BMW R 1100 and R 1150 oilhead boxers Key Replacement

Quick answerThe oilhead boxers, from the R 1100 models of the 1990s through the R 1150 GS, R, RT and the R 1100 S, were built before BMW fitted the EWS immobilizer to its motorcycles. Their rider's manuals describe two master keys, one spare key and a key number tag, with no immobilizer section. A lost key is a cut-at-the-bike job with no programming.

BMW R 1100 and R 1150 oilhead boxers key quick facts

BMW's 2002 US rider's manual for the R 1150 GS and GS Adventure lists two master keys and one spare key, with the key number on an accompanying plastic tag.
The R 1150 R and R 1150 RT manuals from 2002 list the same key set and the same plastic key number tag.
The 2000 US manual for the R 1100 S says a small self-adhesive label showing the key number is supplied with the keys.
On the R 1150 RT the key also fits the storage compartment and the System cases, as well as the ignition, tank filler cap and dual seat lock.
None of these manuals contains an EWS or electronic immobilizer section.

BMW R 1100 and R 1150 oilhead boxers key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2000-2005	R 1150 GS, R 1150 GS Adventure, R 1150 R, R 1150 RT, R 850 RT	mechanical cut key	no	Two master keys and one spare key, key number on a plastic tag, per the 2002 manuals.
1999-2005	R 1100 S	mechanical cut key	no	Two master keys and one spare key. Key number on a small self-adhesive label per the 2000 US manual.
About 1994-2001	R 1100 GS, R 1100 R, R 1100 RS, R 1100 RT and other earlier oilheads	mechanical cut key	no	Same pre-EWS generation. We confirm the details for your exact model when you call.
From 2004	R 1200 GS and the boxers that followed	transponder key (EWS)	yes	Not an oilhead. Listed so the changeover is clear.

Before EWS: what that means for your oilhead

BMW's transponder immobilizer came to its motorcycles with the R 1200 GS in 2004. Everything in the oilhead family predates it. Open the rider's manual for an R 1150 GS, R 1150 R, R 1150 RT or R 1100 S and the key section is a few lines: you receive two master keys and one spare key, the key number is on a tag or label, and the locks share the key. There is no ring antenna, no EWS warning and nothing electronic in the key head.

For an owner this is good news. Any correctly cut key runs the bike, a spare is inexpensive to add, and a no-start is never a key recognition problem. If the engine cranks and will not fire, look elsewhere.

Need a key for your R 1150 GS?

Call or text with the year and where the bike is parked.

Call (619) 775-1858 Text your year, make and model

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Which locks the oilhead key fits

The manuals differ a little by model, and the differences are worth knowing before a visit.

R 1150 GS and GS Adventure: ignition and steering lock, tank filler cap lock and seat lock, with the helmet holder at the seat lock
R 1150 R: ignition and steering lock, fuel filler cap and a combined helmet and seat lock
R 1150 RT and R 850 RT: ignition and steering lock, tank filler cap lock, dual seat lock, the storage compartment and the System cases
R 1100 S: ignition and steering lock, fuel filler cap and seat lock, with cases for the same key available on request
System cases on the GS and R: optional, and BMW says they can be ordered with locks for the bike key

What goes wrong on these bikes is mechanical. Keys wear thin and round off, and a copy made from a worn key carries the wear forward. Locks that have gone twenty years without attention get sticky with old grease and dust, and case locks see the most weather.

Because the bikes have a key number, the cleanest fix for a tired key is one cut to the original number, not traced from the old key. If the ignition lock itself is loose, hard to turn or lets the key come out in the wrong position, it can be repaired or replaced and set up to match the rest of the locks.

Lost key visit for an R 1100 or R 1150

No dealer order and no programming are needed. We check photo ID against the registration or title, then cut a key from the key number if you have the tag or label, or work the cut out from the locks on the bike if you do not. The new key is tried in the ignition, the tank cap, the seat or helmet lock and any cases you want on the same key.

If the bike has an aftermarket alarm or immobilizer added by an earlier owner, tell us. That equipment is separate from BMW's locks and can keep a bike from starting even with a perfect key.

Where to find the key code

BMW's manuals for the R 1150 GS, R 1150 R and R 1150 RT say the key number is on the plastic tag that accompanies the keys; the R 1100 S manual describes a small self-adhesive label. Check the original document wallet. Without the number, the key is made from the bike's locks.

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)

BMW R 1100 and R 1150 oilhead boxers key FAQ

Does a BMW R 1150 GS have a chip key?

No. BMW's 2002 US rider's manual for the R 1150 GS and Adventure describes two master keys, a spare key and a plastic key number tag, and has no immobilizer section. A cut key is all the bike needs.

Will one key open the cases on my R 1150 RT?

It should on a bike with its original cases. BMW's manual says the RT key also fits the storage compartment and the System cases. Replacement or secondhand cases may have their own key until the locks are matched.

I found a sticker with a number in my R 1100 S paperwork. Is that the key code?

Quite possibly. BMW supplied the R 1100 S with a small self-adhesive label showing the key number. Keep it safe and give us the number when you call.

My oilhead key turns but feels sloppy. Key or lock?

Often both. A key cut fresh to the original number shows quickly whether the lock is the remaining problem. If it is, the lock can be serviced or replaced without changing the key for the tank cap and seat.

More BMW models

Services for this bike

Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Keys: Codes, Blanks, WearA key can usually be made for a vintage motorcycle even when no original survives, because these are plain mechanical locks with no chip.
Worn or Bent Motorcycle Key: Signs, Risks and the Right FixA worn motorcycle key shows up as a key that needs wiggling, works in one lock but not another, or works worse than the spare.
Signs Your Motorcycle Ignition Switch Is FailingA motorcycle ignition switch is two parts in one housing: a lock cylinder that reads the key and an electrical switch that powers the bike.
One Key for All Your Motorcycle Locks: Keying AlikeA motorcycle that needs different keys for the ignition, fuel cap and seat has almost always had a lock replaced.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.