Ok, I have a report on key duplicatiuon services at Broward Motorsport in Davie (pronounced, "Day'-vee":biglaugh
. Greg, the kind of guy you want to wait on you, 38 years in dealerships, took one-look at my ignition cyl & bracket which I was holding, and asked, "how many keys do you want for that VMax?"
He went upstairs to the parts inventory, came back w/the two key blanks I asked-for, picked-up the mechanical tool and went to-work. In less time than it took me to ogle the '12 VMax in the showroom, my keys were ready. I also spoke w/"Larry," a mechanic who works there, and whom I have known since he was a teenager, working at another shop, just starting-out as a mechanic. I'd guess he's in his 40's now.
He asked me, "do you still have your '87 FZR1000?" I replied in the affirmative. He split from the parts counter, and came back in a couple of minutes w/an old pic of his '89 FZR1000 into-which he had dumped a ton of $$$. 1040 cc kit, undercut & cryogenic-treated tranny, Falicon crank, YZF race kit cams, head reworked by one of "Superbike Mike" Keyte's employees, & etc. He claimed it turned 165 HP and was radar-timed at "over 190," it had a 'Zuki SRAD 750 rear tail section, and a rider w/a big set of 00's, him. He still has it but doesn't ride it much.
So, my demand of the Broward Motorsport crew was minimal. Hey, all I bought was a couple of keys cut to the code on the bracket, $23 out-the-door. I got to shoot the breeze w/ a couple of long-time bike industry guys, and it was painless.
Oh yeah, when the parts counter guy returned w/the keys, he tried them in the lock and it wouldn't insert fully. I told him it was a used bike I had just purchased, and I was merely trying to get the key so I could begin to work on it. For all I knew, the old key was broken-off & still inside the cyl. He grabbed some PB Blaster, shot the slot full and gradually, the key finally went-in, and the switch worked (after he punched it-out). He didn't have to do that, and while he was working on soaking the cyl, he explained how to open the back and to use a small screwdriver to remove the spring pin on the opposite end and how-to remove the lock barrel out the top, and to 'be careful you don't lose the pieces,' and then I would be able to remove a key fragment if indeed there was one lodged in there. There wasn't, just a stiff mechanism that probably hadn't had any lubrication since before crossing the Pacific Ocean in a crate, after assembly in October 1985 (the bike's build date).
I thanked the guys and left, and made a beeline to my friend's shop where the bike is being stored. I was especially interested in seeing if the locksets for the gas cap and the faux tank cover were functional. The gas cap was as-stiff as the ignition cylinder had been. It got the PB Blaster treatment too, and eventually yielded a view into the tank, a fair amount of surface rust, gonna have to see what closer inspection shows down the road. The airbox locking cover worked 'no-issues,' so now I have full-access to the bike, and can begin to explore its faults. I will be calling Kyle for some used parts. :biglaugh:
And, in the spirit of assisting a brother, thanks to those who offered help via PM. I appreciate the offer, and will keep your contact info on-file for the future.
