Key Fobs

[tomp]

FWIW, I ride my 14 to work as often as possible.  I work at a Home Depot in a low income part of town.  Was worried about problems early on, but so far, no one as messed with or even attempted to mess with it.  Maybe I worry over nothing.  I believe it is/has been basically ignored, as it sits at the back of the lot, and everyone knows that us poor employees have to park way back there... tp

[maxtog]

FWIW, I ride my 14 to work as often as possible.  I work at a Home Depot in a low income part of town.  Was worried about problems early on, but so far, no one as messed with or even attempted to mess with it.  Maybe I worry over nothing.  I believe it is/has been basically ignored, as it sits at the back of the lot, and everyone knows that us poor employees have to park way back there... tp

The C14 is big, it is not the bike young people covet, you can't just pick it up and put it on a tuck (not without quite a few people), it has a blinking light saying "I am alarmed/armed and will be a problem", and someone that knows what the C14 is will know about the immobilizer technology.

I am far more worried about someone "playing" with it than wanting or trying to steal mine.

[FZBear10]

I thought I would share this story of massive stupidity.
I bought my new to me 09 C-14 a few months ago and so far love the bike. When I bought the bike, the previous owner told me he lost the Active FOB, he only had the little or passive FOB, which is what I thought he gave me. I bought the bike anyway because it was mint and a great deal. He told me as well as showed me how to start it with what he said was the passive FOB, holding the FOB to the ignition, etc. For months now I have been starting it like an idiot, holding the FOB to the ignition.  I kept looking at this FOB, wondering how big the Active FOB was if the passive FOB was so damn big. After about 3 hours of researching information on this forum yesterday, I found out a few things:
 
      A) It turns out that he gave me the Active FOB, not passive, and although he is a very nice guy, he is a moron.
      B) I took his word for what he told me as law, so I am a moron.
      C) He had the battery in the FOB upside down, so it didn't work as designed, he is a moron.
      D) I never checked the battery in the FOB, so I am a moron.
      E) This forum is awesome and thank you guys for all your knowledge!

I am now able to fully start the bike without using 2 hands and can have the FOB in my pocket or on the bike somewhere, which is AWESOME! My next project will be to buy a spare passive FOB, that will be today's research project.
 

[VirginiaJim]

 

[Rhino]

I thought I would share this story of massive stupidity.
I bought my new to me 09 C-14 a few months ago and so far love the bike. When I bought the bike, the previous owner told me he lost the Active FOB, he only had the little or passive FOB, which is what I thought he gave me. I bought the bike anyway because it was mint and a great deal. He told me as well as showed me how to start it with what he said was the passive FOB, holding the FOB to the ignition, etc. For months now I have been starting it like an idiot, holding the FOB to the ignition.  I kept looking at this FOB, wondering how big the Active FOB was if the passive FOB was so damn big. After about 3 hours of researching information on this forum yesterday, I found out a few things:
 
      A) It turns out that he gave me the Active FOB, not passive, and although he is a very nice guy, he is a moron.
      B) I took his word for what he told me as law, so I am a moron.
      C) He had the battery in the FOB upside down, so it didn't work as designed, he is a moron.
      D) I never checked the battery in the FOB, so I am a moron.
      E) This forum is awesome and thank you guys for all your knowledge!

I am now able to fully start the bike without using 2 hands and can have the FOB in my pocket or on the bike somewhere, which is AWESOME! My next project will be to buy a spare passive FOB, that will be today's research project.
 

Great story! Yes this forum has helped out a lot of us morons 

[maxtog]

LOL!  That is a hoot!

[B.D.F.]

Best "motivational" poster ever: a group of people holding hands at a conference table. The caption reads: "Teamwork: because together we are not as stupid as we are individually".

Outstanding. I just wish I had though of it. And it was actually on the wall in the eng. conference room at a company I worked for. I tracked down the gentleman responsible for it being there and he said I was the first one in more than 10 years to notice that it was a 'back- handed' compliment.

 

And so it goes for this forum: collectively, we are less stupid than we are individually. And I do mean that in the nicest way possible.... with a big dash of humor. :-)

Brian

Great story! Yes this forum has helped out a lot of us morons 

[Conrad]

I thought I would share this story of massive stupidity.
I bought my new to me 09 C-14 a few months ago and so far love the bike. When I bought the bike, the previous owner told me he lost the Active FOB, he only had the little or passive FOB, which is what I thought he gave me. I bought the bike anyway because it was mint and a great deal. He told me as well as showed me how to start it with what he said was the passive FOB, holding the FOB to the ignition, etc. For months now I have been starting it like an idiot, holding the FOB to the ignition.  I kept looking at this FOB, wondering how big the Active FOB was if the passive FOB was so damn big. After about 3 hours of researching information on this forum yesterday, I found out a few things:
 
      A) It turns out that he gave me the Active FOB, not passive, and although he is a very nice guy, he is a moron.
      B) I took his word for what he told me as law, so I am a moron.
      C) He had the battery in the FOB upside down, so it didn't work as designed, he is a moron.
      D) I never checked the battery in the FOB, so I am a moron.
      E) This forum is awesome and thank you guys for all your knowledge!

I am now able to fully start the bike without using 2 hands and can have the FOB in my pocket or on the bike somewhere, which is AWESOME! My next project will be to buy a spare passive FOB, that will be today's research project.
 

The battery was upside down? Can't you just turn the fob over?   

DO NOT WAIT to buy that extra fob! The passive fob can be had for around $35 plus programming. Check with your dealer, some will sell it for that price (or close) then they might give you a better price on the rest of the work.

[jwh20]

I thought I would share this story of massive stupidity.
I bought my new to me 09 C-14 a few months ago and so far love the bike. When I bought the bike, the previous owner told me he lost the Active FOB, he only had the little or passive FOB, which is what I thought he gave me. I bought the bike anyway because it was mint and a great deal. He told me as well as showed me how to start it with what he said was the passive FOB, holding the FOB to the ignition, etc. For months now I have been starting it like an idiot, holding the FOB to the ignition.  I kept looking at this FOB, wondering how big the Active FOB was if the passive FOB was so damn big. After about 3 hours of researching information on this forum yesterday, I found out a few things:
 
      A) It turns out that he gave me the Active FOB, not passive, and although he is a very nice guy, he is a moron.
      B) I took his word for what he told me as law, so I am a moron.
      C) He had the battery in the FOB upside down, so it didn't work as designed, he is a moron.
      D) I never checked the battery in the FOB, so I am a moron.
      E) This forum is awesome and thank you guys for all your knowledge!

I am now able to fully start the bike without using 2 hands and can have the FOB in my pocket or on the bike somewhere, which is AWESOME! My next project will be to buy a spare passive FOB, that will be today's research project.
 

FZ,

Until you get around to getting that spare FOB I STRONGLY urge you to SEPARATE the passive portion of your current FOB from the rest.  Take the FOB apart and you will see a small black "chip" in a small slot at the KEY end of the FOB housing.  Take a small screwdriver or pick and take this out of the slot.  This is the part and you hold next to the ignition to start the bike.

Put it in a SAFE place until you get another FOB and have your bike programmed for it.  If you don't do this and lose the entire FOB, you will be in for an expensive lesson!

[FZBear10]

I saw this so I went to Ace by my house to see if they could do it. They pretty much banished me from their establishment!
I spoke to the guy there and showed him the video but he simply said they could not do it. I asked if he would at least try it and he said no. Has anyone else tried this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FdaFCRSicGM

[gPink]

That vid has pretty much been debunked. Quite a few have checked and got the same response.

[clogan]

That vid has pretty much been debunked. Quite a few have checked and got the same response.

Local Ace hardware man tried valiantly for me...even beyond the end of my patience...still no go.
The video is bunk.

[FZBear10]

I have managed to get a spare key made. The key in the FOB that can open the saddlebags, gas cap, and remove the seat. It took some doing because most places I took it to, said they don't do motorcycle keys. I even explained that all I wanted was for it to fit in the keyholes but they still told me no. I finally found a place that made it and it works perfectly so that made me happy. I called a Kawasaki dealer by my house about buying a spare passive FOB but that was a disaster. They had no idea what I was talking about and after being on the phone for about 30 minutes, they basically said they couldn't do it. This is going to be a problem but I will keep at it and hopefully report success.

[sailor_chic]

Search for the passive fob on the Internet, and bring that part number to your dealer to place the order. Easy peasy!

[sailor_chic]

http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/a/kaw/50a99d8ef87002235ccd8081/ignition-switch-locks-reflectors

Part # 21175-0256

[B.D.F.]

As Nicole posted, you can order the part easily enough. But the bike will have to be programmed to recognize the fob, and I would certainly be wary of a dealer that could not find the fob in the first place would have and be able to use the software needed to make it active.

My suggestion would be to find a dealer that has the software (KDS) and knows how to use it before purchasing a fob; buying a fob will not do you any good if you cannot get someone to program the bike to recognize it. If you cannot get the programming done, there is no point in buying one or more fobs.

Brian

I have managed to get a spare key made. The key in the FOB that can open the saddlebags, gas cap, and remove the seat. It took some doing because most places I took it to, said they don't do motorcycle keys. I even explained that all I wanted was for it to fit in the keyholes but they still told me no. I finally found a place that made it and it works perfectly so that made me happy. I called a Kawasaki dealer by my house about buying a spare passive FOB but that was a disaster. They had no idea what I was talking about and after being on the phone for about 30 minutes, they basically said they couldn't do it. This is going to be a problem but I will keep at it and hopefully report success.

[Gigantor]

Key Fobs cost $300??!! Now I have another reason to safely
protect my fob at all cost

[FZBear10]

http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/a/kaw/50a99d8ef87002235ccd8081/ignition-switch-locks-reflectors

Part # 21175-0256

Thank you!
I will get this done ASAP but I really need to find a dealer that knows what they are doing, yesterday was ridiculous.

[sailor_chic]

I wouldn't write off this dealer yet. Just because you had a parts department with a sales person who lacked knowledge, doesn't mean the service department is the same way.
A simple phone call to the service dept can solve this quandary.

[Conrad]

I wouldn't write off this dealer yet. Just because you had a parts department with a sales person who lacked knowledge, doesn't mean the service department is the same way.
A simple phone call to the service dept can solve this quandary.

Nicole is right but if I were you, and since the dealer is close by, I'd ride over there and have a chat with the service department.