K Bike Keys

[Laitch]

Does all this key-cutting reluctance apply to cutting on the $5.95 key blanks that Bob's in Maryland is advertising?

If you put your cursor over the image on that page it looks like it's a JMA NE-7 which is a STEEL key blank.

Is that a Yes, or are we dealing with various degrees of hardness in these keys?

[frankenduck]

Is that a Yes, or are we dealing with various degrees of hardness in these keys?

That's a YES, the NE-7 is a steel key and steel has a higher hardness than brass alloys.

(To tell if a key is steel or not all you need is a magnet. A magnet will pick up a steel key but not a brass key.)

[Laitch]

That's a YES, the NE-7 is a steel key and steel has a higher hardness than brass alloys.
(To tell if a key is steel or not all you need is a magnet. A magnet will pick up a steel key but not a brass key.)

I put a magnet on that key and it fell off the screen onto the keyboard.

[Ingo]

Good luck getting that key out of the keyboard!

[Laitch]

Good luck getting that key out of the keyboard!

No problem. It was the magnet that fell on the keyboard. 

[Ingo]

Good, because only old style keyboards had removable keys, now-keyboards just goo bye-bye...

[Motorhobo]

Does all this key-cutting reluctance apply to cutting on the $5.95 key blanks that Bob's in Maryland is advertising?

Actually, Laitch, it does not, and if I'd known Bobs BMW had these keys at that price, I'd not have wasted my time looking for some substitute on eBay. I just called -- they have a bunch of them and charge $5 to cut them which is a very reasonable price and though it's at least an hour's ride from here, it's worth it to check the copies on the bike  before taking possession of them.

Last time I checked with Bobs, they only had the OEM key blanks or the Neiman OEM flat blanks and were charging around $40 to cut them. Which is why I didn't check with them - Bobs isn't known for offering products that cost less than the last time around.

Anyway, this is the best option available and as soon as I get a new tire I'll be headed out there to get a couple spares made.

Oh -- and does anyone have any use for a couple ILCO X109 FT43 blanks? Disclaimer - they don't work on K-bikes, at least not without key-cutting expertise that I couldn't find within 100 miles of here.

[Motorhobo]

Does all this key-cutting reluctance apply to cutting on the $5.95 key blanks that Bob's in Maryland is advertising?

I rode out to Bob's BMW in Jessup MD last week and had a spare made from that $5.95 blank. They charged me $10 to cut the key, so with tax about $17. On the phone they quoted me $5 to cut the key but I wasn't in the arguing mood, I just needed the key. So if you need a key in the DC/VA/MD area, that's probably the least painful way to go.

They want about $32 for the OEM folding key plus the cutting. 

[stokester]

As mentioned before I got my keys cut at Morton's BMW in Fredericksburg VA.

I called and asked about a K75; it currently costs $22 for a flat Neiman and $32 for the folding which includes cutting.