Motorcycle & Scooter Keys: getting ready

After a winter under a cover, the steering lock will not budge. The key seats fully in the barrel, but turning it meets a wall of resistance that no amount of wiggling moves past.

Worth answering before the call

Has anyone already tried to cut or copy this key elsewhere? Where is the machine currently kept? What is the make, model and year of the machine?

Does having a new key or lock affect an anti-theft insurance discount?

It can, depending on the insurer and what device is involved. Several Canadian insurers offer a premium discount for an approved alarm or disabling device that is professionally installed, which is a separate matter from a routine key or lock repair, but worth raising with an insurer at the same time if a machine is also getting an upgrade such as a disc lock or alarm.

I bought a used bike with just one worn key. What happens now?

The locksmith first identifies every lock on the machine, ignition, seat and fuel cap included, and tests the key that came with it against each one. Whatever the existing key does not already cover is then cut or decoded to match, so the outcome is a complete, known set of keys rather than a single blade of uncertain history. It is a common situation and does not require any prior records to resolve.