Poll: Keyless ignition or keys

[RandyO]

What say you?

I got bit today, I was led to believe the fob needed to be within 5 or 6, maybe 10 feet, NOOOOO it was 100 feet away on my dresser. Call home and hope Anne picks up (she only answers when she recognizes and expects a call. She never picks up my land line. I did have my SPOT gps tracker with me, I sent a "I need Help" message to here emai, then went in the store (CVS) to use their phone, as expected, she didn't answer, so I called my land line and let it ring till it musta been annoying, then called her cell # back and she figured it was me in trouble, she found my fob and brought it to me

[PinHead]

I like my keyless. I do have to be within a few feet, and I can also add a PIN number in case it has an issue.

[ZX-12R]

Beet is naked obviously, but I'm all for keyless. My car gives you 10ish seconds to restart the engine if the key isn't present when you shut it down. The warning is hard to miss.

Was this a bike or car?

[RandyO]

My 2022 Kymco AK550 scooter

[e30addict]

We'll all be chipped soon enough. No keys or fob required.

[OneCheekRider]

I'm almost torn but favor keys for worst-case scenarios. I don't own a new enough moto to have keyless but I'll never forget being at the fuel station in Death Valley and my buddy's BMW key fob had issues, he was stressed until it finally worked but was wary the rest of the trip. I also had a low battery in my Jeep fob and it wouldn't start for 10min (I wasn't home and had no warning battery was low -- got the warning after it started).

They sure are convenient when they work though. I hate putting my gloves on then realizing I left the key in a pocket that I have to take my gloves off to get to.

[Garandman]

If you have an iPhone and get an AirTag it will give you a “Left behind” alert.

No doubt similar tech available for Android.

[Vovchandr]

Yeah I don't know about this 100ft claim. This isn't a remote start that send a radio signal. These are much simpler proximity systems with hard physical limits. Might be more than 15ft sometimes but not 100

[Stoneman]

Not a fan of keyless. Besides me being just plain ol' old fashioned, they seem to me to be kind of a pain in the ass. Big Shirl's Macan is the worst. No problem starting when the key is hanging on the key rack in the house about 50' away. Try starting it again when you get outta the store though!

My Street Glide's keyless sucks all together. Even with new batteries, it sometimes won't recognize it if it's in my pants pocket. I usually have to store it in the windscreen pouch. Just gimme the damn keys, would ya?

[SRTie4k]

My Street Glide's keyless sucks all together. Even with new batteries, it sometimes won't recognize it if it's in my pants pocket. I usually have to store it in the windscreen pouch. Just gimme the damn keys, would ya?

Seems like many keyless motorcycles have problems with interference. My buddy has occasional problems with his 1290 Super Adventure R when refueling with newer NFC pumps where he can't open his fuel filler or start the bike next to the pump.

I really like a lot of the electronics on modern bikes (TC, ABS, cornering ABS, cruise control are all great IMO, adaptive cruise would be awesome), but I'm glad to have a traditional key on my bike, and that if I ever get an 890R it has one as well. I love keyless in every car I've owned, but would rather not have it on a bike.

[RandyO]

Posted this on the Kymco forum as well, a member there with the same scooter, (AK550) did some experimenting, said it would only pickup the fob maybe 10ft to the sides and rear, but a long way from the front, fwiw, the fob was directly forward in the house from where the scooter was parked and pointed

[SRTie4k]

Posted this on the Kymco forum as well, a member there with the same scooter, (AK550) did some experimenting, said it would only pickup the fob maybe 10ft to the sides and rear, but a long way from the front, fwiw, the fob was directly forward in the house from where the scooter was parked and pointed

If you want to make sure you never do that again, pull the battery from the fob. You'll have to hold the key right next to the antenna for the passive function to work, but it'll make sure you never ride away without it again.

[Point37]

Yeah I don't know about this 100ft claim. This isn't a remote start that send a radio signal. These are much simpler proximity systems with hard physical limits. Might be more than 15ft sometimes but not 100

^^^this is what i thought...my wife's maxima would start to beep if you walk away from the car while it's running to let you know that you don't have the key and a picture of the fob flashes on the dash...you drive somewhere without the key and shut off the car and you're stranded but not sure why you would do that if it's beeping and flashing...when the battery was really low you had to push the whole fob into a slot on the dash to get it to start...personally i like keys cause they always work...but the convenience of being able to keep the fob in your pocket and when you get close to the door just press a button and open the car and then just hit a button to start it is really nice

[MUZ720]

I don't get the point of keyless you still need something in your pocket. But pushing a button is kinda cool way to start something, I guess. Didn't think the range was that far in your case, don't think my wife's Hyundai or my Vette will let me drive away without letting me know it's not in the car. but will test that out for sure.

Just tested neither car will let you in without the fob on your person or start the car with it outside the car.

[e30addict]

What say you?

I got bit today, I was led to believe the fob needed to be within 5 or 6, maybe 10 feet, NOOOOO it was 100 feet away on my dresser. Call home and hope Anne picks up (she only answers when she recognizes and expects a call. She never picks up my land line. I did have my SPOT gps tracker with me, I sent a "I need Help" message to here emai, then went in the store (CVS) to use their phone, as expected, she didn't answer, so I called my land line and let it ring till it musta been annoying, then called her cell # back and she figured it was me in trouble, she found my fob and brought it to me

Yeah I don't know about this 100ft claim. This isn't a remote start that send a radio signal. These are much simpler proximity systems with hard physical limits. Might be more than 15ft sometimes but not 100

^^^this is what i thought...my wife's maxima would start to beep if you walk away from the car while it's running to let you know that you don't have the key and a picture of the fob flashes on the dash...you drive somewhere without the key and shut off the car and you're stranded but not sure why you would do that if it's beeping and flashing...when the battery was really low you had to push the whole fob into a slot on the dash to get it to start...personally i like keys cause they always work...but the convenience of being able to keep the fob in your pocket and when you get close to the door just press a button and open the car and then just hit a button to start it is really nice

Forever the outlier. Only Randy would have a keyless system work from 100'

I've never owned a keyless motorcycle, but my older Prius and new GM have it. I find it pretty seamless. The Prius gives you a lot of warning when the fob battery is dying. Maybe that's just typical conservative Toyota. My biggest bitch with the GM is that sometimes the truck only powers on and doesn't always start if I move to quickly. Have to get in, press the brake, push the button and wait a second for the truck to recognize the brake is pressed for it to send the start signal. I've never had that issue with the Yota.

Both keyless vehicles warn you the key is missing, even if I leave them powered up and get out them. When I get back in, the message is still there.

[ducatirdr]

Keyless for 4 wheels

Key for two wheels.

Bikes sit and keyless fob issues can surprise you at the worst time.

[Stoneman]

^^^this is what i thought...my wife's maxima would start to beep if you walk away from the car while it's running to let you know that you don't have the key and a picture of the fob flashes on the dash...you drive somewhere without the key and shut off the car and you're stranded but not sure why you would do that if it's beeping and flashing...when the battery was really low you had to push the whole fob into a slot on the dash to get it to start...personally i like keys cause they always work...but the convenience of being able to keep the fob in your pocket and when you get close to the door just press a button and open the car and then just hit a button to start it is really nice

The Macan was making all kinds of noises when I drove off without the fob. Being brandy new at the time, I had no idea what all the hubbub was about. I quickly realized what it was all about once I got back in the car.



And it will definitely start with the fob upstairs, in the house - at least 50' away...

[jhawley]

Keyless for 4 wheels

Key for two wheels.

Bikes sit and keyless fob issues can surprise you at the worst time.

I'm with this guy.

But i also hated how bad i scratched up the top clamp from all of the other keys on my key ring. (Moto, house, And for the top case)

also curve ball. what about the harley system where there is a barel key that locks the big knob. but if you forget to lock that think then basically anyone can drive off with the bike... that is stupid.

[Vovchandr]

For what it's worth I've never owned keyless anything. So I voted accordingly. Didn't even know bikes came keyless now days

[FriskyDingo]

If the fob for the miata is on the wrong side of the phone in my pocket, sitting in the driver seat, car won't start....

and to top it off, DAM thing isn't even push button, has a stoopid plastic key you still need to turn...

[Gixxer]

The street bob has fobs and when I bought the triumph I saw the key sticking out of the wheel lock and was like oh thank god no fob! And the salesman was like weelllll……. It actually has a fob for ignition.

I do not like them. Wish I just had keys.

[PurplePackage]

HD's design is shit.

[ducatirdr]

I saw a BIC pen housing used to unlock those Harley ignitions.

[Stoneman]

also curve ball. what about the harley system where there is a barel key that locks the big knob. but if you forget to lock that think then basically anyone can drive off with the bike... that is stupid.

Not sure about ALL of them. My Street Glide won't start unless you have the fob relatively close. And I'm talking a few feet. I've had it not recognize the fob when it was in my jacket which was in my saddlebag.

While you could leave the the "knob" unlocked on my Low Rider, you still needed an actual key in the ignition under the seat to start it.

Either way, still not a fan of "keyless" anything...

[obsolete]

Love the keyless on the Chevy truck we have. The push button to lock/unlock on the handle is mint when you're doing the 1 trip grocery haul.