Honda Rebel 300, 500 and 1100 Key Replacement

Quick answerHonda's US owner's manuals for the Rebel, from the Rebel 250 to the 2025 Rebel 1100, describe a plain cut key with no immobilizer. A lost key is cut to the bike on site with no programming. The detail that surprises owners is the steering lock: on the Rebel 300 and 500 it is a separate lock from the ignition switch, worked by the same key.

Honda Rebel 300, 500 and 1100 key quick facts

The 2018 US Rebel 300 and Rebel 500 manuals and the 2025 Rebel 1100 manual have no HISS or immobilizer section.
On the Rebel 300 and 500 the ignition switch only has ON and OFF; the steering lock is a separate lock that takes the same key, pushed down and turned 180 degrees.
The Rebel 300 and 500 are supplied with a key number plate; the Rebel 1100 with two keys and a bar-coded key tag.
The Rebel 300 and 500 seat is removed with a 5 mm hex wrench stored behind the right side cover, not with the key.
Honda's Rebel 1100 manual says to take the spare key and the key tag to your dealer or a locksmith for a duplicate.

Honda Rebel 300, 500 and 1100 key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2006	Rebel 250 (CMX250C)	mechanical cut key	no	The ignition key also works the steering lock and the helmet holder.
2018	Rebel 300, Rebel 500, with or without ABS	mechanical cut key	no	Honda calls it the Ignition Key/Steering Lock Key. Key number plate supplied.
2025	Rebel 1100	mechanical cut key	no	Two ignition keys and a key tag with key number and bar code. The manual also covers a steering lock and a helmet holder.

A plain key on the US Rebel

The Rebel line has always been Honda's straightforward cruiser, and the key follows suit. The 2006 Rebel 250 manual, the 2018 Rebel 300 and 500 manuals and the 2025 Rebel 1100 manual for North America all describe an ordinary ignition key. None has an immobilizer section. That includes the Rebel 1100, which shares its engine with the Africa Twin and has plenty of electronics elsewhere.

For other model years, your own manual's Keys page is the final word, and we confirm from your VIN when you call. For US bikes the working assumption is a key that only has to be cut correctly.

Need a key for your Rebel 300?

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

Call (805) 429-8452 Text your year, make and model

Or read first: all services · common questions · about us · contact details

Where the key goes on a Rebel 300 or 500

New owners sometimes think a lock is missing, because the layout is not like a sportbike's.

Ignition switch: ON and OFF only, and the key comes out in OFF. There is no LOCK position on the switch.
Steering lock: a separate lock. Turn the bars fully left, insert the key, push it down and turn 180 degrees clockwise. Honda suggests jiggling the bars if it will not engage.
Fuel fill cap: open the lock cover, insert the key and turn clockwise. The key stays captive until the cap is locked.
Seat: held by a bolt, removed with the 5 mm hex wrench that Honda stores behind the right side cover. The tool kit is on the underside of the seat.

What that means for lost keys and stuck locks

Two separate key locks plus a fuel cap means three places where a worn key can start sticking. The steering lock is the one to watch, because a bike locked at full left lock cannot be wheeled onto a trailer easily. If the key turns the ignition but not the steering lock, stop forcing it. As on any bike, a key worn enough to fail in one lock may be close to failing in the others, and a fresh key cut to the lock often fixes all of them at once.

Since the seat is bolted and not key locked, nothing under it is secured by the key. Do not store your key number plate or spare key there.

All keys lost

We confirm ownership with photo ID and the registration or title, then cut a new key to the bike's locks where it is parked and check it in the ignition, the steering lock and the fuel cap. There is no programming on a US-market Rebel.

Honda's manuals say that if you lose every key and the key number, the dealer will probably have to remove the ignition switch assembly to find the number. With the steering locked, even getting the bike to the dealer is awkward, so having the key made where the bike sits is usually easier.

Where to find the key code

Rebel 300 and 500: on the key number plate supplied with the keys; the manual tells you to record it and store it with the spare. Rebel 1100: on the key tag, next to the bar code. If it is lost along with the keys, Honda says the ignition switch assembly will probably have to be removed to determine the number.

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 Rebel 300, 500 and 1100 key FAQ

Does the Rebel 1100 have an immobilizer or chip key?

The 2025 owner's manual for the US and Canada describes two plain ignition keys and a key tag, with no immobilizer section, so a correctly cut key is all a plain-key Rebel 1100 needs.

Where is the steering lock on a Rebel 500?

It is a separate lock from the ignition switch. Honda's manual has you turn the bars fully left, insert the ignition key in the steering lock, push it down and turn it 180 degrees clockwise.

Can I get under the Rebel 300 seat without the key?

Yes. The seat is bolted on and comes off with the 5 mm hex wrench stored behind the right side cover, so the key is not involved.

Is one key enough for the ignition, steering lock and gas cap?

Yes. Honda supplies one key pattern for all three, which it calls the Ignition Key/Steering Lock Key in the Rebel 300 and 500 manuals.

The immobilizer system on this bike

Honda HISS Immobilizer: Keys, Lost Keys and the Warning LightHISS, the Honda Ignition Security System, is Honda's chip-key immobilizer: the engine only starts when the bike recognizes a coded chip in the key.

More Honda models

Services for this bike

Motorcycle Gas Cap, Seat or Steering Lock Stuck? What to DoStuck gas cap, seat and steering locks on motorcycles usually come down to grime or corrosion in an exposed cylinder, a worn key, a stretched seat cable, or parts under tension that hold the latch closed.
Lost Your Only Motorcycle Key? What to Do NextIf you lost the only key to your motorcycle, a new one can almost always be made, but the route depends on whether your bike uses a plain metal key, a chipped transponder key, or a keyless fob.
How to Find Your Motorcycle Key CodeA motorcycle key code is a short number or letter-number code that tells a locksmith or dealer how to cut a key for your locks.
Can a Locksmith Make a Motorcycle Key From the VIN?Sometimes, but not directly.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.