If you have never fit keys to a motorcycle, Honda cycles are a good model for starters. With few model exceptions, H74 and H75 key blanks have been the primary Honda cycle key blanks used since 1977. Beginning in 1983, Honda began using four code series for these keys; A00-A99, B00-B99, C00-C99 & D00-D99. Honda locks using the H74 or H75 keyways have five wafers and three possible depths.
Honda motorcycles first came to North America in quantity in the 1960s. During most of the '60s and '70s, Honda printed the key code right on the face of the ignition lock. Knowing the depth and spaces, a locksmith could easily originate a new Honda key. The only problem was to determine the correct key blank, since Honda used several dozen different keys to confuse the issue.
In 1977 Honda motorcycles began using H74 and H75 key blanks. Key codes were no longer printed on the face of the ignition lock cylinder. During the 1980s many other motorcycle manufacturers discontinued printing key code numbers anywhere on their cycles. Honda is one of the few companies who continued to print key codes on their motorcycles, if you know what to look for.
The Honda motorcycle used for this article was a 2002 Helix. Keys were lost and the cycle was delivered in the back of a pickup truck. This Helix had several locks to choose from including the ignition, gas compartment, rear compartment and helmet locks. Codes are printed on the lock housings so the first order of business was to pick one of the locks open. The gas compartment lock contains a spring detent which required a stiff tension wrench to overcome, but was still the easiest lock to work on..
Once the compartment was opened, it was a simple matter to find the key code on the side of the lock housing. Honda cycle codes contain six or more digits. The only important digits are the last three. In this case the last three digits were C70.
Key blank manufacturers such as Jet and Ilco have free motorcycle guides you can obtain from your local locksmith distributor. Information in those manuals show that Honda Helix models use key blanks which are similar to the H74 or H75 blanks but contain additional grooves. The key blank required for the C70 code is an Ilco X252, JMA HOND-30P2 or Bianchi HD38SCP. Depth, space and code information is identical to regular Honda dimensions. Code cuts for C70 are 21112.
Honda spacing is: 098-197-295-394-492.
Depths are: 1.) 276 2.) 244 3.) 213.
The correct code card is CMC37.
As long as a Honda cycle still has the original keyed alike locks, a key fitting job can usually be finished in less than ten minutes.
