The Riviera is the hillside that rises behind the Eastside and the Old Mission, a band of winding streets about two miles long with Alameda Padre Serra as its main road. Locals shorten that to APS. The streets above and below it, among them Mission Ridge Road, Lasuen Road and Las Alturas Road, are narrow and terraced with stonework, and many of the houses sit above or below street level on steep driveways. The hill looks out over the city and the ocean.
A dead or keyless motorcycle is a particular problem on a slope like this. Pushing it uphill is out of the question, and a tow truck may not fit the driveway. We are a mobile locksmith that handles motorcycles and scooters only, and we do the work where the bike stands: a new key cut to the locks, transponder programming, removal of a broken key, ignition and seat lock repair. Have photo ID and your registration or title ready when we get there.
Working on a hillside
Before we arrive, make the bike as stable as you can. Leave it in gear and chock a wheel with a block of wood if it is on a driveway grade. If the steering lock is engaged and the key is lost, do not try to drag the front wheel around on a slope.
Curb parking on the Riviera is limited, and some streets are narrow. Tell us where a van can stop near your address: a turnout, your driveway apron or a wider spot a few doors away.
Riviera landmarks we use to find you
House numbers can be hard to see behind hedges and walls, so a landmark helps.
- Riviera Park and the Riviera Theatre on Alameda Padre Serra, in the middle of the hill.
- El Encanto, the hotel on Alvarado Place just off Lasuen Road, above APS.
- Franceschi Park on Mission Ridge Road.
- Orpet Park, where Moreno Road meets APS.
- The Old Mission and Mission Historical Park at the west end of the hill.
- The junctions of Mountain Drive with Gibraltar Road and El Cielito Road, at the top of the neighborhood.
Fire season on the hill
The upper Riviera runs up toward the foothills, and its streets are the only ways out. On red flag days, when hot dry wind raises the fire danger, keep a stranded bike well off the travel lane and out of any posted no parking zone. If an evacuation warning is in effect for your street, tell us when you call.
Motorcycle key services in The Riviera
Everything is done at the bike in The Riviera: no tow and no waiting on a dealer order. Tell us the year, make and model and whether you have any key, and we will tell you what the job involves.
- Lost Motorcycle Key, No SpareNo key at all? We make a working key at the bike.Details →
- Motorcycle Key ReplacementNew keys cut by code or from the lock, for all major makes.Details →
- Transponder and Immobilizer Key ProgrammingChip keys and fobs programmed to your immobilizer.Details →
- Motorcycle Key Duplication and Spare KeysA spare now costs far less than a lost only-key later.Details →
- Motorcycle Ignition Repair and ReplacementSticking, worn or damaged ignitions repaired or replaced.Details →
- Broken Motorcycle Key ExtractionSnapped key removed and a new one cut from the pieces.Details →
- Gas Cap, Seat, Steering and Saddlebag LocksGas cap, seat, steering, helmet and saddlebag locks.Details →
Where we come to you in The Riviera
| Areas | Alameda Padre Serra, Mission Ridge Road, Lasuen Road, Las Alturas Road, Mountain Drive, El Cielito Road |
|---|---|
| Common call-out spots | Alameda Padre Serra, Riviera Park and Riviera Theatre, El Encanto hotel, Franceschi Park, Orpet Park, Old Mission Santa Barbara, Mission Historical Park |
| ZIP codes | 93103 |
Stuck in The Riviera without a key?
Call or text with your year, make, model and where the bike is parked.
Or read first: all services · common questions · about us · contact details
Local notes for The Riviera riders
- Give the uphill or downhill neighbor's number as well as your own. On switchbacks, two addresses that look adjacent on a map can be on different streets.
- Garbage day narrows these streets further. If your bike is at the curb with bins around it, let us know so we bring what we need on foot.
- A key left in a seat lock or top box on a parked bike can get knocked out. Check the gutter and the base of the nearest wall before you decide the key is lost.
Riding roads near The Riviera
- Alameda Padre Serra: The Riviera's main road, curving east along the hill from the Old Mission side. Residential, with driveways on blind bends.
- Mission Ridge Road: Runs the upper Riviera from Mountain Drive near the Old Mission past Franceschi Park to Stanwood Drive. Narrow and winding.
- Mountain Drive: Follows the top edge of the neighborhood and carries Highway 192 for a stretch before continuing east toward Montecito.
- Gibraltar Road: Leaves Mountain Drive above the Riviera, passes El Cielito Road and climbs out of the city toward East Camino Cielo.
- Stanwood Drive: The Highway 192 link from Mountain Drive down to Sycamore Canyon Road.
Dealer or mobile locksmith in The Riviera?
A dealership can order a key by VIN or key code, but that means waiting for the part and getting the bike to them. If the bike is stuck in The Riviera or you need it today, we make the key where it sits.
Makes we cut and program keys for in The Riviera
- Harley-Davidson
- Honda
- Yamaha
- Kawasaki
- Suzuki
- Ducati
- BMW
- Triumph
- KTM
- Indian
- Aprilia
- Moto Guzzi
- Husqvarna
- Royal Enfield
- Can-Am
- Victory
- Vespa and Piaggio
- Zero
- MV Agusta
- Benelli
- Beta
- Buell
- CFMOTO
- GASGAS
- Genuine Scooters
- Hyosung
- KYMCO
- LiveWire
- SYM
The Riviera motorcycle key FAQ
My motorcycle is at the bottom of a steep driveway and the key is lost. Can you still get to it?
Usually. The tools we need can be carried down to the bike. Tell us about the slope and where a van can stop on the street, and have your photo ID and registration or title at hand.
I am staying at a hotel on the Riviera and the key to my rental motorcycle is missing. Can you make one?
Call the rental company first. The bike belongs to them, so they need to authorize a new key and provide the ownership paperwork. Once they do, we can come to the hotel.
Is it safe to leave the bike in neutral on the street while I wait?
No. On a grade, leave it in first gear and chock a wheel if you can. A bike that rolls off its stand on the Riviera goes a long way.
Can you rekey the bike so a lost key no longer works?
On many motorcycles the locks can be rekeyed or replaced so the old key will not turn them, and on bikes with an immobilizer the lost key can often be removed from the system. Ask when you call and tell us the year, make and model.
Helpful guides
- 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.
- Water Damaged or Broken Motorcycle Key Fob: Repair or ReplaceA damaged fob is often less dead than it looks.
- What Affects How Long a Motorcycle Key Takes?The time a motorcycle key takes depends mostly on four things: whether the key has a chip, whether you still have a working key, whether your make allows keys to be registered outside the dealer, and whether any part has to be ordered.
Nearby areas we also cover
- Santa Barbara
- Eastside and Milpas Street
- Mission Canyon
- Gibraltar Road and East Camino Cielo
- Highway 192 (Foothill Road)
- Montecito
- Westmont College
- All of Santa Barbara and Goleta
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_California
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_192
- https://ridermagazine.com/ventura-to-santa-barbara-california-motorcycle-ride-favorite-ride/
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=15/34.4420/-119.6950
Page last updated .