Motorcycle & Scooter Keys: what to note first

A copy cut at a hardware kiosk turns the ignition on some mornings and skips it on others, occasionally sticking halfway and needing a wiggle that the original key never required.

Worth answering before the call

Was the machine bought used, and how many keys came with it? Would you like every lock brought onto one key? Does the engine crank but fail to start with the current key?

Do I have to have the original key for you to cut a new one?

No. When every key for the machine is gone, the locksmith reads the lock directly, working out each wafer's depth by picking and reading the cylinder or using a decoder built for that keyway, and cuts a fresh key to the code that comes out of that reading. It takes longer than copying an existing key, since every wafer is read individually, but it produces a key that matches the lock rather than a guess.

Should I get a whole new ignition switch or just a new key?

That depends on the lock's condition rather than the key alone. If the wafers and springs inside are still sound, a correctly cut key restores normal operation without any hardware changed. A lock with worn-oval wafers, a cracked housing, or damage from an earlier forced attempt is better replaced outright, since a new key cannot compensate for parts that have physically worn or broken.