Replaced Ignition - Not as Easy As It Should Have Been!

[Bobby G]

My ignition was going bad, so we removed the cover and the tank, and thought it would be a simple matter of removing two bolts, taking the old one out and popping the new one in. Only the bolts were smooth round head bolts with no way to get at them. Not sure why they were not hex head or some other kind of normal bolt, but we had to drill the heads off to get them out. The rest of the replacement was a snap.

 

Anyone know why these bolts would be smooth round heads? I was thinking for anti-theft reasons, but that makes no sense either. And how would a dealer get them out unless they did the same thing I did?

 

Very puzzling. Only downside to a new ignition is now I have to use an ignition key, and my original key for the bag locks and helmet locks, which is no big deal, but still a bit of a pain. The upside is that my RSV won't be crapping out on me anymore!

[flb_78]

It's originally and "double headed" bolt. They tighten them down until the top head breaks off. It is an antitamper device.

 

I swapped the key cylinders in mine so that I still use the original key.

 

Some get a new key with the ignition on 1 side and the bags and trunk on the other, but it's not difficult to swap the cylinders.