Need a spare key? Ace Hardware has 'em!

[LLonearth]

I went looking for a key blank for my first gen Venture. I had read that the ILCO YH46 X120 was the correct blank but there is a better choice. The keymaster at our local ACE Hardware had the X120 but said the HICO 11010 YH50 was a better match for my OEM key. Of course, it has a flat head, not the Yamaha plastic logo one, but I was looking for one I could stash somewhere on the bike so no problem.

 

ACE UPC # 029069706852. Price = $2.19 plus tax and that includes cutting the blank!

[Condor]

I went looking for a key blank for my first gen Venture. I had read that the ILCO YH46 X120 was the correct blank but there is a better choice. The keymaster at our local ACE Hardware had the X120 but said the HICO 11010 YH50 was a better match for my OEM key. Of course, it has a flat head, not the Yamaha plastic logo one, but I was looking for one I could stash somewhere on the bike so no problem.

 

ACE UPC # 029069706852. Price = $2.19 plus tax and that includes cutting the blank!

 

There are actually several different 1stGen blanks. Of those that I have, the '83 uses an Ilco YH49/X18, and a YH46/X120 (the extra key is for the saddle lock). The '87 uses YH45/X107. The rest are undefinable, but I can see where there is a difference. MOF out of the 6 bikes I don't think there's two of the same key blank....

[Evan]

Needed extra keys and went to the standard places here in Ontario (eg. CTC and Home depot) with no luck. Don't think we have Ace hardware places here. Anyway, I went to a lock and key place and for $3.00, they cut keys that work well in my 88VR using a Ilco blanc. In my case, they used a YM51 X75 blank.

[6m459]

I have two '84 standards and their key blanks are different.

 

One bike I imported from N.Y. state and the other one is a native Canadian.

 

The US import bike uses Ilco blank #YH49.

 

The native Canadian bike uses a Curtis blank #YM59.

 

The two key blanks are quite different profiles and don't fit in each other's locks. The flutes that run the length of the key are different. In fact, looking end on at the tip of the key, the profiles are mirror images of one another.

 

Ironically I also have a native Canadian '83 XJ650 Maxim and its key is the same Ilco blank as the US import Venture's. Go figure!?

 

The US Venture only came with an Ilco key. The Canadian Venture came with its original OEM key which I had duplicated by these folks who worked out the appropriate blank from the code on the OEM key.

 

I don't know what any of this means but always thought it was intriguing and decided I'd pass it along for discussion.

 

Cheers,

 

Brian H.

Edited May 25, 2009 by 6m459
spelling correction