Harley-Davidson Road King Key Replacement

Quick answerThe Road King is the odd one out among Harley Touring bikes: its ignition switch is on the tank console and its fork lock is a separate lock behind the headlamp nacelle. Both take the same round barrel key, as do the hard saddlebags. If the key is lost, a new one can be made at the bike, and on security-equipped bikes your PIN covers a lost fob.

Harley-Davidson Road King key quick facts

The Road King ignition switch sits on the tank console under a hinged cover, and the lock is under that cover.
Harley's manual places the Road King fork lock at the top of the steering head, behind the headlamp nacelle, inset in the handlebar clamp shroud.
The key can be removed from the Road King switch in any position.
On Road Kings with two tank caps, the right cap is the fuel filler and the left one is the fuel gauge and does not come off.
Harley's parts guide lists a dedicated saddlebag lock for 1998-and-later Road King Classic models.

Harley-Davidson Road King key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2007-present	Road King, Road King Classic, Road King Special	barrel key for the console switch lock, fork lock and saddlebags; hands-free fob where the security system is fitted	varies	The barrel key has no chip. The fob belongs to the Smart Security System.
1994-2006	Road King, Road King Classic, Road King Custom	barrel key	varies	Bikes with the earlier factory security system have a push-button fob. Harley lists a separate saddlebag lock for the 2004 to 2007 Road King Custom.

Console switch and separate fork lock

Fairing Touring models have a switch knob up by the handlebars with the fork lock built in. The Road King does not. Harley's Touring owner's manual gives it its own entries: the switch is on the console on top of the tank, with OFF, ACCESSORY and IGNITION positions, and it is locked or unlocked by lifting the switch cover, inserting the key and turning it counterclockwise to lock or clockwise to unlock. The key can come out in any position, and Harley recommends riding with it removed.

The fork lock is a second, separate barrel lock. The manual puts it at the top of the steering head, behind the headlamp nacelle and inset in the handlebar clamp shroud. With the fork turned full left, the key is turned counterclockwise to lock and clockwise to unlock. Harley's parts guide lists this fork lock for 1993-and-later Road King models, so it has stayed the same basic part for decades.

Need a key for your Road King?

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Saddlebags and fuel cap

Hard saddlebags on a Road King lock with the ignition key, the same as other Touring models. The leather-covered bags on the Road King Classic use a different lock, which Harley catalogs separately for 1998-and-later bikes, and the 2004 to 2007 Road King Custom has its own as well. All are built to the bike's key code from the factory.

The Road King fills from a cap on the right side of the tank. The matching cap on the left is the fuel gauge and is not removable, which catches out new owners. Harley's current manual notes that some vehicles have a locking fuel cap. A locking cap bought as an accessory may have come with its own key unless it was ordered to match the bike.

Known trouble spots

A key left in the console switch can fall out while riding. Harley's manual warns about exactly this, and it is a common way Road King keys are lost.
The console switch and the fork lock are separate, so a bike can be unlocked at the tank and still locked at the fork. Check both before assuming the switch has failed.
The fork lock sits out of sight behind the nacelle and gets little use on many bikes. A lock that has not been turned in years can be stiff. Harley says not to use petroleum-based lubricant or graphite in barrel locks.
Used bikes with replacement or accessory saddlebags sometimes have bag locks on a different key code from the switch.

Lost key service on a Road King

We come to the bike, confirm your photo ID against the registration or title, and make a new barrel key to fit. The key is tried in the console switch lock, the fork lock and each saddlebag. If the bike has the Smart Security System and the fob is missing too, the PIN in your owner's manual wallet card starts the bike, and a Harley-Davidson dealer assigns a new fob.

If the console switch itself is worn or damaged, it can be repaired or replaced. Tell us the year, since Harley uses different switches across the Road King's run.

Where to find the key code

Look on the key head, under the black plastic cover if there is one, for the stamped code: four digits on older barrel keys, four digits plus HD on 2012-and-later keys. The front of the owner's manual has a space where the key number may have been written in. A Harley-Davidson dealer can look the code up by VIN.

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 Road King key FAQ

Where is the fork lock on a Road King?

At the top of the steering head, behind the headlamp nacelle, inset in the handlebar clamp shroud. It is a separate lock from the ignition switch and takes the same key.

Can I ride a Road King with the key out?

Yes. The key only locks and unlocks the console switch, it can be removed in any position, and Harley recommends removing it before riding so it does not fall out.

Does the Road King key fit other Harley Touring bikes?

It is the same barrel key style, but each bike is cut to its own code. The Road King also uses a different switch and fork lock from the fairing models.

Why will the left cap on my Road King tank not come off?

It is the fuel gauge, not a filler cap. Harley's manual says it is not removable. The filler is the cap on the right.

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

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Page last updated November 14, 2026.