Yeah, this is an issue, I have to carefully
configure my fingers so I don't ruin them
using the intense pressure needed to press
down hard enough on the lid to get the key
to turn the 'vault' arms, without feeling like
I'm going to bust the key.
I've been looking for an aftermarket NO-KEY
lid, most of them have only 3 bolts/screws
affixing the assembly to the tank, where
GEN two has 5, so I don't know if they are
even a safe option..... :shrugs:
Either way, I don't care for the locking
feature, I don't really want or see the need
for locking my cap, meanwhile, I think if those
'arms' were somehow lubed or cleaned if that's
a thing, I'd still have to push down hard on
the lid, but I think it would at least takes some
pressure off of the locking mechanism.

I just found Rook's comments and a linked
tutorial on removing the oem cap which answered
my question also of 3 vs oem 5 bolts, 'two of the oem bolts are decorative'
so yeah, my fix will be a 'NON-Keyed' aftermarket
filler cap.

^^^That's pretty much what I was going to say.

I recommend one of these.

https://www.oppracing.com/product_display/203705-lightech-full-spin-gas-cap-tf15/

https://www.oppracing.com/product_display/4612-lightech-full-spin-gas-cap-tf9/

https://www.oppracing.com/product_display/4611-lightech-quick-release-gas-cap/

I used one of these LighTech quick releases for over ten years. It was completely reliable. The tank vented properly and the lid stayed on perfectly. When the bike crashed, no gas leaked as far as I could tell.

The spins are a bit lighter. I can't comment on how well they stay on. I just bought on for my Gen2 but haven't used it yet. LOL they sell a special wrench to tighten the spin caps and I got one, hope I don't need to use it because I don't want to carry a wrench around to fill up.

This is a great deal. I paid about 3x as much back in 2012. The only way you can do better is if you like the looks of something more but I'll bet you it will be heavier. My only complaint with LighTech is both their blues are off. I got a light blue and it's an aquamarine color. The dark blue is a slightly grayed purply blue...blue but not a saturated blue like Pro-Bolts stuff, the old Pazzo levers or Core Moto wheels. Matching colors with anodized parts can be a challenge. I suggest black if that works for you. The black LighTech gas cap I just bought looks good.

Driven makes a nice looking one IMO. Probably lighter than OEM but not as light as LighTech.

OPP can be a little difficult to order from as you need to set up an account. I ended up calling them.

and I wouldn't bother much trying to lube your keyhole. My new 2024 had lube in the lock from the dealership. It's already stuck on me once. I bent my key in the gas cap lock of my Gen1. This OEM gas cap is a flaw of the 14. If it's giving warning signs, it will give you a real problem before long. Hope you have a can of oil with you. I had a hell of a time getting mine off even with lube. I tried graphite powder lube. I'm sure I resorted to WD-40 when it really stuck good.

Have you tried pushing down on the body of the gas cap before turning the key ?

Charly,
Yes, in fact I had guessed I'd have to push down
on the edge of the cap
when I was at the gas-station for my first fill up.
Right off the bat, I thought something was
very wrong, and that I might not even make it home
to try to fix whatever was going on with the key
and or fuel door, ackkk :smi
---
Once I finally figured out that it takes way
more than obvious pressure pushing down on
the lid, the key was still
way too hard to turn without feeling like
in time, it would definitely just break off.
I put a couple of carbon-fiber 'looking'
rubber tape-strips on the edge of the cap-lid
in order to raise up that end to be able
to get it pushed down far enough to even
get the key to turn.

(FIXED*)

Rook,
thanks for the links.
--
I wasn't looking to lube the keyhole,
I was hoping to lube the 'vault' style
arms that slide back and forth, locking
the lid in place.
I had noticed the white, scaly looking
build up, and was guessing that that is
what was causing the issue.
---
*FIX;
I figured that 'lubing anything' wasn't
going to solve the issue, but read,
maybe in your tutorial or some reply
that vinegar could get rid of the scale.
I have some somewhere, but then I also
had WD40 within reach, so for shts n giggles
I stuffed a rag around the filler area
with lid open and squirted into both arms,
keyed the arms in and out several times
guessing that would enable the scale to
be rubbed loose via the friction of the
arms rubbing back and forth.
DONE, I dried off the area best I could
and when finished, I could literally
open the filler cap, by doing nothing
at all but turning the key. lol
---
So yeah, I'm still going to be pushing
down on the forward edge of the cap before
turning the key but its good to know that
it is 'so' fixed now that I actually can
open it just by turning the key.

Nah, I doubt any kind of lube would last long on the teeth that grab the filler neck. Those are probably going to get washed with gasoline or at least vapors. I guess I'd do frequent preventative maintenance but you can get the best light weight billet cap for $70 at OPP.

Cool,
I'll check them out.
Meanwhile I decided I don't need
to lube anything associated with the cap
once I'd gotten the assembly freed up.
I just went out for shts n giggles and
tried the key without pressing the lid,
it open very easily, so it's perfect for
now.

WOW. Never had that much of a problem unless a tank had been stored for four or five years.. Good luck..! Good job on teh WD-40. When I notice mine "acting up" I just shoot a very small shot in key hole and around tangs..

* Last updated by: chrly on 11/16/2025 @ 5:10 PM *

WOW. Never had that much of a problem unless a tank had been stored for four or five years.. Good luck..! Good job on teh WD-40. When I notice mine "acting up" I just shoot a very small shot in key hole and around tangs..

LOL, Bingo!
Yeah, apparently the bike was stored off and on for
possibly years at a time. I've only had it a couple
of months, it had 4k miles on it at that time.
---
'Tangs' ? Sounds right, I didn't know what to
call those thingys. I didn't WD40 the keyhole
but I did squirt plenty into both 'tang'
entrances, put the key in and worked the
mechanism back and forth several times.
Now I can open it just by only turning
the key, but will continue to press down
on the forward edge when opening, to err
on the side of caution.
---
I bought 3 OEM looking blanks to have keyed
at ACE, they refused to use my 'Correct' in
every way blanks, store policy
is to use their own, took probably 45 mins
of my time, screwing up 2 of their own sht blanks,
that didn't work,
in the end I had to clue the key 'tech' lol
in on why (in part) their blank wasn't working.
Parking lot try, nope, key machine, parking lot try,
nope, key machine, rinse repeat .....over and
over.
Finally, one key worked 'ok' and the other
works in one direction only.
---
I hide one key on the bike in case I lose
one when out somewhere, a thief would not
have a clue how to find it until he gets
it to his chopshop, and starts selling off
the parts.

agreed Chrly, the issue must be related to the lock beeing subject to petrol fumes, during a long storage period, perhaps in a hostile environment?

the tank cap of my 2013/70,000km is still behaving normally... with the routine spraying WD40 in the keyhole, on the latches and on the spring loaded keyhole cover (after bike wash or heavy rain)

I forgot who pointed out something about
my mention of adding 'rear frame sliders'.
I misspoke, I bought what 'some' call 'Exhaust-Guards'
or exhaust sliders, not 'frame slider'.
I'm still waiting for the item, I think
it attaches and replaces the exhaust hanger
bolt, and screws into that tab.
Also, I said the exhausts/cans hang kind of
loosely on the hangers, but the Oem's were
a very rigid mount, I guess that's not
going to be any kind of issue, maybe that's
better in a tip over or low side.
loose fit would mitigate dents in the cans
in a tip over.

Do we have a :shrugs: or :idk: smile?
Tons of great smilies but I'm looking for
that one if we have it here.

6th row down, there's three of them. Also

9th row down.

28th row.

haha thanks!
This looks almost exactly like one I used many years ago,
one of my favorites.