Locked keys: Can't get seat storage open

Hi,  I'm Moonkicker and I'm a dumbass!  I locked my key under my seat and had to drill it out. Now it's drilled out but the seat closed and locked again and i can't get it open. Anyone have any suggestions?

Wedge the left side of the seat open and remove the three screws holding the top of the left panel on. You’ll need a right angle phillips head and you’ll have to locate those three screws. Yes, it’s going to be a tedious job, but you earned it. Then remove a 4th panel screw near the license plate - and possibly a 5th screw facing upward approx midway on the bottom edge of the panel. Then you’ll be able to remove the panel and pull the latch cable.

Cosmic_Jumper I think this advice needs to be Pinned! I have long wondered what I'll do when I manage to lock my key under seat!?  Touch wood - not yet! And a second key at home.
So there is a work-around!

It's interesting reading on Day 129 of Lockdown or whatever it is yet another topic about accidentally locking keys under the seat, and yes I've also done it myself.

When I had a 650 Burgman I did it one evening in Cumbria and Mrs M had to drive 150 miles over from York to get my spare set, and then drive more miles bringing them to me.

My Forza has a keyless system and I've read plenty of forum posts from maxi owners saying they don't like them, or wouldn't have a maxi scooter with the Honda SMART key or similar systems used by Yamaha and other scooter manufacturers.

Usually it's from people that have dismissed them without any experience of owning any scooter that has a keyless system.

'Some thieving scrote with an electronic black box will clone the key and steal my scooter is the usual gripe'. They never think having a smart key I'll never accidentally lock my keys under the seat without a clue how to open it, because it'll be in my pocket. If in theory you did, you'd simply press a switch on the dashboard and the seat catch would open to retrieve your keys.

I can immobile the scooter simply by walking a few feet away from it, and I can also switch the smart key off at anytime. Also if I'm that paranoid I can slip my smart key into a pouch that acts as a Faraday Cage.

Currently there's also a lad on a UK forum desperate for help as he's also locked his keys under the seat of his Piaggio.

So it does no harm at all to have your spare keys with you when you go riding, and if you've bought a used Silver Wing or any other maxi scooter that has only one set, that was rather silly of you.

On the silver wing, carefully pull the bottom of the left panel out. Just forward of the key area are the latch cables get something to hook on the cables and pull gently.

Murf wrote:

On the silver wing, carefully pull the bottom of the left panel out.  Just forward of the key area are the latch cables get something to hook on the cables and pull gently.  

Question about this, can one use a zip tie put it on the cable and leave the end dangle out of sight but reachable if one knows where it is, just in case.

oldwingguy wrote:

Murf wrote:

On the silver wing, carefully pull the bottom of the left panel out.  Just forward of the key area are the latch cables get something to hook on the cables and pull gently.  

Question about this, can one use a zip tie put it on the cable and leave the end dangle out of sight but reachable if one knows where it is, just in case.

Seems like that should be possible.

On my Honda NSS250 Reflex, I once neglected to properly install the cable from the key mechanism back to the inside area between the frame and under-seat storage after removing the rear side panels for some repair I had done. This left the cable accessible. (but still hidden from sight) By reaching in through a small vent hole in the panel and hooking onto it with my finger, I could give it a light tug and easily pop the seat open.

So in theory, you could effect the same sort of thing by installing some hidden means of a cable pull... As long as you don't tell anyone what you've done and pretend you are inserting a key into the lock when using your secret method of latch release, then you should be good to go with possible bystanders unaware of anything amiss.

That's what I was thinking but there is my 2nd key method, make an extra and keep it in your wallet.

You could zip tie the spare key to a hidden spot on your bike. This helps also if you loose your primary key.

Long time ago, I read someplace where a person hid a spare key for their car by wrapping it with aluminum foil then covering it up and smoothing it over with a glob of latex caulk up in a wheel well or under a bumper. It would naturally get dirty and just look and feel like a lump of road crud. Might be a bit of a task to pry it off and get the key out of the lump, but it would be unlikely that it would ever be noticed or found if somebody was looking for a hidden key. It might be a good idea to hide a key that way if you really lose it or just in case you locked up your wallet with the other spare key in it under the seat. Could hide a spare house key or a small sum of emergency cash that way as well.

In relation to all this what is the range of the HISS? Obviously I only you wouldn't want that in range of the ignition.

North American spec FSC Silver Wings don't have the Honda HISS immobiliser key that the European spec FJS has. Keys accidentally locked under the seat seems to be more of a problem for those owners that have bought a used Silver Wing without the second key.

One of the two sets of keys that came with my Silver Wing had a metal tag attatched with a series of numbers stamped on it, the other set didn't have that tag. I always used the set without the tags, and kept the tagged set as spares kept which I got into the habit of carrying in an inside jacket pocket.

In the event of accidentally locking the untagged keys under the seat, I could unlock the seat using them. If I ever lost that set I could go to a Honda dealership and order a replacement key using the numbers stamped on the tag of the first set. Maybe that number code also related to the HISS immobiliser code too.

The spare car keys under the wheel arch is a strange thing, you can buy magnetic key storage boxes to hide a key under the wheel arch, although there's nothing to stop opportunist car thieves looking for the box. Keys hidden there have featured in plenty of TV films too, in fact we've even taken a hire car back to an airport multi-storey car park and been asked to leave the car in a specific area with the keys left on top of a front wheel.
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I checked with a lock smith I know. He said easy to pick the lock. My solution is always have a spare set of keys. When on a long trip I keep my spare in my wallet.

We never heard back from Mooonkicker . More than once , Rare , but more than once,, while stopped in the vehicle , I've pulled the key out just far enough to not listen to the audible reminder (ding ding ding)- you know , that reminder thats trying to tell me - "Don't get out and lock the door , The Keys' are in the ignition reminder". Well... The strategically hidden , unnoticeable , wired spare key under the vehicle has saved me more than once , same in the Wife's vehicle . When I do get out of the vehicle , or off the scoot , the keys are clipped to a belt loop and into a pocket . So I'm hopeful to think , locking the key under the seat or in the tour-pac won't happen .

It is pretty common thing on the Burgman web site to rig up a piece of cable to the seat lock and then hid it up under the fender. If you accidental lock your keys in the trunk then you just reach up under the fender and pull the lanyard cable you installed. Saved my butt one time.

Cosmic_Jumper wrote:

Wedge the left side of the seat open and remove the three screws holding the top of the left panel on. You’ll need a right angle phillips head and you’ll have to locate those three screws. Yes, it’s going to be a tedious job, but you earned it. Then remove a 4th panel screw near the license plate - and possibly a 5th screw facing upward approx midway on the bottom edge of the panel. Then you’ll be able to remove the panel and pull the latch cable.

Just wanted to say that this comment just saved my butt. It was super simple to pry it open a little and unscrew the screws. Thank you!