Replacement Keys for Buddy

tomatodoc · Post by **tomatodoc** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:49 pm

I have a buddy 125, and wanted to get a few keys cut. Turns out that because PGO (the company who manufactures everything before Genuine re-brands the scooters) is Chinese and new to the market there is no ready made blank to make the key on. I called my dealer and they were sold out of key blanks. They hoped to have them back in stock within the week, but were unsure when they would have them. I decided to try a lock smith one more time for a working blank. Turns out that a buddy will take an Ilco (company that makes most blanks in the USA) X139 (also may go by V35). As a side note to this that is the same blank that fits and Audi A6…wonder if this will make my buddy faster.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:06 pm

it DEFINATELY will make your buddy faster... also, if your buddy is RED it will be faster.

naptime · Post by **naptime** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:17 pm

they are from taiwan though.. not china

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:27 pm

you can also order PGO key blanks from scooterworks.com i think they are like $4 or $5 bucks each or something like that.

oh yeah... and definately from Taiwan not China... BIG difference.

sradwick · Post by **sradwick** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:15 am

China! Thems fightin' words on this forum

Just joking, thanks for the heads up on the keys.

tomatodoc · Post by **tomatodoc** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:12 pm

Glad this has helped, my scooter is orange...so I guess I get some extra speed if not all that I would get if it were red.

Ronin · Post by **Ronin** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:59 am

Ahhh, keep in mind all that there are some in China that would argue that Taiwan is actually a part of China!!

I think it's all because Taiwan makes better scoots!

DanielPerrin · Post by **DanielPerrin** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:33 am

tomatodoc wrote:I have a buddy 125. Turns out that a buddy will take an Ilco (company that makes most blanks in the USA) X139 (also may go by V35). As a side note to this that is the same blank that fits and Audi A6…wonder if this will make my buddy faster.

As some others on this thread have found, it isn't easy to get a duplicate key for Genuine scooters. These are highlights of my successful effort.

* I have a 2009 Buddy 125, and I wanted a duplicate of my original key
* I went to Tom's Speedy Lock & Key Services and suggested V35 or TR39, or Ilco X139 or X151, which I found listed in this thread
* Tom's either didn't have those blanks or they didn't match the Buddy key
* Tom's did cut a Taylor X91 key to match the Buddy Key; they needed to manually file the top of the blade to allow the blade to go further into lock
* Since the Taylor X91 key fit and worked, it looks like there is no chip in the original key
* Maxey's (http://www.maxeys.com/) had official Genuine/PGO blanks part ES55B010000 for about $5
* Mayfair Key & Lock Shop made a huge fuss of cutting a blank, and said, "You need to hold me harmless in case the machine slips and doesn't cut the key right"
* Tom's Speedy Lock & Key Services cut the blank from Maxey's with no fuss, and it looks and works like a great duplicate

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:59 am

I had a similar problem back in February. Got the blanks from Scooterworks (gotta call 'em - blanks were not on their website) and had them cloned at my local Ace Hdwe. In fact, the Helpful Hardware Person at Ace wouldn't even charge me for cutting, as I wasn't using one of their blanks. Wouldn't even let me tip him, so I ended up buying a bunch o' bungees.

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 5:23 pm

I wanted another spare to give to my mum, after an incident in which I locked the keys in my pet carrier

I went to all the hardware stores I could think of, then to a security specialty store. I have no idea which key blank models he tried, but I think the guy tried at least ten. Nice guy. But he didn't find any that worked. And he didn't charge me for the lost blanks, either XD

I bought some key toppers anyway to give him some business for the trouble because I felt bad. Maybe I should call and ask if he has the Ilco blank you suggested.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 5:46 pm

So the moral of the story is ........ call scooterworks and get a couple of blanks. I need to do that. When I bought my scoot used, it only came with one key.

CROSSBOLT · Post by **CROSSBOLT** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:31 pm

Wifey flushed her Buddy 150 keys down a toilet (don't ask!) and I eventually got a blank from Ozark Power Sports in Ozark, MO (the ONLY dealer that would play) for less than 4 bucks, had it cut at a local Tru-Value Hdwe and it worked perfectly.

Karl

DanielPerrin · Post by **DanielPerrin** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:07 pm

PeteH wrote:I had a similar problem back in February. Got the blanks from Scooterworks (gotta call 'em - blanks were not on their website) and had them cloned at my local Ace Hdwe. In fact, the Helpful Hardware Person at Ace wouldn't even charge me for cutting, as I wasn't using one of their blanks. Wouldn't even let me tip him, so I ended up buying a bunch o' bungees.

Lucky you that your Ace guy was helpful. I went to a local Ace store. First they spent five minutes telling me how they weren't supposed to cut blanks that they didn't supply, and then they told me they would charge me $4 for cutting a plastic head blank if they did cut my blank, even though they weren't supplying the blank.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:03 pm

DanielPerrin wrote:Lucky you that your Ace guy was helpful. I went to a local Ace store....

Ace Hardware is a purchasing and marketing coop, with each store essentially an independent business with a shared brand name. Unlike a franchise, the company doesn't have much control over how individual stores are run, so don't be surprised to find different policies and corporate cultures from one to another.

julesagogo · Post by **julesagogo** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:23 pm

I bought one from Scoot Richmond for about $5 and tried Ace (where they miscut it for free after a lengthy waiver). Scoot's been out of stock and I can't find it on any other websites listed in this thread but sent them e-mails. I'll try the Ilco or other alternatives - thanks for posting them. If anyone has any other more recent sources, please post them.

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:50 pm

ScooterLounge seems to have them:
http://www.scooterloungeonline.com/product/ES55B010000

Scooterworks has it listed as "out of stock," but it may be worth calling them.
1-888-968-3772

Scooterwest doesn't have it on their site, but might stock them:
619.280.1718

julesagogo · Post by **julesagogo** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:30 am

Thanks – I found several of the Ilco keys on eBay for $5, so I ordered them. If they don't work out, I will follow up with those guys.

julesagogo · Post by **julesagogo** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:15 pm

I received the X139 keys and compared them - they are different than my key (see below). I was wondering if those using the X139 keys had similar PGO keys to mine?

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:25 pm

I think the guy from 4 years ago who only posted 3 times and said that Buddies are "Chinese" posted untrustworthy information.

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 12:22 am

Yeah, I think your PGO key is the standard PGO key that all Buddies come with. That Ilco looks really close, but not quite right. That middle slot looks too wide. However, if I were you, I'd go ahead and try to have one cut. It might work and you've already invested the money in the blanks, so you only have a little more to lose. Plus, the rest of us want to know if it'll work or not.

ThreeSheets · Post by **ThreeSheets** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:16 pm

correct, the buddys all come standard with a "PGO" key.

DanielPerrin · Post by **DanielPerrin** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:45 pm

pdxrita wrote:That Ilco looks really close, but not quite right. That middle slot looks too wide. However, if I were you, I'd go ahead and try to have one cut. It might work and you've already invested the money in the blanks, so you only have a little more to lose. Plus, the rest of us want to know if it'll work or not.

I didn't try to make an Ilco key work, but I did get the Taylor X91 key to match the Buddy Key; they needed to manually file the top of the blade to allow the blade to go further into lock. If you do get a PGO blank, then take it to someone competent, like a good locksmith. It will cost more, but you won't ruin PGO blanks by a bad cut at a local hardware store or something.

jbc0813 · Post by **jbc0813** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:23 pm

I was able to have replacement keys successfully cut for my 2012 Buddy 50.

The locksmith used an ILCO blank, [ X9 73VB] . He told me it was an old VW key blank. There was considerable "trial & error" involved, & he had to grind the key to make it less thick as well as grinding it so that it would slide in a bit further. He said it would have been nearly impossible without having the original key & the scooter available . My advice is to get replacement keys made before you need them.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:51 am

My local Genuine dealer, the Kawasaki/Victory dealer, in SB has the PGO blanks for $7. Picked the LONG one up for my 2008 Buddy. They also carried the short PGO blank.....I don't know which model they're for. So that was pretty painless. Now I have to find a good key maker, that is adept at doing vehicle keys and I'll be good.

headnurse2008 · Post by **headnurse2008** » Sun Jun 15, 2014 8:53 pm

I have also lost my key, it was my only key. So, is it possible to get another key made if you dont have one if you have the VIN? What are my options here? Sherry

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:24 am

You have the VIN: it's on stickers and plates all over the scooter, unless you or a prior owner peeled them all off.

What you may need, though, is a title or a bill-of-sale linking you to the VIN. I don't know if Genuine will issue a key without it. You might end up replacing the ignition switch. Start with a local dealer and see. But a paranoid dealer (or forum reader, seeing your newbie status) may look at someone with no keys or paperwork with a skeptical eye. Sorry about that.

blyons9090 · Post by **blyons9090** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:53 pm

So, I contacted the guys at Scooterworks who were very helpful. But, they do NOT carry these key blanks anymore. Their parent company Scooterworks Chicago do carry them but only at their physical location.

There are people selling them on eBay and other weird websites either for inflated prices or with steep shipping fees. If you're paying more than $6 a key then you're being taken advantage of a bit.

The best place to get these quickly and easily for a fair price ($5 or $6) is at the nearest Genuine dealer. That's what I ended up doing. Most of these places want you as a repeat customer and are happy to oblige.

dasscooter · Post by **dasscooter** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 6:11 pm

Yeah, Scooterworks stopped screwing their dealers by selling dealer-only Genuine parts over the phone if you called in.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:09 am

Gosh, a lot of folks appear to go to a lot of trouble to avoid ordering Buddy key blanks through their dealer.

Modern Buddy