Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, 1600 and 2000 Key Replacement

Quick answerThe big Vulcans built before the 1700 all use plain cut keys with no chip. Kawasaki's parts catalog lists ordinary key blanks for the Vulcan 1500, the Vulcan 1600 family and the Vulcan 2000, along with a separate steering lock and helmet locks. The blank changed several times on the 1500, so the year and version matter. A lost key is cut at the bike, and locks that have been swapped over the years can be brought back to one key.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, 1600 and 2000 key quick facts

The Vulcan 1600 Classic, Nomad and Mean Streak and the Vulcan 2000 all take blank 27008-1211 in Kawasaki's US catalog.
The Vulcan 1500 used four blank listings over its life: an A or B pair (27008-1138 or 27008-1139) on early bikes, a second A or B pair (27008-1179 or 27008-1180) around 1999 to 2003, then 27008-1208, with the 1500 Mean Streak on 27008-1211.
The 2008 Vulcan 1500 Classic takes 27008-1208, which it shares with the 2005 Vulcan 800 Drifter.
Each of these bikes has a steering lock listed as its own lock assembly, separate from the ignition switch.
The 2006 Vulcan 1600 Nomad adds two keyed side bag locks to the list.
Helmet locks are standard: two on the 2008 Vulcan 1500 Classic, 2006 Nomad and 2006 Mean Streak, one on the Vulcan 2000.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, 1600 and 2000 key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
1987-1999	Vulcan 1500 (VN1500A), early Vulcan 1500 Classic	mechanical cut key	no	A blank 27008-1138 or B blank 27008-1139 in the 1987, 1995 and 1999 Vulcan 1500 catalogs and the 1996 and 1998 Classic catalogs. Separate steering lock.
1999-2003	Vulcan 1500 Classic, Classic Fi, Nomad, Drifter	mechanical cut key	no	A blank 27008-1179 or B blank 27008-1180 in the 1999 Nomad and Drifter, 2000 Classic Fi and Nomad Fi, and 2001 and 2003 Classic catalogs. The Nomad adds two side bag locks.
2002-2008	Vulcan 1500 Classic Fi, Nomad Fi, Drifter	mechanical cut key	no	Blank 27008-1208 in the 2002 and 2008 Classic Fi, 2004 Nomad Fi and 2002 and 2005 Drifter catalogs. Ignition, steering lock, a lid lock, two helmet locks and fuel cap.
2002-2003	Vulcan 1500 Mean Streak	mechanical cut key	no	Blank 27008-1211, the one carried on to the 1600s.
2003-2008	Vulcan 1600 Classic, Nomad, Mean Streak	mechanical cut key	no	Blank 27008-1211 and the same ignition switch part number on all three in the 2003 to 2008 catalogs.
2004-2010	Vulcan 2000, Vulcan 2000 Classic, Classic LT	mechanical cut key	no	Blank 27008-1211 in the 2004, 2008 and 2010 catalogs. Seat latch, lid lock, steering lock and one helmet lock listed.

Which blank your Vulcan takes

The Vulcan 1500 is the complicated one. Kawasaki's catalog shows an A or B blank pair on the original 1500 and the first Classics, a different A or B pair on the Classic, Nomad and Drifter around 1999 to 2003, and a single blank, shared with the later 800 Drifter, on the fuel-injected Classic, Nomad and Drifter from 2002. Where A and B blanks are listed, a bike takes one or the other, so we confirm from your key or the keyway. The 1500 Mean Streak, the 1600s and the 2000 all sit on one blank, and Kawasaki carried it forward onto the Vulcan 1700.

Within the 1600 range the catalog shows one ignition switch part number across the Classic, the Nomad and the Mean Streak. The Vulcan 2000 has its own switch. That matters if a previous owner replaced a damaged ignition with a used one: a 1600 switch from any of the three versions fits, but it arrives cut for a different key.

Need a key for your Vulcan 1500?

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

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

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Locks you will find on these bikes

These are traditional cruisers, with more separate lock cylinders than a modern bike.

Ignition switch, on its own.
Steering lock: a separate cylinder on the frame, operated with the same key.
Helmet locks: one or two, depending on the model.
A lid lock on the later 1500s, the 1600s and the 2000.
Fuel tank cap lock.
Vulcan 1600 Nomad: a keyed lock on each hard saddlebag.
Vulcan 2000: a seat latch in addition to the above.

What age does to them

The newest of these motorcycles is well over a decade old, and the oldest 1500s are far older. Three things are worth checking on a bike this age. A key copied from copies can have rounded, shallow cuts. A lock replaced after a failure leaves the owner with two keys. And a steering lock or helmet lock that has not been turned in years can seize.

All three are fixable at the bike. A key cut to the lock's true depths replaces the tired copy. A mismatched ignition can be rekeyed, where its design allows, to suit the original fuel cap and steering lock. A seized lock can usually be freed and cleaned, and replaced if it cannot.

No keys with the bike

A big Vulcan bought from an estate, a storage unit or as a stalled project can turn up with no keys at all. That is routine work. Show us your photo ID with the title or registration, or tell us beforehand if the paperwork is still in progress, and we will explain what we need.

We then make a key from the ignition and test it around the bike. Where one lock turns out to belong to a different key, we tell you and price the rekeying before doing it. With a locked steering head the bike is hard to load, so having the work done where it stands is the easier route.

Where to find the key code

Kawasaki supplied a key number with the original keys, on a tag or small plate, and the owner's manual has a space for it. On a bike this age the number is often lost; if so, the key is cut from the lock itself.

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)

Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, 1600 and 2000 key FAQ

Do any of the big older Vulcans use a chip key?

No. Kawasaki's US catalog lists plain key blanks for the Vulcan 1500, 1600 and 2000, with no immobilizer parts on the ignition and lock pages.

Is a Vulcan 1600 key the same as a Vulcan 2000 key?

Same blank, different cuts. Kawasaki lists blank 27008-1211 for both, but each bike is keyed individually and the ignition switches are different parts.

My ignition key will not work the steering lock. Why?

On a bike this age, one of the two has probably been replaced. The steering lock is a separate cylinder, and we can match it to your ignition key or the other way round.

I bought a Vulcan 1500 with no key. Can you make one?

Yes. Once ownership is confirmed we cut a key from the ignition lock on site, then check the steering lock, helmet locks and fuel cap.

The immobilizer system on this bike

Kawasaki Immobilizer and KIPASS: Keys, Fobs and Lost KeysKawasaki has two electronic key systems: a transponder immobilizer with coded keys, and KIPASS, a fob system used on the Concours 14 and a few newer models.

More Kawasaki models

Services for this bike

Bought a Used Motorcycle With No Key? Here's What to DoA used or auction motorcycle without keys can usually get new ones, but plan on the full all-keys-lost process and bring the signed title or other transfer paperwork plus photo ID, since a locksmith or dealer has to tie you to the VIN.
Rekey Motorcycle Locks or Just Cut a New Key?Cutting a new key replaces the key you lost, while rekeying changes the locks so the old key no longer works.
Motorcycle Steering Lock Explained: How It Works and JamsA steering lock, called a fork lock by Harley-Davidson, is a bolt that holds the front end turned to one side so the bike cannot be wheeled away in a straight line.
Buying Motorcycle Keys Online by VIN, Code or BlankOrdering online can work well for a plain metal key when you have the key code, because the code tells the seller exactly how to cut it.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.