Learned all about Motorbike Ignitions Switches and Keys without even trying…
After loading the Motopeds on the trailer over on the Florida East coast ready for the 100 mile return trip to SWF, I took the keys out of both bikes and put them in my pocket so not to lose them.
When I got home and was putting away the tie downs etc., I threw the keys onto my workbench where they remained until I was ready to try and start the Survival like on Monday evening after prepping it for two days. One set of two keys fit the Cruzer and one set fit the Survival, but not vise-versa.
Went to turn on the Survival and the key will not turn in the ignition lock. Tried the second key on the ring; same thing, goes in but won’t turn. Tried the other keys in the Cruzer; same thing, both keys on that ring go in but won’t turn. Now is that not strange. Did not make sense other than to think since not run in a year they were frozen up or something. Googled, tried everything other than spraying stuff in the keyhole. I Am saving that for last resort n the meantime, took the lock out of the bike and started looking into the connectors / wiring etc. with the idea I would have to replace it. Spent hours looking online for an exact replacement.
Lost sleep…. What the F is why they won’t turn in both bikes? Went to locksmith yesterday with the ignition switch and key in it. He said he did not think it was frozen but seemed like the wrong key. Of course, I said it had to be right as the other set only fit in the Cruzer.
Found a replacement online last night but the key looked different but the mechanism the same (Small diameter metal barrel 17MM – most online are 25mm and plastic with square key heads)
Right before bed last night knowing the replacement was on its way, I decided to spray Houdini in the lock and still no go. Took it apart last night but could not get to the innards of the lock. Still no go with the keys.
Could not get this off my mind… why both were acting the same. I woke up this morning and a light went on (in my head). I had moved the Bluebird Whizzers across the street on Sunday to my neighbor’s garage for a couple of weeks to free up some space to work on these bikes. I remembered taking the keys with me and coming home and putting them on the kitchen counter……NOT! Went out to get the key out of Gator still in my garage (I even rode it last night and touched / turned that key) and took the key out and of course, it looked just like the two sets of Keys I was using for the Motopeds. Then I knew, I went into the catch all on the kitchen counter and there were these two strange looking keys that looked just like the keys on the new one on order! And then I was sure that those two keys were the keys I put in my pocket on Thursday on the east coast and I did not throw them on the workbench but put them in the house. The two key sets on the workbench were from the Bluebirds I threw there on Sunday after moving the bikes….. So I verified both the keys work in the respective Motopeds. A day late and a Dollar Short! Good news is, I know I don’t need to replace the Cruzer when I get to refurbishing that bike. Then I thought there must only be two master key blanks for all of these small motorbike / mopeds and sure enough I had a 50/50 chance that the Gator Whizzer key would fit one of the Motopeds. YEP! It did. Mystery solved, ignition locks 101, THE END.