Leaving key in bike when not riding?

brownie0486 · Dec 9, 2019

I have been leaving the key in the ignition when the bike is parked in the garage. Sometimes 3 weeks at a time.

Is there a consensus of whether that's okay or should I remove the key when it's stored for a length of time? Last night I pulled the key and brought it into the house [ the idea it may not be wise for the electronics/handshake came to mind for some reason ].

What say the learned members here on this?

Thanks in advance, btw, it's a 2012 1200GS

lee · Dec 9, 2019

A lot of people leave chipped keys in the car or truck without any problem.
I have a friend who always leaves the key in his bikes. Since I've known him he's had a couple K1200RSs and S1000RRs.

akbeemer · Dec 9, 2019

The keys were left in the ignitions of my 07 R12RT and 08 R12R for six months at a time when we lived in AK; no problems noted. I do not think the "handshake" occurs until the key is turned (or in the case of a keyless ignition, until the ignition button is pushed).

brownie0486 · Dec 9, 2019

Thanks guys, next time it's used, I'll just leave it in the ignition parked in the garage as I've been doing.

lee · Dec 9, 2019

brownie0486 said:
Thanks guys, next time it's used, I'll just leave it in the ignition parked in the garage as I've been doing.

What's your address?

vark · Dec 9, 2019

Lee said:
What's your address?

I was wondering the same thing!

I guess everyone's circumstances are different. I wouldn't leave the key in my bike any sooner than I'd leave the keys in my car. Even out in the garage. For reasons of theft, and liability.

brownie0486 · Dec 9, 2019

Lee said:
What's your address?

summers: 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540

winters: 4141 N S. Herrera Way, Phoenix, AZ 85012

pappy35 · Dec 9, 2019

Lee said:
What's your address?

Haha. Yeah so one of us can...eh..."check" to make sure it's...eh...still there...with the key...in the ignition...

I've left my key in ignition every day I've owned it. The handshake happens when the ignition is energized.

brownie0486 · Dec 9, 2019

vark said:
I was wondering the same thing!

I guess everyone's circumstances are different. I wouldn't leave the key in my bike any sooner than I'd leave the keys in my car. Even out in the garage. For reasons of theft, and liability.

Exactly,

wyman.winn · Dec 9, 2019

i agree that the "handshake" probably does not occur until the ignition is activated, so leaving the key in the ignition shouldn't present a problem...my 13RT has hardly ever had the key removed from the ignition ...only when stopped over night while traveling do i remove the key...

that said, i would think your (or my) insurance carrier may think poorly about leaving the key in the ignition and may even refuse to pay a comprehensive claim for theft ....bad guys would need to break into my garage to get to the bike anyway... :scratch

brownie0486 · Dec 9, 2019

wyman.winn said:
i agree that the "handshake" probably does not occur until the ignition is activated, so leaving the key in the ignition shouldn't present a problem...my 13RT has hardly ever had the key removed from the ignition ...only when stopped over night while traveling do i remove the key...

that said, i would think your (or my) insurance carrier may think poorly about leaving the key in the ignition and may even refuse to pay a comprehensive claim for theft ....bad guys would need to break into my garage to get to the bike anyway...

In my situation, they'd have to break into the house first, to access the garage. I keep the garage door lock bold engaged, so even if someone had a clicker that could open it, the door isn't going to open.

If they break into the house, the bike is the least of what might be an insurance loss.

PoorUB · Dec 9, 2019

Leave it in if you are not concerned of someone riding it away.

I was visiting with a riding buddy that has a Harley Limited. We were talking about the key FOB and Harley's security system. He mentioned he doesn't use it or worry about it. Then he went on to say he was not even certain where the keys and key fob were. I said the bike will not start without the FOB so he must have it. He went on to say, that he was certain it was on the motorcycle some where, pretty sure the FOB was in the trunk, (or top case for you BMW riders), where it has been since he bought the bike roughly three years ago. He travels with it and claims he has never locked up the bike or taken he keys out of the trunk, even while parked at a motel. I mentioned he should at least replace the battery! :dunno

powwow · Dec 9, 2019

On the keyless bikes (i.e. RTW), you cannot leave the key on or near the bike. If you do, the bike and the key will continue to communicate and it will prematurely kill the battery in the key FOB.

akbeemer · Dec 9, 2019

powwow said:
On the keyless bikes (i.e. RTW), you cannot leave the key on or near the bike. If you do, the bike and the key will continue to communicate and it will prematurely kill the battery in the key FOB.

I do not think that is accurate. Communication is initiated when the ignition button is pushed.

8ninety8 · Dec 10, 2019

Keep an old safe locked, on the floor with four/five bricks inside. Small enough to carry. Keys on a nail on top of roof rafter. Unplug door lift when home, double slide lock from inside, double dead bolt side door with quarter inch jam plate. Detached garage. They're gonna get in with time and effort anyway. But with 15 dollar an hour jobs on the rise, burglary is a really stupid way to earn. But who said kleptomaniacs were brilliant?

Two houses down a 600 rocket was snatched, no key, was pushed three blocks and dropped on the lawn. Crook was on the corner arguing about impeachment. Kidding.

brownie0486 · Dec 10, 2019

Appreciate the posts and collective knowledge, thanks

powwow · Dec 10, 2019

akbeemer said:
I do not think that is accurate. Communication is initiated when the ignition button is pushed.

I'm going by what my dealer told me when I purchased the bike.

akbeemer · Dec 10, 2019

powwow said:
I'm going by what my dealer told me when I purchased the bike.

I do not recall the topic of storing the fob being addressed in the owner's manual let alone there being an admonition about storing the fob within range of the bike (there are many, many things I do not recall). I also do not know your dealer, but my experience with some sales people is that they do not always convey accurate info about the bikes they sell. This is especially true at dealerships that sell other makes besides BMW.

It does not make sense to me that the system would be designed so that the bike queries the fob when the ignition is off. So in my never ending, blind faith in BMW, and sure and certain knowledge that BMW would never make a design misstep that offers no benefit but does result in a problem, I'll stick to my observation that storing the fob on or near the bike is not a problem.

lkchris · Dec 10, 2019

akbeemer said:
I do not think that is accurate. Communication is initiated when the ignition button is pushed.

I think the locks on the tail box and saddlebags are activated by mere presence of the key, no need to do ignition first. This is speculation on my part based on that's how door locks work on keyless go cars.

powwow · Dec 10, 2019

akbeemer said:
I do not recall the topic of storing the fob being addressed in the owner's manual let alone there being an admonition about storing the fob within range of the bike (there are many, many things I do not recall). I also do not know your dealer, but my experience with some sales people is that they do not always convey accurate info about the bikes they sell. This is especially true at dealerships that sell other makes besides BMW.

It does not make sense to me that the system would be designed so that the bike queries the fob when the ignition is off. So in my never ending, blind faith in BMW, and sure and certain knowledge that BMW would never make a design misstep that offers no benefit but does result in a problem, I'll stick to my observation that storing the fob on or near the bike is not a problem.

Each to their own!

Leaving key in bike when not riding?

Well-known member

Debbie's Servant

SURVIVOR

Well-known member

Debbie's Servant

New member

Well-known member

New member

Well-known member

i should be out riding!

Well-known member

Active member

Member

SURVIVOR

New member

Well-known member

Member

SURVIVOR

Active member

Member

Similar threads