Spare Key Cutting

[MikeS]

I've just bought a second hand 28L top box off eBay, came with one key. Can I get a  spare one cut  from it anywhere? Is it as simple as going to the local Timpsons or do you need to supply a blank? Not fussed about getting a new barrel and matching it to the bike key. I just like the reassurance of having a spare. I'll only being using the box on trips so I'm looking for the easiest option.




Mike

[PeteM]

I've just bought a second hand 28L top box off eBay, came with one key. Can I get a  spare one cut  from it anywhere? Is it as simple as going to the local Timpsons or do you need to supply a blank? Not fussed about getting a new barrel and matching it to the bike key. I just like the reassurance of having a spare. I'll only being using the box on trips so I'm looking for the easiest option.

Mike

You might be better off talking to a local locksmith. In my experience place like Timpsons has a more than 50% failure rate whereas locksmiths know what they are doing

[MikeS]

You might be better off talking to a local locksmith. In my experience place like Timpsons has a more than 50% failure rate whereas locksmiths know what they are doing

Thanks for the advice, I didn't realise they were that bad.

[milleplod]

I've just bought a second hand 28L top box off eBay, came with one key. Can I get a  spare one cut  from it anywhere? Is it as simple as going to the local Timpsons or do you need to supply a blank? Not fussed about getting a new barrel and matching it to the bike key. I just like the reassurance of having a spare. I'll only being using the box on trips so I'm looking for the easiest option.
Mike

Or you could simply remove the lock barrel and match the 'wafers' within to suit your bike's keys - better than having 2 different keys on your keyring! There's a few videos on Youtube showing how to change the wafers around, and removing the lock is a bit fiddly but quite do-able. Alternatively, BMW should be able to supply a lock ready-matched to your bike's keys for you (or them, if you don't mind paying) to fit to the pannier.
Pete

[Jack_the_Lad]

I bought my top box used and re-keyed the lock myself after watching the youtube videos.


I followed the re-keying process in this one: https://www.mototrip-tours.com/blog/workshop/rekeying-bmw-case-locks/


The wafers are inexpensive and the process easy, once you get the hang of it. 


Hope this helps!

[milleplod]

I bought my top box used and re-keyed the lock myself after watching the youtube videos.


I followed the re-keying process in this one: https://www.mototrip-tours.com/blog/workshop/rekeying-bmw-case-locks/


The wafers are inexpensive and the process easy, once you get the hang of it. 


Hope this helps!
Yep, much better than carrying 2 different keys! I found the fiddliest bit was releasing the lock from the pannier, but Steve Parry kindly sent me info on the tool BMW recommend for releasing the lock - a bit of bent wire coathanger, to be precise! Anyway, once I'd knocked that up, I had the lock out and ready to re-key in a couple of minutes, and I could do it again easily enough now. My lock wasn't re-keyable though, not without a bit of judicious butchering, some aren't apparently, so I had to buy a new one - I sent Steve my spare key, the lock came ready to fit.

Pete

[matgriff]

I bought some cheap blank keys of eBay on the recommendation of someone on this site, then took them to my local Timpsons and they cut them just fine in about 5 minutes.


Mat