# Ah Crap; Can't find my Motorcycle Keys -- What can I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2008, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068 "2008-01-26T09:30:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/1 "2008-01-26T09:30:46Z")
Stupid me somehow managed to lose both keys to my motorcycle, as well as the ID # for said keys – awesome. Now my bike is nothingmore than a $7,000 paper weight! What can I do? I obviously can’t take the bike anywhere. So what options do I have? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/2 "2008-01-26T10:29:02Z")
Look for them? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/3 "2008-01-26T11:13:28Z")
On the contrary! Look for something else. If my experience is anything to go by, you only find the thing that you are not looking for, the thing you really need remains lost until you look for a different thing, which of course,you won’t find. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/4 "2008-01-26T11:19:42Z")
They are in the fridge on top of the butter. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/5 "2008-01-26T11:44:40Z")
Depending on the make and age a dealer might be able to get a key made from the VIN. Probably gonna’ cost you though. Might be cheaper to replace the switch. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/6 "2008-01-26T11:46:12Z")
Hotwire it to get it to a dealership? You’ll probably have to break the steering lock, too. It won’t be cheap. Can you call the AAA? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/7 "2008-01-26T14:55:11Z")
I would think a competent locksmith can solve your problem. Assuming you have a title to the bike to show them, I can’t imagine there would be a problem. Couldn’t hurt to call around and ask. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/8 "2008-01-26T15:00:50Z")
Go to the dealership with proof of ownership and they should be able to make a new key for you. Proof of ownership being the title, registration, sales contract, etc. and identification. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/9 "2008-01-26T15:08:17Z")
[QUOTE=Hockey Monkey] Proof of ownership being the title, registration, sales contract, etc. and identification. [/QUOTE] Which he conveniently keeps locked under the seat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/10 "2008-01-26T20:02:47Z")
I don’t have even the possibility of this happening on my choppers… 😃 I carry a spare key to everything in my wallet. I also have spare keys in the house. First thing I do when I have a new key for some piece of equipment. Bet you do too from now on… ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/11 "2008-01-26T21:54:22Z")
[QUOTE=GusNSpot] Bet you do too from now on… [/QUOTE] Don’t be so sure…I’ve locked myself out of my own house about a half dozen times, and had to “break in” by scaling the backwall up to a second story window. In all seriousness though, you’re damn right I’m going to keep one in my wallet…as well as in my car, in the house, at the office, plus 50 other copies I’ll scatter around so this never happens again. Thanksfully, it seems (as someone above mentioned – thanks!) the dealer kept my card key # on file, and I can purchase blank keys from them to take to a locksmith to get new ones made, which is totally awesome. So I’m off to do that right now, and then off to make a bajillion copies. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/12 "2008-01-27T04:06:45Z")
[QUOTE=GusNSpot] I carry a spare key to everything in my wallet. [/QUOTE] That’s a heckuva key! Can I get a copy? Decades ago, thay used to stamp a number on the lock, either on the face or on the back somehwere. This gave the key number, and a locksmith could cut a replacement based on the number. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ah-crap-cant-find-my-motorcycle-keys-what-can-i-do/435068/13 "2008-01-27T05:22:05Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Don’t be so sure…I’ve locked myself out of my own house about a half dozen times, and had to “break in” by scaling the backwall up to a second story window. [/QUOTE] It might be time to keep a spare key hidden somewhere outside the house. I once heard someone mention hiding a spare car (but it could be a motorcycle or house) key under their licensce plate. Just put the screw through the hole in the key and if you need it, you just have to find something to loosen the screw with.