safecracking seat lock

[dragonchow]

Just picked up a deal on a tired old show bike  from a punk ass slob who just had it around to impress his girlyfreind. He hasn't completely ruined it yet, so my mission is to tear it down and restore it to new glory - that'll keep me outta the bars and broke this winter, huh? I will also be incessantly haunting this group.
Right off the bat I find the key set is jacked up - he lost the oem keys and had a pair locksmithed from Suzuki blanks that work in the ignition and gas cap - but not the seat lock.

 I'd rather not try to find a locksmith to work with and think I'd just as soon go with the ziptie release trick anyway, so...anyone here ever found a way to reach in there and bypass the lock to release the seat?

[jer0177]

You can take the ignition lock to a good locksmith and get a real key made or you can remove the side covers, unbolt the 2 bolts for the center cover, pop it up out of the retainer at the bottom and try to get to the inside of the seat lock mechanism and release the cable manually.

My vote is to remove the ignition and take it to get real keys made - you're going to need them eventually.

[Chrisj CMA]

[9Ball]

remove the left side cover and using a long thin screwdriver you can move the latch to release the seat.  Helps to have someone hold a flashlight so you can see what you're doing.

It's easy...done it a few times myself.

[dreamchaser]

Jaysgone is a longtime retired locksmith.  You might PM him for professional results.

[pocobubba]

I've seen Des do it a few times , you might send him an email at Ultimate Seats , he's in Ocean City Md. this weekend but they keep their comp going

[dragonchow]

Awright- Took off the kid gloves, hunkered down and went after it - per jrhorton's advice -  found the magic spot with the right angle of attack and popped it right off! (eh, that sounded oddly pornographic...).
 Allowed me to pull the stock seats and set a nice ostrich skin Corbin stingray saddle on it - good for starting me off on an hour and a half of imagineering...
I am definitely paying attention to jer0177 - you're right about getting it properly re-keyed and will bookmark dreamchaser's reference to jaysgone for when I get to that stage of detail, which is many, many hours and dollars from now.
Thanks for the prompt advice from all and to ChrisJ CMA for getting the picture to post - don't know what I goofed up, but will puzzle it out so I can share my progress with the group.
This forum ROCKS!

[Tropic traveler]

Welcome & haunt us all you want!  
Between all the members of this group I doubt there is anything concerning a Valkyrie that someone hasn't been there & done that.  

BTW, guys that rescue mistreated Valks get preferential treatment around here. You sir are a saint!

[Fudd]

Hey Dragonchow

How were you able to put gas in it without a key?

[dragonchow]

   It came with a key that worked in the ignition and gas cap - just not the seat lock. I picked it up less than a week ago  - actually, it was a Craigs listing that turned out to be only 4 blocks from my home so I walked over and rode it home. Other than that and a quick 1 mile pre-buy test ride, that's all the gas it's gonna burn until it's re-incarnated.
   The powertrain seems solid but with the supercharger and unknown other mods on it and probable total lack of any maintenance in the past year or so while in possesion of the last owner who was mercilessly flogging the poor beast, I suspect it has...issues.
   It was like finding a good ol' dog that's been beat on.  It looks at you with sad eyes, licks your face and begs you to take it home and give it love - before it's too late. 
   So, I won't ride it again until I pull it apart and inspect it piece by piece, fix what needs fixin', clean and tighten everything else, change out every single drop of fluids...and get the best paint job I can afford after bringing it up to snuff mechanically.

Besides, I've got my first Valk (which has always been in top notch condition) to keep me rollin' and smilin'.

[GreenLantern57]

Cool, a rider and fix-er upper! 

Noticed you were in Colorado, guess that is why you needed a winter project! 

[JaysGone]

Ill volunteer my thoughts here.
While the Suzuki blank is close enough for most cases where the X138 - HD75<Ilco> blank is used.
Its not the same.
Any decient locksmith should be able to impression and or take the gas cap apart to make a good working key for every thing.
There are only 4 tumblers of a certain depth used.

Might just be that the seat cyclinder doesnt match up to the cap and ignition.
That can be recoded to fit what you have in any event, if brought in.

If brought to me.
For less then 35$ you would have a working key for all locks.
I would suggest you take off the gas cap.
In this case the easiet to work with,and have a decient propper key made.
Bring the seat cyclinder too if you can.

[dragonchow]

Jaysgone, thanks for volunteering your expertise. The blank is indeed Ilsco, but it's a  X87. I assumed it was Suzuki 'cause it also says SUZ11.
At some point in the project I most definitely want to get it rekeyed, including the seat lock that I am now thinking will be reinstalled.
I'm a long ride from Florida, and don't wish to impose on you for services that would require shipping and handling on your part, but the first and last time I tried to get motorcycle specific locksmithing from a local shop it was a bad experience...so I may contact you later on to make arrangements to send you the gas cap and seat lock if that's ok...?

[JaysGone]

Jaysgone, thanks for volunteering your expertise. The blank is indeed Ilsco, but it's a  X87. I assumed it was Suzuki 'cause it also says SUZ11.
At some point in the project I most definitely want to get it rekeyed, including the seat lock that I am now thinking will be reinstalled.
I'm a long ride from Florida, and don't wish to impose on you for services that would require shipping and handling on your part, but the first and last time I tried to get motorcycle specific locksmithing from a local shop it was a bad experience...so I may contact you later on to make arrangements to send you the gas cap and seat lock if that's ok...?

I wouldnt be an impossition at all.
Id be happy to do it for you.

As dumb as this sounds, if you can.

Email me a photo copy as clear as you can of you present key.

I can make you up one or 2 by code that might be correct given a cut or so difference in depth that may just do the trick.

For aguments sake if the key you have now works OK and its cuts are 3214 lets say.
I can cut you a key thats 3213 or 3224, a slight variation of what was done.
That may do the trick and very little to anything costwise on my part.
If Im 1 cut to shallow say I cut a 1 where a 2 should be.
It would turn albeit a bit stiff.
It would leave a groove (mark)  where the tumbler is and even you could adjust that with a file.
A key cut to a 4 where a 3 belongs wont work.
You can always be 1 off high.
Low is no good.

[O-B-1]

The locking mewchanism on mine was al crusted up with dust impregnated old hardened grease.... I flooded all the mechanisms with  3-in-1 penetrating oil, jiggled the key while trying to turn it and it eventually unstuck.

Maybe the same issue with yours, rather than the cut of the key?

Try penetrating oil first, may save locksmith fees.

[Tx Bohemian]

Ok, since we're talking about seats and their locks:

My '99 standard has a small 6-8" long cable, with loops on both ends, on a hook below the seat behind the gas tank.  One end is hooked on and the other end hangs down in front of the battery. You have to remove the seat to get to it.

What's it for?

Could this be a helmet lock?

[jer0177]

Ok, since we're talking about seats and their locks:

My '99 standard has a small 6-8" long cable, with loops on both ends, on a hook below the seat behind the gas tank.  One end is hooked on and the other end hangs down in front of the battery. You have to remove the seat to get to it.

What's it for?

Could this be a helmet lock?

Got a picture of this mystery cable?

[JaysGone]

Sounds like someone might have literaly had the bike on a hook as in tow truck maybe??

[Willow]

My '99 standard has a small 6-8" long cable, with loops on both ends, on a hook below the seat behind the gas tank.  One end is hooked on and the other end hangs down in front of the battery. You have to remove the seat to get to it.

What's it for?

Could this be a helmet lock?

Yes, that's its purpose.

It's such a pain to use it for that purpose I don't know of anyone who does.

[donaldcc]

Ok, since we're talking about seats and their locks:

My '99 standard has a small 6-8" long cable, with loops on both ends, on a hook below the seat behind the gas tank.  One end is hooked on and the other end hangs down in front of the battery. You have to remove the seat to get to it.

What's it for?

Could this be a helmet lock?

Got a picture of this mystery cable?

  it is indeed a helmet lock.  but to use it you would have to take your seat off each time, PITA.  

  this is probably what you are talking about.  take it off and throw it on the shelf, here is mine.



Modify: and one of your loops just fell off the hook.  it was designed for both to hang off the little hook.

[Tx Bohemian]

Thanks guys.

And I can see where this would be a royal pain to use.  Although in a pinch...

[dragonchow]

Sounds like someone might have literaly had the bike on a hook as in tow truck maybe??

Hard telling what the history is on this one (I'll try to expend a bit of effort to find the original owner that did the mods back in 98 - 99) but the kid I got it away from had absolutely no respect for the machine. I think it was only a minor breakdown (like a dead battery - that he couldn't access) away from the scrapheap. I'm surprised he hadn't killed himself (and his girlfriend) on the beast but it actually doesn't appear to have ever even been dropped.
I took a day off from the internet - catching up now, I scanned the keys (pdf seems the clearest) and will be emailing to you in a minute. I really appreciate your taking a look at my key situation, especially after I was doinking around last night  -  slipped key right into the fork lock and turned, locking the forks solid...then refused to turn back to unlock them...stupid, stupid, STUPID! Fiddled and wiggled and oiled and tapped and twisted for 15 minutes before it finally turned back to unlock...whew!