I'm curious and confused about the use of the Key on my 2017 Road Glide Ultra. The user manual describes how things work differently with "Keyed Ignitions" vs "Keyless Ignitions". I guess I have the Keyless Ignition because the ignition switch plays no function at all on my bike. Regardless of what mode the key is turned to, I can still start my bike as long as I have the key fob on me. My neighbor has a 2018 Street Glide and even with his key fob on him, he has to use the ignition key to turn the bike on. What determines if the bike is Keyed or Keyless, and what's the function of the Key Switch on my bike?
Thanks.

 

This came up while my buddy and I were on a trip in Canada last week. He has an 18 CVO Road Glide, and I have a 19 Street Glide.
On my SG, you must turn the switch to ignition to start it, and if you thumb the engine switch to OFF, all the accessories and lights stay on as long as the ignition switch is still on.
On his RG, you turn on the ignition to start it and when you thumb the engine switch to OFF, all if his lights, accy's, screen, etc turn off! Why does everything turn off with his thumb/engine switch, and mine do not??

I always use the thumb switch, it's a habit, as my Dyna had no ignition switch, and I am constantly leaving the lights, screen, etc on because I forget about that damn ignition switch

 

The dealer can program the bike to work with, or without the keyed ignition. It's just a matter of telling the computer how you want it to work. All the 2018 and newer CVO's are key less from the factory.

 

We have a 'keyless' car. I've no idea how it compares with a Harley, but it is a pain in the ***. Here in the UK the theft of keyless vehicles is a big industry, as they are so easy to steal, by scamming the key, which can be detected from outside your home and 'copied'. We have purchased 'Faraday cage' bags that prevent them being detected. Even if you revert to using the key as a mechanical one, I suggest you check out how simple it is to deceive the keyless system and take action to defend yourself against it.

 

These are late model bikes, hopefully they came with owner's manuals. Is it that difficult to READ the manual for each one to see if that bike is working as described in the manual? Unless someone in here owns the same bike, all you will get is guesses and opinions.

 

I thought I'd read where the newer bikes don't come with a physical owners manual. That the manual is a downloadable pdf.
Still doable but certainly not as intuitive.

 

The 18 and 19 CVO do not have a key for the ignition. There is no physical way to lock the ignition. The physical key will lock the handle bars, but it's not need as the button on the fob will lock them also. Same with bags, the key will lock them, but not needed as it has power lockes.

The rest of the bikes, use a key to lock the ignition. like my wife's 19 Road Glide Special, it uses a key to lock the ignition on the console. My 19 CVO Road Glide has no switch for a key on the console. It was the same when she had a 17 and I had an 18 CVO.

 

My 2019 SGS came with a manual. FYI

 

that's for the gts radio. the bike still comes with a manual.

 

I do have the owners manual for my bike and it only says for Keyless this... and for Keyed that... No statement as to why and which the bike actually is.