Harley-Davidson Freewheeler Key Replacement

Quick answerThe Freewheeler does not share the Tri Glide's lock layout. Its barrel key locks an ignition switch under a flip-up cover, a separate fork lock at the top of the steering head behind the headlamp nacelle, and the trunk between the rear wheels. If the key is lost, all three can be sorted at the trike with a new key. A fob comes into it only if your Freewheeler has the security system.

Harley-Davidson Freewheeler key quick facts

Harley's 2016 and 2023 trike owner's manuals give the Freewheeler (FLRT) its own ignition switch and fork lock instructions, separate from the Tri Glide Ultra.
The Freewheeler's switch is locked or unlocked by lifting the switch cover and turning the key: counterclockwise locks, clockwise unlocks.
The key can be removed in any switch position, and Harley recommends removing it before riding.
The fork lock is at the top of the steering head, behind the headlamp nacelle, inset in the handlebar clamp shroud.
The trunk has a barrel lock that takes a quarter turn of the key, and the manual limits the load to 50 lb.
The same manual describes security arming 'on equipped vehicles' and points owners to a dealer for security system options.

Harley-Davidson Freewheeler key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2015-present	Freewheeler (FLRT)	barrel key for the ignition switch lock, the separate fork lock and the trunk; hands-free fob where the security system is fitted	varies	Layout as described in Harley's 2016 and 2023 trike owner's manuals. Confirm the security equipment on your own trike, because it decides whether a fob or PIN is needed to start.

Three locks, and how each one works

A Tri Glide owner who moves to a Freewheeler will look for the fork lock in the wrong place. On the Tri Glide Ultra the fork lock is built into the ignition switch knob on the fairing. The Freewheeler has no fairing, and Harley's manual gives it a different arrangement.

Ignition switch: under a hinged cover. With it unlocked the switch turns between OFF, ACCESSORY and IGNITION. The key only locks and unlocks the switch.
Fork lock: a separate lock at the top of the steering head behind the nacelle. Turn the fork full left, insert the key and turn it counterclockwise to LOCK. Clockwise unlocks it.
Trunk: insert the key in the barrel lock and turn a quarter turn counterclockwise to unlock, then turn the lock itself clockwise to unlatch the door. A quarter turn clockwise with the key locks it again.
Fuel cap: on the right side of the tank, with the fuel gauge on the left side.

Need a key for your Freewheeler?

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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Problems particular to a trike

The trunk is the lock to think about first. It is the Freewheeler's only enclosed storage, so the registration, rain gear and often the spare key end up inside it. If the only working key is lost or is locked in the trunk, nothing has to be drilled. A key can be made to the locks on the trike, and the trunk opened with it.

Harley tells owners not to use petroleum-based lubricants or graphite in barrel locks, because the locks can stop working. A trunk lock that has turned stiff after storage should be cleaned and freed, not forced. The manual also says not to force the fork lock into the locked position.

Because the key comes out in any position, a Freewheeler can be ridden for weeks with the key in a pocket, and a switch left unlocked. That is convenient until the key is lost and nobody remembers when. If you buy a used Freewheeler, check that the key you are handed turns all three locks.

Security system and fob

Whether a Freewheeler needs a fob depends on how it was equipped. The 2016 manual covers the hands-free security system in a general chapter and refers to arming on equipped vehicles. On a trike with the system, the fob has to be in range, or your five-digit PIN entered, before the engine will start, even with the switch unlocked. On a trike without it, the unlocked switch is all that is needed.

A security lamp in the instruments that flashes after you park tells you the system is fitted. If it is, keep the PIN written down somewhere other than the trunk.

What a lost-key visit covers

A three-wheeler that cannot be started or steered is awkward to move, and a locked fork makes loading it harder still. We work on it where it sits. After checking your photo ID and the registration or title, we make a barrel key and test it in the ignition switch lock, the fork lock and the trunk.

If one of the locks has been replaced in the past and no longer matches, we tell you, and it can be rekeyed or replaced so one key does everything again. For a missing fob on a security-equipped trike, the PIN gets you riding and a Harley-Davidson dealer assigns the replacement.

Where to find the key code

Check the metal of the key head first, under the black plastic cover if there is one, where Harley stamps the barrel key code. The owner's manual has a key number space at the front. On a Freewheeler it is also worth looking through the paperwork kept in the trunk. A dealer can look the code up by VIN, and a key can be made without it.

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)

Harley-Davidson Freewheeler key FAQ

Is the Freewheeler fork lock in the ignition switch like a Tri Glide?

No. Harley's trike manual puts the Freewheeler's fork lock at the top of the steering head behind the headlamp nacelle. Only the Tri Glide Ultra has it integrated into the ignition switch.

Does one key work the ignition, fork lock and trunk?

On a trike with its original locks, that is how we expect to find it, and we test all three on the visit. If a lock has been changed, it can be matched to the others.

My keys are locked in the Freewheeler trunk. Can you open it?

Yes. We make a key to the trike's locks and open the trunk with it, after confirming ownership. You get a working key out of the visit as well as your things back.

Do I need a fob to start a Freewheeler?

Only if the trike has the Harley-Davidson security system. Harley's manual treats it as equipment a trike may or may not have, so check for the flashing security lamp after parking.

The immobilizer system on this bike

Harley-Davidson Security System: Fob, PIN and Lost KeysThe Harley-Davidson Smart Security System is a factory alarm and immobilizer that disarms when it detects a hands-free fob near the bike and disables the starter and ignition when it does not.

More Harley-Davidson models

Services for this bike

Trike and Three-Wheeler Keys: Harley, Can-Am, TrunksKeys and locks on trikes can be replaced, but who does which part depends on the machine.
Locked Your Keys Under the Motorcycle or Scooter Seat?Keys get locked under the seat because most seats latch shut with a push and need no key to close.
Rekey Motorcycle Locks or Just Cut a New Key?Cutting a new key replaces the key you lost, while rekeying changes the locks so the old key no longer works.
Dealer vs Locksmith for a Motorcycle Key: Which to CallFor 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.

Where we come to you

Sources

Page last updated November 14, 2026.