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Honda CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X Key Replacement

The US-market 500 twins use a plain cut key.

Call (619) 775-1858Text your year, make and model
  • Motorcycles and scooters only
  • We come to your bike
  • Keys cut and programmed on site
  • Proof of ownership required
Quick answerThe US-market 500 twins use a plain cut key. Honda's 2018 US owner's manuals for the CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X show two ignition keys and a bar-coded key tag, with no immobilizer, so a lost key is cut to the bike on site and needs no programming. Versions sold in Europe and other markets can carry Honda's HISS chip key, which is where the confusion comes from.

Honda CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X key quick facts

  • The 2018 US owner's manuals for the CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X have no HISS or immobilizer section.
  • Each bike is supplied with two ignition keys and a key tag carrying the key number and a bar code.
  • Honda's US manual says to take the spare key and the key tag to your dealer or a locksmith for a duplicate.
  • One key works the ignition and steering lock, the fuel fill cap and the rear seat lock.
  • The helmet holder is on the underside of the rear seat on the CBR500R and under the seat on the CB500X, so it depends on the seat lock.

Honda CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X key types by year

YearsModelsKey typeChipNotes
2018CBR500R, CB500F, CB500X, with or without ABSmechanical cut keynoTwo keys and a bar-coded key tag, as described in Honda's 2018 US owner's manuals. For other years, check your own manual for an immobilizer section, and we confirm from your VIN when you call.
VariesCBR500R, CB500F and CB500X sold outside the UStransponder key (HISS)variesThe CB500F and CBR500R are on Honda's worldwide list of HISS-equipped models as of 2014, so an imported bike can have a chip key.

Plain key in the US, chip key elsewhere

The 500 twins are a good example of why key advice has to be market specific. Honda's worldwide list of HISS immobilizer models includes the CB500F and CBR500R. The US manuals tell a different story. The 2018 US editions for all three bikes describe an ordinary ignition key under the heading Keys, tell you to store the spare and the key tag safely, and have no immobilizer indicator in the instrument section.

For a US owner with a plain key, that means a correctly cut key is all the bike needs. If your bike came from another country, or you see a red HISS indicator on the dash, tell us before we come out, because a chip key changes the job.

Need a key for your CBR500R?

Call or text with the year and where the bike is parked.

Call (619) 775-1858Text your year, make and model

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Which locks share the key

There is no separate key for anything on a stock bike. If your CB500X has factory or accessory luggage, those locks may or may not be keyed to match, so check before assuming one key covers them.

  • Ignition switch with built-in steering lock: push the key down and turn to LOCK with the bars turned. The key comes out in OFF or LOCK.
  • Fuel fill cap, under a lock cover on the tank. The key cannot be removed until the cap is locked.
  • Rear seat lock: on the CB500F you move the seat strap forward, then use the key in the seat lock to lift the rear seat.
  • Helmet holder, reached by removing the rear seat, and used with the helmet's D-ring

Looking after the key and locks

Honda's manual warns that a metal key holder can damage the area around the ignition switch, and a heavy bunch of keys swinging from the ignition does no lock any favors either.

On any bike, a key can bend or snap in the seat lock or fuel cap. If a key breaks off in a lock, leave the piece where it is and do not try the ignition with the stub. A broken key can usually be extracted and a new one cut from the two halves or from the lock.

All keys lost on a 500 twin

We confirm ownership with photo ID and the registration or title, then cut a key to the bike's locks where it is parked and test it in the ignition, fuel cap and seat. If you still have the key tag, the bar-coded number on it speeds things up.

Honda's manual says that if you lose every key and the key tag, the dealer will probably have to remove the ignition switch assembly to work out the key number. For a bike that cannot be started or steered, that means a tow first. Having the key made at the bike avoids it.

Where to find the key code

The key number is on the key tag supplied with the two original keys, alongside a bar code. Honda tells owners to store the tag with the spare key. If the tag is gone, the number can be worked out from the locks; Honda's manual says a dealer would do this by removing the ignition switch assembly.

What to have ready

Have this ready when you call or text

  • Year, make and model of the bike
  • Where the bike is parked
  • Whether you have any working key, a broken key or a key code
  • Photo ID and registration or title (we verify ownership before making a key)

Honda CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X key FAQ

Does a US CBR500R have an immobilizer?

The 2018 US owner's manual has no immobilizer or HISS section and describes a plain ignition key. Bikes sold in Europe and other markets can have HISS, so an import may differ.

What is the little tag that came with my CB500X keys?

It is the key tag, carrying your key number and a bar code. Keep it at home with the spare key, because it lets a dealer or locksmith cut a new key to code.

My key snapped in the seat lock. Can you still make a key?

Yes. The broken piece can be extracted, and a new key can be cut from the pieces or to the lock, then tested in the ignition and fuel cap as well.

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