Need Ducati keys cut: North Shore recommendations?

[dontpanic]

I ordered key blanks from Kawasaki and Ducati, since I only have one key for each bike.

I went to Hayden Safe & Lock in Salem today, and had less-than-stellar results:



After waiting four weeks for the Duc key blanks to arrive from Italy, there's no way I'm going to submit them to this kind of butchery. Any recommendations for competent key duplication? I'm on the Noth Shoah.

Thx!

[number9]

Which era Ducati? I've had Sherman Lock and Safe in Waltham cut keys for my 998 (no chip) and HyperMotard (chip). They were flawless, despite the fact they don't really advertise doing M/C keys.

You walk in the store and you're like "Oh, this is an old-school shop". I also had them cut some house keys for me based on an old, worn-out key; they took one look at it and cut a new key by eye that was a "fresh" pattern for the lock - instead of cutting a new key with a worn-out pattern.

[dontpanic]

The bike is a 2001 750ss, and the single key I have for it is definitely no-chip. Just a plain piece of steel.

Sherman sounds perfect, but I was hoping to find that kind of place closer by. They'll be on my list, though!

[R7]

How about cutting a key, when there isn’t a key to copy? Or key code for that matter? A potential project bike I’m thinking about picking up, has missing keys. I’ve been told a good locksmith can cut keys based on vin#, but it’s unlikely in any data base

[number9]

The bike is a 2001 750ss, and the single key I have for it is definitely no-chip. Just a plain piece of steel.

Sherman sounds perfect, but I was hoping to find that kind of place closer by. They'll be on my list, though!

To be transparent, I had to cajole them a little to cut the HyperMotard key. They said "we don't really do motorcycle chip keys" and I said "fair enough, but this key uses a chip from a GM car" and they said "what?" and I said "yeah" and they said "well..." and I said "let's just try it anyway" and they said "ok".

Lo and behold, that era Ducati uses a chip found in late 90s/early 00s GM and Honda cars. It took them two seconds to cut and about 30 seconds to program. It's weird.

I ended up going back a couple of years later to get another Hyper key cut, as well as the 998 key cut, and they didn't give me any pushback at all.

[TheIglu]

Heh, I made a key copy myself for the 'Oldwing using the manual key cutter at my old job's maintenance office. I could of done a better job than those guys did. Wow.

[joeswamp]

That's about the worst keycutting job I've ever seen -- would have expected much more from Hayden considering what they charge. The last time I needed a weird key cut I went to this 100yo locksmith business in Lynn, but they've since gone out of business.

[LuvDog]

Not N Shore... not even close, but

https://www.hperron.com/

I've had them cut a lot of keys for me over the years. They made spares for my Kaw and Duc, and a 1970 Convertible Beetle. Very reputable locksmith that will do it right the first time.

[dontpanic]

New possibility: I might be in Concord, NH on Saturday (I may hit up Freedom Cycle for a helmet) - any unicorns in that area?

@joeswamp, yeah, I was pretty shocked when the guy brought the keys out from the back. "Er, it sat too low." He started looking at the Duc keys, and I simply said, "Give me those keys back. You just ruined a $25 key blank. What are you going to do about that?" He mumbled something about not being liable for broken keys. I took the rest of them back and noped the heck out of there.

Thanks, all, for the excellent suggestions, too.

[dontpanic]

Update: Seller found his spare key, and I retrieved it today along with some bonus plastics. No immediate need for a locksmith now, but I still have the key blanks and will eventually get them made into keys.