can anyone help ?

[aldo]

hi everyone, could someone tell me what the small key that goes in in front of the petrol tank on the left hand side is for?

[teejayexc]

Apr 25, 2009 17:55:37 GMT aldo said:

hi everyone, could someone tell me what the small key that goes in in front of the petrol tank on the left hand side is for?

I take it your talking about a 600N? If so it's for the steering lock, it should turn and lock when the bars are almost on full lock, (though if you haven't used it for a while it may be worth a little lubrication first, ooer mrs )

HTH. Trev

[pilgrim]

Yep, the 600S Diversion has an ignition key steering lock but the XJ600N has a lock on the headstock. I've never had a key for it (on my 'N') so the disc lock is always applied.

[CD]

Dont wast your time using it. Thieving gits will break it by wrenching the bars. If the succeed (easy enough!!) they get the bike. If not you get a bent lock and jammed steering.

Much better with a disc lock or better still a heavy chain. If driving the bike forward from its parking space put the disclock UNDER the brake caliper. Then the bike only moves a few inches before it stops dead. Put it above the caliper and the bike moves further, you'll probably be steering when it stops dead and you end up in a heap.

Been there etc etc

[darren]

yup, they are a waste of time,dont bother with it

[bobh]

Also if you turn the steering with the key still in the lock it can chop the head off the key, thereby rendering the lock unusable (also been there, done that...)

[CD]

That is cool (not). Top design team at work.

[bear]

It's perhaps worth a word of warning from the (albeit short) annals of experience here :

Check your insurance documents carefully. Some policies state that they won't pay out for theft if either the keys are left in the ignition or the steering lock is not applied.

My old bike was stolen in December, insured with Devitt, whose policy document states :

we will not pay out for claims arising if :

1) aliens land, rectal probe, etc etc
2) oddly enough, you're not covered if you ride on active airport runways.
3) "the vehicle is left unattended and the keys are left in or on the vehicle and the steering lock is not activated".

I bought my old bike with no steering lock keys, and thought nothing of it. Foolishly admitted to police that it wasn't applied on the night of the theft (though the keys were nowhere near the vehicle).

Insurance company finally told me to urinate off citing 3) above - even though I'd removed the keys, they said as the steering lock had not been applied it they were revoking the policy. To cut a long story short I'd been given an old wording of the policy document - effectively "either keys left in ignition AND steering lock not applied" when the current version, designed to close the loophole, states "either keys left in ignition OR steering lock not applied". They graciously conceded and paid out.

Moral : check your policy wording and apply your steering lock if they make a point of stipulating that your policy depends on it.

[CD]

Interesting stuff I must check my policy. IMHO the best solution is to grind off the lock and tidy up the area with new paint. If there's no lock it cant be used. But always use a half decent padlock and chain.

As for the 900, I'll have to have a think on that, because wrenching those steering locks usually smashes up the top yoke.

On my Montego car that got broken into I filled the steering column slot with aradite. The steering column shaft got bent when they tried to steal the car so the thing was useless anyway. This solution stopped it ever getting bent again and I never parked it again without the stop lock.