Grimes Canyon Road is the heart of the northern piece of State Route 23, the part that begins at Highway 118 in Moorpark and ends at Highway 126 in Fillmore. Between the two it leaves the farmland north of Moorpark, climbs through sandstone cliffs to the crest of the ridge and descends in a series of bends to the orange groves of Bardsdale and the Santa Clara River. The whole stretch is about eleven miles, and commuters, gravel trucks and weekend riders all share it.
We are a mobile locksmith for motorcycles and scooters. If your key is lost at a turnout or snaps in the lock up here, we come to the bike when it is somewhere we can stop safely, and we cut, program and repair on the spot. Photo ID and registration or title are required.
How Highway 23 actually runs
The state route does not follow a single street, which confuses people who are describing where they stopped. From south to north it uses these roads.
- Moorpark Avenue and Walnut Canyon Road, north out of Moorpark from Highway 118.
- Broadway Road, a short jog west.
- Grimes Canyon Road, a right turn off Broadway Road and north over the ridge through the cliffs.
- Bardsdale Avenue, a right turn at the bottom of the grade, then a quick left onto Chambersburg Road through the groves on the south side of the river.
- The Santa Clara River crossing into Fillmore, where the road becomes A Street and meets Highway 126.
Hazards riders report
One road guide calls Grimes Canyon one of the most treacherous roads in the state. Rockfalls are common, and rain brings mudslides. Riders who review the road warn about dirt, sand and debris in the corners, some of it dropped by trucks from a gravel operation near the route. On weekdays those trucks use the grade, so expect to meet one in a tight bend.
During at least one wind event that closed the freeway elsewhere, the highway patrol kept semi trucks off the canyon while other traffic was sent over it. A restriction like that or a slide can also delay us, so mention anything you saw posted.
Where to wait and how to describe it
The shoulder comes and goes in the canyon. If the bike will roll, coast it to the widest pullout you can reach, even if that means going back down the way you came. Do not leave it on the outside of a blind bend.
The nearest services are at the two ends, with fuel and food in Moorpark to the south and in Fillmore to the north. Each is only a few miles from the top. Do not count on a phone signal down in the canyon. If a call will not connect, try again from the top or from the open ground at either end.
The other Grimes Canyon Road
South of Broadway Road, a county road also named Grimes Canyon Road continues down to Highway 118 west of Moorpark. It is not part of the state highway, and it meets Broadway Road a little west of the point where Highway 23 turns north. If you are on that lower section, say so, because it is a different approach for us.
Motorcycle key services near Grimes Canyon Road
Everything is done at the bike near Grimes Canyon Road: 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 near Grimes Canyon Road
| Common call-out spots | Sandstone cliffs near the top of the grade, Broadway Road and Grimes Canyon Road junction, Bardsdale Avenue junction, Bardsdale orange groves, Santa Clara River crossing at Fillmore |
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Stuck near Grimes Canyon Road 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 Grimes Canyon Road riders
- Count the big bends if you can. Telling us you are two corners below the top on the Fillmore side is more use than any address.
- Gravel trucks use the grade on weekdays. If you break down, get as far off the pavement as you can and stand uphill of the bike.
- After rain, expect mud and rock on the lanes. A slide can close the road, which would send us the long way around.
Riding roads near Grimes Canyon Road
- South Mountain Road: Runs west from the Bardsdale area along the south side of the river to Santa Paula, an alternative to Highway 126.
- Guiberson Road: Heads east from the Bardsdale area toward Piru, again on the south side of the river, and meets Torrey Road just south of Piru.
- Balcom Canyon Road: The next road over the same ridge to the west, linking Highway 118 east of Somis with South Mountain Road. It includes a very steep pitch.
Dealer or mobile locksmith near Grimes Canyon Road?
Dealerships near Grimes Canyon Road can order a key by VIN or key code. That suits you if you can wait for the part and get the bike to them. If the bike will not start or you need it today, we make the key where it sits.
- Simi Valley Cycles (Simi Valley) (Triumph, Suzuki, Yamaha, Beta)
Makes we cut and program keys for near Grimes Canyon Road
- 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
Grimes Canyon Road motorcycle key FAQ
Will you come up into Grimes Canyon itself?
Yes, if the bike is in a place where a service vehicle can pull fully off the road next to it or close by. If it is on a blind bend with no shoulder, we may ask you to move it to the nearest pullout first, or recommend a tow down to Moorpark or Fillmore.
Is Grimes Canyon Road the same as Highway 23?
The canyon section between Broadway Road and Bardsdale Avenue is part of State Route 23. The highway also uses Moorpark Avenue, Walnut Canyon Road and Broadway Road on the Moorpark side and Bardsdale Avenue and Chambersburg Road on the Fillmore side. A separate county road with the same name runs south of Broadway Road to Highway 118.
My key bent when the bike tipped over at a turnout. Can it be straightened?
A bent key is weakened and likely to break in the lock, so we cut a fresh one. We also check that the fall did not damage the ignition cylinder or the steering lock.
Helpful guides
- Motorcycle Keys Stolen but the Bike Is Still There?If your motorcycle keys were stolen and the bike is still there, assume the thief may come back for it.
- Motorcycle Steering Lock Explained: How It Works and JamsA steering lock, called a fork lock by Harley-Davidson, is a bolt that holds the front end turned to one side so the bike cannot be wheeled away in a straight line.
- OEM vs Aftermarket Motorcycle Keys and FobsFor a plain metal key, a good aftermarket blank cut to the factory code does the same job as a factory key.
Nearby areas we also cover
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_23
- https://www.gribblenation.org/2019/06/california-state-route-23-canyons-fire.html
- https://detour-roadtrips.com/home/detour-1110-grimes-canyon
- https://motorcycleroads.com/motorcycle-roads/california/the-twisties-just-south-of-fillmore-route-23?page=1
- https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/moorpark-118-freeway-closed-downed-trees-power-lines-wind
- https://www.bikemap.net/it/r/694120
- https://www.simivalleycycles.com/
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/
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