Harley-Davidson Street 500, 750, Street Rod Key Replacement

Quick answerThe Street 500, Street 750 and Street Rod use one flat key with no chip in it. That key works the ignition switch, the fork lock built into the same switch, and the locking fuel cap. If you have lost it, a new key can be cut at the bike. Some 2017-and-later bikes were also ordered with Harley's hands-free security fob, which is a separate item from the key.

Harley-Davidson Street 500, 750, Street Rod key quick facts

Harley's 2020 Street owner's manual shows four ignition switch positions: IGNITION, ACC, OFF and LOCK.
The fork lock is part of the ignition switch: with the fork full left, push the key in and turn it to LOCK.
The fuel filler cap opens with the ignition key, and the manual notes the cap pops up as the key is turned.
The Street 500 and Street 750 seat is held by a retention screw, not a key lock.
The same manual warns that leaving the switch in ACC keeps the instrument lights on and will discharge the battery.
Dealer listings for the Street Rod show the security system as an extra-cost option, so many Street models have no fob.

Harley-Davidson Street 500, 750, Street Rod key types by year

Years	Models	Key type	Chip	Notes
2015-2016	Street 500, Street 750	flat key for ignition, fork lock and fuel cap	no	Key only. Harley lists its Smart Security kit for the Street for 2017-and-later models.
2017-2020	Street 500, Street 750, Street Rod	flat key for ignition, fork lock and fuel cap; hands-free fob only if the security option was ordered	varies	The key itself still has no chip. Where the optional security system is fitted, the bike also needs its fob or PIN before it will start.

One flat key, three jobs

The Street family was Harley's entry-level line, and its lock layout is closer to a Japanese standard than to a Big Twin. There is no barrel key and no separate fork lock on the steering head. You unlock the ignition switch with the key and rotate it to the position you want.

IGNITION: ignition, lamps and accessories on. The engine will start and run.
ACC: accessories and instrument lamps on. The brake lamp and horn work.
OFF: everything off, and the bike cannot be started.
LOCK: reached by pushing the key in and turning from OFF with the fork turned full left. The front fork is locked and the key comes out.
Fuel cap: insert the ignition key in the slot on the cap and turn clockwise, and the cap pops up. To refit it, press it down until it clicks, turn the key counterclockwise and remove it.

Need a key for your Street 750?

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

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The seat has no lock

Owners sometimes look for a seat lock that is not there. Harley's manual has the Street 500 and Street 750 seat held on by a single seat retention screw: remove it, slide the seat back off its tab and pull it forward through the seat strap. On the Street Rod the passenger pillion lifts off its retaining post first, and the rider seat screw is underneath.

So a lost key never locks you out of the seat on these bikes. What it does block is the ignition, the steering if the fork was locked, and the fuel cap.

Fob or no fob

This is where Street models differ from each other. Early bikes are key-only. From the 2017 model year, model listings show the H-D Smart Security System offered as a factory option alongside ABS, Harley lists a Smart Security kit for 2017-and-later Street models, and Harley's 2020 Street owner's manual has a full security chapter: a hands-free fob, a security lamp in the speedometer face, a five-digit PIN using the digits 1 to 9, and a CR2032 fob battery.

If your Street has the option, a correctly cut key is not enough to start it. The fob has to be in range or the PIN entered. If the security lamp never lights and the bike has always started on the key alone, yours is a key-only bike. Tell us which you have when you call, because it changes what a lost-key visit can finish on the day.

Common problems and a lost-key visit

The fuel cap is the lock you use most. The manual says to make sure the key is fully seated in the cap before refitting it, then press the cap down until it locks in place and turn the key counterclockwise to lock it and take the key out. A flat battery after parking is usually the ACC position, not a lock fault.

With every key gone, we come out, check your photo ID and the registration or title, and cut a new flat key to the bike's locks, then prove it in the ignition, the LOCK position and the fuel cap. On a key-only Street that is the whole job. On a bike with the security option, the PIN lets you ride once the key is cut, and a missing fob is replaced and assigned at a Harley-Davidson dealer.

Where to find the key code

The Street uses its own flat key and code series, separate from the Sportster. Harley's manual has a Key Number line on the personal information page at the front, so look there first, then on the key itself and on any tag from the original key ring. A Harley-Davidson dealer can look the code up by VIN. Without a code, a key can be made from the ignition switch or fuel cap lock.

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 Street 500, 750, Street Rod key FAQ

Is a Street 750 key the same as a Sportster key?

No. Both are flat keys, but the Street 500, Street 750 and Street Rod use their own key and code series.

Does the Street 500 have a chip in the key?

No. The key is a plain flat key. Bikes ordered with the optional security system have a separate hands-free fob, and that fob is what the bike checks for.

Where is the fork lock on a Street Rod?

In the ignition switch. Turn the fork full left, push the key in and turn it to LOCK, then remove the key. To unlock, push and turn back to OFF.

My key is stuck in the gas cap. What should I do?

Do not twist harder. Harley's refitting steps are to seat the key fully, press the cap down until it locks in place, then turn the key counterclockwise and remove it. If the key still will not come out, the cap lock needs attention, and we can deal with it without breaking the key.

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

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 Stuck in the Ignition: Causes and What to DoA motorcycle key that will not come out is most often sitting in a position where the switch is designed to hold it, usually ON or partway between two positions.
Bought a Used Motorcycle With No Key? Here's What to DoA used or auction motorcycle without keys can usually get new ones, but plan on the full all-keys-lost process and bring the signed title or other transfer paperwork plus photo ID, since a locksmith or dealer has to tie you to the VIN.
When to Get a Spare Motorcycle Key, and Why NowGet a spare motorcycle key as soon as you are down to one working key.

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Page last updated November 14, 2026.