Trike and Three-Wheeler Keys: Harley, Can-Am, Trunks

Quick answerKeys and locks on trikes can be replaced, but who does which part depends on the machine. A Harley-Davidson Tri Glide or Freewheeler uses the same barrel key, and where the security system is fitted the same fob and PIN, as Harley's touring bikes, with a trunk lock added, so the mechanical keys and locks can be handled at the trike while a dealer assigns fobs. A Can-Am Spyder or Ryker key carries a chip that BRP has its dealers program, so a lost Can-Am key ends at the dealer even though lock and ignition repairs do not.

What is different about a trike

Two things. First, there are more locks. A trike adds a trunk, and often a Tour-Pak, glove boxes or a front storage compartment, and each one is a lock that has to match your key or get its own. Second, a trike is harder to move. A dead motorcycle can be rolled onto a trailer by two people. A trike that will not start, with its steering locked, usually needs a flatbed. That makes it worth sorting out a key problem where the trike sits whenever the system allows.

Harley-Davidson Tri Glide and Freewheeler

Harley's trikes are built on the touring platform, and their keys follow it. Harley's dealer lock and key guide groups Touring and Trike models together for ignition switches, lists a Tour-Pak lock for 2009 to 2013 Trike models and for the 2014 and later Tri Glide Ultra, and lists trunk locks for the 2014 and later Tri Glide Ultra and the 2015 and later Freewheeler. It lists a fork lock for the Freewheeler as well.

All of those are barrel key locks, the round key Harley has used on its big twins since 1991 models, and Harley builds replacement locks to match the trike's existing key code. The code is stamped on the key head, under the black plastic cover if the key has one. Codes on 2012 and later barrel keys end in the letters HD.

Starting the trike is a separate matter. The ignition switch knob is locked with the barrel key, and where the H-D Smart Security System is fitted, which depends on the model, year and market, a hands-free fob has to be present as well. The system is backed by a five digit PIN for when the fob is lost or its battery dies, and the owner's manual explains how to use it. The security module accepts two fobs at a time and a Harley-Davidson technician assigns new ones. So on a Tri Glide with a lost fob, your PIN gets you moving, the dealer supplies the fob, and the barrel key for the switch, Tour-Pak and trunk is a mechanical job that can be done on site.

Trunk and luggage locks

Trunk problems are the most trike-specific calls: a key that no longer turns the trunk latch, a trunk locked with the only key inside, or a used trike where the trunk takes a different key from the ignition because a lock was replaced.

On a Harley, the fix can go either way. A key can be cut to fit the lock that is there, or the lock can be replaced with one built to your key code. Harley's guide notes that those keyed-to-match locks are made to order and cannot be returned, so the code has to be right the first time.

Honda's Gold Wing, the base for many conversion trikes, locks its travel trunk and saddlebags with the ignition key or a remote transmitter on the 2010 model, and the compartments relock by themselves after thirty seconds if nothing is opened. A conversion trike generally keeps the donor motorcycle's ignition and key system, while the trunk added by the kit maker usually has its own lock and key. If you bought a converted trike with a single key, check the trunk before you need it.

Machine	Starting	Locks and keys
Harley-Davidson Tri Glide Ultra	Switch knob locked with the barrel key; fob and PIN where the security system is fitted	Trunk and Tour-Pak on the barrel key
Harley-Davidson Freewheeler	Barrel key; fob and PIN where the security system is fitted	Trunk and fork lock on the barrel key
Can-Am Spyder RT	Cut key with D.E.S.S. chip, dealer programmed	Same key opens seat, front storage and glove box lock
Can-Am Ryker	RF D.E.S.S. key that sits on a post, dealer programmed	No cut key; two keys come with the vehicle
Conversion trikes	The donor motorcycle's key system	Kit trunk usually on its own key

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Can-Am Spyder and Ryker

Can-Am's three-wheelers use BRP's Digitally Encoded Security System, or D.E.S.S. Each key carries a chip that the vehicle reads by radio frequency, and the engine will not start unless that key has been programmed to the vehicle. BRP's operator's guide says replacement keys are made by an authorized Can-Am On-Road dealer, and dealers program them with BRP's own diagnostic software. The keys have no battery to change.

On a Spyder RT the same key also opens the seat, the front storage compartment and the steering and glove box lock. The Ryker's key is a different shape: it sits on a D.E.S.S. post instead of turning in a conventional switch.

What that means in practice: if every Can-Am key is lost, plan on getting the vehicle to a dealer. A mobile locksmith is the right call for the mechanical side, such as a key broken off in the switch, a damaged ignition, or a seat or storage lock that will not open. BRP asks owners to bring the spare key when a replacement is made, so keep yours somewhere safe at home.

Before you call

Make, model and year, and whether the trike is factory built or a conversion
Which locks are affected: ignition, fork lock, trunk, Tour-Pak, glove box, seat or front storage
On a Harley: whether you have the fob, your PIN and any barrel key, and the code stamped on the key
On a Can-Am: how many programmed keys you still have
Photo ID and registration or title, and where the trike is parked

Quick questions

Does a Harley Tri Glide use the same key as a touring bike?

It uses the same style. Harley's dealer lock guide lists Touring and Trike models together for ignition switches and uses barrel key codes for the trike's Tour-Pak and trunk locks. Your own key code is specific to your trike.

I lost my Tri Glide fob. Can I still ride?

Yes, if you know your PIN. Harley's Smart Security System can be disarmed with the five digit PIN, as the owner's manual describes. A replacement fob is assigned by a Harley-Davidson dealer.

Can a locksmith make a Can-Am Spyder or Ryker key?

The blade can be cut, but the chip must be programmed with BRP's dealer software before the engine will start, so a lost key goes through an authorized Can-Am On-Road dealer. We can help with broken keys, ignition switches and storage locks.

My trike trunk uses a different key from the ignition. Can that be fixed?

Usually. Depending on the lock, it can be rekeyed or replaced so it matches your main key. Our guide to one key for all locks explains the options.

Services that can help

Key details by make

Keep reading

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.
Motorcycle Key Fob and Keyless Ignition ProblemsMost keyless motorcycle problems come down to a weak fob battery, a fob the bike is not reading, a damaged fob or a lost one.
Cruiser and Touring Motorcycle Keys: Bags, Forks, FobsYes, keys for cruisers and touring bikes can be replaced, and on most of them it is a mechanical job because the key is a plain cut or barrel key.
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.
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.

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Page last updated November 14, 2026.