[bruce19]

Those of you following my other SS thread know I just picked up a '05 SS1000DS. This bike is in excellent condition and only has 4K mi. on it. Dark gray with red wheels. Knowing nothing about the "newer" Supersports it didn't occur to me that they came with the infamous "red key." For some reason I always thought that was ST and Superbike thing. In any event I now have this bike without the red key. A friend who was a Sales Mgr at a Ducati dealership says that if things go wrong there is no alternative but to cough up $2500 for a new computer with a new red key and card. He also said that he's only seen one bike that rolled into the dealership needing to actually employ the red key. Aside from feeling a little dumb at the moment I'm wondering if there are other options and basically what I might be facing. BTW, I've tracked down the original dealership (Winchester Motorsports in VA) and am trying to find the original owner in hopes that I might track down the red key and card. I'm pretty sure my chances are slim to none but it's worth a shot.

 

[ozmanyyy]

Hi Bruce,

I think your friend is right. If you go the Ducati route, you're probably looking at around 2500-3K. Check out this thread for some reference: http://nedoc.org/forums/index.php?topic=290.0


Hopefully you'll just never need it.

 

[pegaxs]

Didnt bother to search the other 12 threads on this subject already ?

You have a few options. I own a bike without a red key and have never had an issue with it. Its only really needed if you want to code more black keys or if you lose all of your black keys and have to start from scratch. Some say its required to adjust the ECU, but i have had my 999 ECU fuel mapping adjusted and never taken the red key or card in to show them.

I have tried the route of the ex-owners. My bike being an insurance repo wasnt to hard to find out who owned it. I even called around to find out its service history. I was able to get in contact with the previous owner who just said to me that when he bought the bike, from the orginal owner, it only came with the key it has now. Asked him the details of the previous owner and called up. He told me he threw it out 4 years ago after he found it in some paperwork and figured he would never need it again and didnt even know why it was red and the others were black. Who knows, you might just strike it lucky if its only had one or two owners. Even check with dealers as they sometimes store the keys for the new owners...

Anyway... here are some good links to help you out if you need it...

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthread.php?t=19941&highlight=red+key

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthread.php?t=70845&highlight=red+key

Its probably just an easy wire cut ot bridge in the ECU to actually bypass it, but i dont think anyone has worked that out. We used to bypass immobilisers on Land Rovers when i worked for them because they were always failing at the worse possible times. That just involved cutting one strip out of the ECU that controlled the immobilisation. This works across 2 ECU's and a coded key, so im still working on something..

Dont worry to much, you can get the "black" keys reproduced and you dont really need the red key for anything. My 999 red key has never been taken out of its folder in 6 years of owning it.

Cheers!

 

[bruce19]

Hi Bruce,

I think your friend is right. If you go the Ducati route, you're probably looking at around 2500-3K. Check out this thread for some reference: http://nedoc.org/forums/index.php?topic=290.0


Hopefully you'll just never need it.

Oz-

That nedoc thread is good info. Thanks. I'm hoping I will be lucky of course. The bike itself is really nice.

 

[bruce19]

PEGAXS: great info. Thanks for sending it my way.

 

[tjlover03]

the red key is a pain

 

[Muschi]

great info.

that's what i had in mind basicly, the red key goes together with the ECU
and the dashboard.

i have an ecu, dash and two keys ( bl. and rd ) for sale, 450 Euros
is what i am asking therefore. ( PN if interested, bike is a 2005 reg.
2003 SS1000DS with low mileage, steering and tank and tail locks are
part of the deal )

i don't like ECU equiped bikes, i can't stand the fact that there is someone
aboard who might be more intelligent than i am.

:think:

 

[rr9]

aftermarket comp

Nemisis in the UK do a computer that over rides everything, its adjustable (and well priced) via a laptop and you can use the original ignition and dash just brilliant, (immobiliser flashing light still makes it look factory) plugged in loaded a map, went riding. Used it on my 94 600 supersport conversion, shoehorned in a 1000ds motor and running gear from a damage import and it fitted in just awesome with minimal work required, only had to drill out size of motor mount bolt holes and machine down the outside edges of long bolts as the 1000 ones are bigger than the 600.This is my 1st Ducati as have riden jappers most of my life and the 600 was just slightly underpowered but loved the sound and the handling characteristics, now I have all the power I need and some, did this conversion as read Muschi's threads and some doubted it could be done, so I did it. Have attached some pics of exhaust mod just done similar to the SS 1000 race bike I saw on here. Next job ie to mod the rear end single seat removable subframe etc. Stay upright.

 

[RedST]

If the bike was never delivered with the red key, chances are that the dealer that originally sold it held onto it for safe keeping.

I think it's a bad practice, but I can understand why they do it (to prevent customers from losing it).

Try contacting the original dealer, and ask them if they have it.

The card, however, should have been included in the paperwork. Sometimes I've seen it buried in the tire warranty info, where it would never be noticed.

 

[DesmoDisciple]

Red key? My SS don't need no stinking red key.

 

[surfguygrif]

What about these guys?

http://cgi.ebay.com/GAUGES-RED-DUCA...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item29fc49e907


Anyone use them yet?