A few years ago I recoded the sports panniers so I could use just one key. Then I forgot all about it. Then @richtea did something similar and his
post shows how to take stuff apart. And a nice Bengal cat.
I thought I'd cover off the highly unlikely case (hah case) - seeing as this is a K forum so Givi boxes of any kind will be few and far between - of making a Givi lock barrel work with your BMW key. Because I've just bought a Givi Trekker topbox for my 1250GS. And we've got nothing better to do. STAY INSIDE.
Step 1 - Get the lock cylinder outInside the case where the lock mechanism is attached you should see something like this:
Be a good sausage and unscrew those top two rows, and don't lose the screws, or the rubbish falling apart rubber grommets.
I forgot to take a photo of the next step but basically undo a grease-covered nut that is screwed on to the end of the barrel. Barrel should now drop out hopefully not on the floor. STAY INSIDE.
KEEP EVERYTHING FLAT, carefully lift the turny plastic bit that has the metal locking tab on it and note underneath you should see this idiot:
It's a little ball bearing thing balanced on a spring. Carefully pick this up and put it somewhere it won't roll away. You'll then see:
Now remove the spring, which will drop out.
Step 2 - Get the tumblers outOk good work, I'm very proud of you and it doesn't matter what Jeremy says, you aren't a failure to me. STAY INSIDE.
The lock barrel is very similar to the BMW one, but if you've never looked at that then that's irrelevant. Careful now and we need to remove all of the tumblers - the metal plates. Each one other than the very front one (key end) has a tiny spring with it. I made use of a small screwdriver (probably eye glasses type) to lift the tumbler out, then rotate the barrel 180 and drop the spring. Do this for all and you'll have this lovely arrangement:
Step 3 - Resize the base key non-sprung tumblerMay as well do this now. The first - and special looking - tumbler is the one that prevents any naughty virus-ridden keys getting inside the barrel:
Get hold of the BMW key and offer it up. You'll see that width wise everything is fine, but the key is too 'tall' to fit. So out with the... whatever these are:
Little file things. And file away for a few minutes at top and bottom edges inside. Pretty easy, the metal isn't very hard. Keep offering the BMW key up until it fits easy. Now put it aside and have a wee and a cup of coffee. STAY INSIDE.
Step 4 - Resize the entire flipping barrel a bitNow try offering up the BMW key to the barrel, ala:
Oh nose! It doesn't fit either ffs why did I even bother with this, two keys is fine! Calm down.
Get the file thing, grab hold of the barrel, and do as you did in Step 3 but for each 'rib' of the barrel. The barrel metal is even softer so should be quite quick. If you try to do one rib at a time then you can offer the key up again and see your progress, or where it's getting blocked. Good luck with having the right seeing glasses on. This took about ten or fifteen minutes. After it's done the key should go all the way in.
Step 5 - Put the tumblers in until you get them all flush with the key ALL THE WAY inI'm running out of photos so hopefully we're almost finished. Now is the fun bit that will be the same for any compatible lock barrel cylinder thing. i.e. if you're doing the sports panniers this bit is the same. I compared each tumbler and lay them out like the below, but then i'm not really sure it accomplished much:
For each slot, drop the spring in (not the very front one! that's the special one remember, just drop it in straight) then drop one of the tumblers in.
Insert the key.
If the tumbler isn't almost exactly flush with the barrel then remove and try another. Repeat until flush. Repeat for each slot.
It might also help to insert the barrel into the mechanism as you go to check if your tumblers are flush enough. If they are then you'll be able to rotate it (provided you have the key in!).
This is part way through. I maybe gave up with a couple of empty slots, as you can't guarantee you'll have enough tumblers for each key combo there could be.
I also read that the BMW key uses 3 levels whereas the Givi uses 6. This could be why some were just ever so slightly proud, which I solved by filing the buggers down a bit on a couple of them.
Step 6 - Put it back together and rejoiceOk when you put the barrel back into the lock mechanism make sure that locked (the only position the key can be removed from) is with the key rotated vertical and the metal tab inside the lock mechanism at the 12 o'clock position (so that it will actually lock the lid). Unlocked, the tab should be at the 9 o'clock position.
Re-insert the spring, balance the bearing on it, place the plastic lock mechanism thing onto the inserted cylinder. Plonk the nut on top and tighten it. Easy peasy.
The end result should be this:
