old bike owners, our bikes aren't in high demand for parts. the newer the bike, the more often it will get stolen. i've gone to some really bad parts of town and left my bike wondering if i would ever see it again. but i do my best to remember to put a lock on it and park it in such a way that makes it kinda tough to get out of a parking spot. can't just roll it out and go or leave it in a high pedestrain traffic area.