# Honda Smart Key: Fobs, ID Tags and What to Do If You Lose One

Source: https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/honda-smart-key/

Business: The Motorcycle Locksmith, mobile motorcycle locksmith. Phone and text: (619) 775-1858 (San Diego side).

> Honda Smart Key is a keyless system: the bike checks for a registered fob nearby and then lets you unlock the steering, switch on and start, with no key in a slot. Each bike also comes with an ID tag and a mechanical emergency key, and Honda's manuals say a lost fob means registering a new one at the dealer with those two items. Keep the ID tag and emergency key at home, apart from the fob, because they are your way back in.

**Honda Smart Key quick facts**

- The Gold Wing manual describes a two-way authentication between the motorcycle and the Smart Key to verify it is the registered one.
- The Smart Key's ID number is printed on an ID tag supplied with the bike, and Honda says to carry it separately from the fob and keep a copy somewhere other than the bike.
- Honda's manuals say that if you lose the Smart Key you will need to register a new one, at the dealer, with your emergency key and ID tag.
- To add a second fob, the Gold Wing manual says to take the existing Smart Key and the motorcycle to the dealer.
- The 2018 Gold Wing fob uses a CR2032 battery, which Honda says normally lasts about 2 years.
- The fob has an ON/OFF button that deactivates the system, so the bike cannot be used by someone else while the owner is nearby.

## Which bikes have Honda Smart Key?

| Years | Models | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2018-present | Gold Wing and Gold Wing Tour (GL1800) | Keyless, with no key slot. The fob also releases the saddlebags, travel trunk and fairing pocket. |
| 2019-present | Super Cub C125 | Honda lists two smart keys with the bike. |
| Varies by model | ADV150, ADV160 (2024 and later) | A main knob replaces the key switch, and a rocker switch next to it releases the seat and fuel lid. |
| Recent models | CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP | The 2025 North American owner's manual covers the Honda Smart Key system. |

## How Smart Key works for the owner

You carry the fob and the bike does the rest. On the ADV scooters, Honda describes the main knob being activated automatically as the owner approaches, so the engine can be started without inserting a key. On the Gold Wing, carrying the fob lets you lock or unlock the steering, switch the electrical system on and off, and release the saddlebags, travel trunk and fairing pocket.

The system uses low-intensity radio waves, and Honda's manual lists the things that can upset it: strong transmitters such as TV towers, power stations and airports, a laptop or phone carried right next to the fob, and metal objects covering the fob. The manual also asks you to keep phones and other transmitting devices away from the ignition switch area.

Scooter fobs add an answer-back button that flashes the turn signals to help you find the scooter in a crowded lot. The Gold Wing has the same feature and its manual notes that it will not work once the bike's own battery is weak.

## What comes with the bike: fob, ID tag, emergency key

A Smart Key bike is delivered with more than a fob, and each piece has a job.

| Item | What it is for |
| --- | --- |
| Smart Key fob | Everyday use. Must be registered to the bike. Has an ON/OFF button and, on most models, an answer-back button. |
| ID tag | Carries the Smart Key's ID number. Honda's manuals say the ID number can be entered on the bike to unlock the steering and switch on in an emergency. |
| Emergency key | A mechanical key for emergencies. On the Gold Wing it opens the left saddlebag. On Smart Key scooters, Honda manuals describe it unlocking the seat and the ignition switch; details vary by model and market, so check your own manual. |
| Built-in key (Gold Wing) | A blade stored inside the fob that does the same emergency job as the separate emergency key. |
| Key tag with key number | The cut code for the mechanical keys, used when a duplicate blade is needed. |

**Lost a key for a bike with Honda Smart Key?** Call or text with the year, model and where the bike is. Call or text (619) 775-1858.

## Why the ID tag matters so much

Honda's Smart Key manuals give the same instruction: always carry the emergency key and ID tag, but separately from the Smart Key, so you cannot lose all of them at once, and store a copy of the ID number somewhere other than the bike. The Gold Wing manual also warns against keeping the emergency key in the saddlebags, fairing pocket or trunk.

The reason is that the ID number is the factory's backup for a dead or missing fob. With it, the owner's manual describes a way to switch the bike on using the bike's own buttons. Without the fob, the ID tag or the emergency key, you have nothing that proves to the bike that you are its owner, and the job gets much bigger. If you bought the bike used and never received an ID tag, ask the seller for it now, not on the day the fob goes missing.

## Fob trouble that is not a lost key

Plenty of Smart Key calls turn out to be simple. Honda's troubleshooting list starts with these checks:

- Is the system switched off at the fob? The ON/OFF button deactivates it, and the fob's LED shows the state when you press it lightly.
- Is the fob battery low? On the Gold Wing the Smart Key indicator flashes five times at switch-on and a low battery message appears.
- Is something interfering? Move away from strong radio sources and take the fob out of a pocket shared with a phone.
- Is the bike's own battery weak? The manual lists the motorcycle battery and its terminals as a cause.
- Is the fob damaged? Honda says a broken Smart Key cannot activate the system and sends you to the dealer with the emergency key and ID tag.

## If the fob is lost: dealer or locksmith

Honda's printed answer is the dealer. The manuals say a lost Smart Key means registering a new one, and to see your dealer with the emergency key and ID tag. For an extra fob while you still have one, the Gold Wing manual says to bring the existing Smart Key and the motorcycle. For the mechanical keys, the same manual says to take the key and key tag to your dealer or a locksmith for a duplicate.

What we can do depends on the model and what you still have. The mechanical side, such as a lost emergency key, a stuck saddlebag or seat lock, or a broken blade, is ordinary lock work that we do where the bike is parked. For the electronic side, call us with the model and year and tell us whether you still have a working fob and the ID tag. We will tell you straight whether it is a job we can do on site or one for the dealer.

Have photo ID and the registration or title ready either way. We do not make keys without proof of ownership.

## What to have ready

**Have this ready when you call or text**

- Year, make and model of the bike
- Where the bike is parked
- Whether you have any working key, a broken key or a key code
- Photo ID and registration or title (we verify ownership before making a key)

## Honda Smart Key FAQ

### What is the ID tag that came with my Honda Smart Key?

It is a small tag printed with the Smart Key's ID number. Honda's manuals say that number can be entered on the bike to switch it on in an emergency, and the dealer asks for the tag when registering a new fob, so keep it at home and not on the fob's ring.

### My Smart Key battery died. Am I stranded?

Not if you prepared. The owner's manual describes an emergency procedure using the ID number, and the mechanical emergency key opens the lock Honda provides for that purpose. Replace the fob battery as soon as the low battery warning appears.

### Can I just buy a used Honda Smart Key fob online?

A fob only works once it is registered to your bike, and Honda's manuals direct registration to the dealer. An unregistered fob on its own does nothing, so check with the dealer or with us before spending money on one.

### Does the US-market Honda PCX have Smart Key?

It depends on the scooter. The PCX has Smart Key in many markets, and equipment varies by market and year. Look at yours: a main switch knob with no key slot means Smart Key, and a key slot means a conventional key. Tell us which you have when you call.

### I lost the fob but still have the emergency key and ID tag. What should I do?

That is the situation Honda's manual plans for: it says to see the dealer with the emergency key and ID tag to register a new Smart Key. Call us first if getting the bike there is a problem and we will tell you what can be done on site.

## Models with Honda Smart Key

- [Honda ADV150 and ADV160](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/honda/adv150-adv160/): 2021-present. The ADV150 and ADV160 do not have a key slot.
- [Honda CBR600RR and CBR1000RR](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/honda/cbr600rr-cbr1000rr/): 2003-present. If your CBR600RR or CBR1000RR was sold new in the United States, it very likely uses a plain cut key with no chip, whatever the internet says about HISS.
- [Honda Gold Wing (GL1800)](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/honda/gold-wing/): 2001-present. There are two very different Gold Wings when it comes to keys.
- [Honda PCX and PCX150](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/honda/pcx/): 2020-2024. The PCX has Honda Smart Key in many countries, but the US manuals for the 2020 PCX150, the 2022 PCX150 and the 2024 PCX show a conventional cut ignition key with a shutter key on it.
- [Honda Super Cub C125, Trail125 and Dax](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/honda/super-cub-trail-125-dax/): 2019-present. These three 125s share an engine layout but not a key.

## Key details by make

[Honda keys](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/honda/), [All makes](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/makes/)

## Services that can help

- [Transponder and Immobilizer Key Programming](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/services/motorcycle-key-programming/): Chip keys and fobs programmed to your immobilizer.
- [Lost Motorcycle Key, No Spare](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/services/lost-motorcycle-key/): No key at all? We make a working key at the bike.
- [Gas Cap, Seat, Steering and Saddlebag Locks](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/services/motorcycle-lock-repair/): Gas cap, seat, steering, helmet and saddlebag locks.

## Related guides

- [Motorcycle Key Fob and Keyless Ignition Problems](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/motorcycle-key-fob-and-keyless-problems/): Most keyless motorcycle problems come down to a weak fob battery, a fob the bike is not reading, a damaged fob or a lost one.
- [Motorcycle Immobilizers Explained: HISS, KIPASS and More](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/motorcycle-immobilizer-explained/): A motorcycle immobilizer is an anti-theft system that only lets the engine start when it recognizes a coded chip in the key or a paired fob.
- [When to Get a Spare Motorcycle Key, and Why Now](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/when-to-get-a-spare-motorcycle-key/): Get a spare motorcycle key as soon as you are down to one working key.
- [Dealer vs Locksmith for a Motorcycle Key: Which to Call](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/guides/dealer-vs-locksmith-motorcycle-key/): For plain metal keys, broken keys, worn ignitions and many transponder keys, a mobile motorcycle locksmith can usually do the work where the bike sits, often for less.

## Other immobilizer systems

[BMW EWS](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/bmw-ews-immobilizer/), [BMW Keyless Ride](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/bmw-keyless-ride/), [Can-Am D.E.S.S. Key](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/can-am-dess-key/), [Ducati Hands Free](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/ducati-hands-free/), [Ducati Immobilizer](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/ducati-immobilizer/), [Harley-Davidson Smart Security System](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/harley-davidson-security-system/), [Honda HISS](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/honda-hiss/), [Indian Key Fob and PIN](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/indian-key-fob/), [Kawasaki immobilizer and KIPASS](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/kawasaki-immobilizer-kipass/), [KTM immobilizer and Race On](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/ktm-immobilizer/), [MV Agusta Immobilizer](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/mv-agusta-immobilizer/), [Piaggio Group Immobilizer](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/piaggio-group-immobilizer/), [Suzuki Immobilizer (SAIS)](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/suzuki-immobilizer/), [Triumph Immobilizer](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/triumph-immobilizer/), [Yamaha Immobilizer](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/yamaha-immobilizer/), [Yamaha Smart Key](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/yamaha-smart-key/), [All systems](https://themotorcyclelocksmith.com/san-diego/immobilizer-systems/)

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