The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: rl900 on January 04, 2008, 02:53:57 PM
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O.K., I'm afraid I know the answer, but here goes.
I picked up a set of decent Krauser bags with the seat belt style frame latch and the flat style bag latches. The problem is I don't have keys for the locks. Has anyone had experience in getting a locksmith to make keys for these?
I have heard that some keys are available from Michael Krauser in Germany. Is that still true?
Hepco-becker sells replacement bag latches with keys that you supposedly can install on these but you need to drill a hole for the new style lock. That might take care of the bag latches but what about the bag-to-frame latches? Can the later style hook-and-latch frame latches be fitted to these early bags?
Surely someone has figured someway out of this dilemma!
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I'll start by saying I'm jealous of your sig list....
If you're near Salem, OR, the locksmith I go to there has been pretty good at finding keys or replacing both keys and locks for just about anything I've brought him. That does not include a set of Krauser bags, though. You could check the local lock smiths.
A 59 Bonneville.
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If you get out a magnifying glass (or have real good eyes) you should be able to see a number on the lock where the key inserts. You can usually get keys by this number from Bob's BMW for about $3-$4 each...
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Thanks, Ed. I'm in Cincinnati, but I know of a pretty good locksmith. I'll take them down to him and see what he can do.
The '59 Bonnie is still on my workstand. It's now complete, just needs paint. I bought it about 10 years ago as a total basket. No front fender, no nacelle, cut rear fender, TR6 single carb head. But the numbers match and it had a good title. Better yet, the price was $100! I spent about 5 years finding correct uncut fenders, nacelle, chopped monobloc carbs and the remote float and mount, not to mention the correct 1959-only cylinder head. I even have the paint. A friend with an original '59 let me borrow his tank and we matched the red/orange and the gray from a section under the badge that hadn't faded. Other projects seem to take precedent and I can't decide on a painter I trust enough to do the job.
I have to say when it comes to Brit Bikes I'm a Norton man. I have three Commandos licensed and two more in varying stages of restoration along with a '67 P11 and '69 Ranger 750 waiting time and space. I stumbled on the '59 when I went to look at what I was told was a '69 Bonnie basket case that I had intended to use to build a Triton!
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I struck out with Bob's BMW as they told me they could not get the keys. However, I e-mailed Michael Krauser in Germany and he is able to supply these.
I sent him the codes for both the top locks and the bag-to-mount latches along with a digital picture of each. For $35 he sent me two keys for each lock!
I'm not sure a locksmith would have been able to help with these as they are a stamped key that most locksmiths probably don't carry. Even if they did, it probably would have cost more than $35!
I'm a happy camper!
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Interesting, I got mine from Bob's a couple of years ago but I have heard they really want to get out of the "old" business...