Dee has gone to France for a few days on her motorbike. Before she went she asked if I had a suitable sleeping bag she could borrow ... being the nice chap I am I lent her my new (I've had it 3 weeks) summer bag.

I've just received a phone call:

Dee: This sleeping bag, it's not very good is it?

Me: It's fine, I actually really quite like it.

Dee: Was it expensive?

Me: Yes.

Dee: Can I buy it off you?

Me: What have you done to it?

Dee: It's now got oilly engine shaped marks down one side of it ... but it wasn't my fault.

Me: FFS

A leaky Japanese engine...............who put that together then? .

A leaky Japanese engine...............who put that together then?

I had offered to rebuild it Ray but was told to leave it alone until winter

flatfishy wrote:

I concur

Whoops.......lol

Sounds like a good excuse for a new motorbike

Was it a new rab bag stu..... if it were my other half then she'd of acquired a new sleeping bag now. Sorry though pal I pissed myself laughing at ur expense.

I feel your pain Stu. My missus always takes a shine to whichever cag I have just bought, consequently it's treated likle crap, buggering the DWR and the pockets are full of the detritus of child rearing (raisins, sweets, crushed cereal bars etc etc).

I even offer to buy her her own but no.

Ah well, another excuse for more gear

Was it a new rab bag stu

No, it was a Force 10 which luckily I picked up at the right money.

Sometimes you just have to accept that you're in a no win situation ... I can't ask for a new bag as that seems unreasonable, rebuilding her engine will now be made a priority and we all know that the situation is entirely my fault because ... if I didn't want anything to happen to my new sleeping bag, I shouldn't have lent it to her in the first place

I'd have a new bag off her and tell she has a new bag as well.

I'd like to set the record straight:

1. A rebuild was mentioned but only after running it for the summer - his idea not mine!

2. I didn't realise the head was leaking oil that much, it's new clean oil, with the majority of the residue now residing in my right boot (but am I demanding new boots - no)!

3. As the weather in France was so hot, the thunder storm in the middle of the night left everywhere wet. I'd dried the bike off and spread the bag on it to keep dry whilst packing. In trying to protect it from the wet, it accidentally touched the engine casing. So I can't do right for doing wrong. My offer to pay was genuine as I know how attached he gets to his 'toys'.

4. Seeing as how I've used the sleeping bag more than Stu, I am better qualified to review it than he is

5. As I don't like the bag, I don't want one (rather have new boots or a new gasket set), so you'll either see Stu bivvying with an ever-so-slighty tatty looking bag or check the classifieds for the forthcoming ad

Pictures by request only

How does oil on the outside (or inside for that matter) affect it's performance?

How does oil on the outside (or inside for that matter) affect it's performance?

It'll stop it squeaking

s8tannorm wrote:

How does oil on the outside (or inside for that matter) affect it's performance?

It'll stop it squeaking

Water will bead nicely

Was it fully synth or semi!?

The Boss wrote:I'd like to set the record straight:

1. A rebuild was mentioned but only after running it for the summer - his idea not mine!

2. I didn't realise the head was leaking oil that much, it's new clean oil, with the majority of the residue now residing in my right boot (but am I demanding new boots - no)!

3. As the weather in France was so hot, the thunder storm in the middle of the night left everywhere wet. I'd dried the bike off and spread the bag on it to keep dry whilst packing. In trying to protect it from the wet, it accidentally touched the engine casing. So I can't do right for doing wrong. My offer to pay was genuine as I know how attached he gets to his 'toys'.

4. Seeing as how I've used the sleeping bag more than Stu, I am better qualified to review it than he is

5. As I don't like the bag, I don't want one (rather have new boots or a new gasket set), so you'll either see Stu bivvying with an ever-so-slighty tatty looking bag or check the classifieds for the forthcoming ad

Pictures by request only

How was the trip though, did the bike run OK? (apart from the oil leak).

The Boss wrote:Icheck the classifieds for the forthcoming ad

One husband for sale...Average condition for the age but plenty of life left yet?

OVNO

"My husband said its me or the bike, some days I do miss him"

One husband for sale

Grumpy old man i think you'll find.

Ray Young wrote:

The Boss wrote:I'd like to set the record straight:

1. A rebuild was mentioned but only after running it for the summer - his idea not mine!

2. I didn't realise the head was leaking oil that much, it's new clean oil, with the majority of the residue now residing in my right boot (but am I demanding new boots - no)!

3. As the weather in France was so hot, the thunder storm in the middle of the night left everywhere wet. I'd dried the bike off and spread the bag on it to keep dry whilst packing. In trying to protect it from the wet, it accidentally touched the engine casing. So I can't do right for doing wrong. My offer to pay was genuine as I know how attached he gets to his 'toys'.

4. Seeing as how I've used the sleeping bag more than Stu, I am better qualified to review it than he is

5. As I don't like the bag, I don't want one (rather have new boots or a new gasket set), so you'll either see Stu bivvying with an ever-so-slighty tatty looking bag or check the classifieds for the forthcoming ad

Pictures by request only

How was the trip though, did the bike run OK? (apart from the oil leak).

It ran great apart from the oil leak and ...
Struggling to stop at pedestrian crossings with a minimalist front brake (as the French just walk out and don't wait for the traffic to stop like the brits do) - master cyclinder now replaced.

Lights not working when I arrived in France (9.30pm) so I limped along with thumb on high beam flasher and foot on back brake until I came across a wooden picnic table to use as a bed - took 30 miles to find that though. Must remember to take a torch next time so I don't have to wait until daylight to fix it!

Suppose the biggest problem was the main fuse blowing about an hour from the port coming back. Didn't have a spare, orange wouldn't accept my post office mastercard so I couldn't get any credit on the mobile to ring the RAC but luckily a passing zed owner stopped to help. He went home to fetch a fuse for me and 'brrrm' the green beast came back to life. It was very difficult trying to get him to accept some money for his efforts, have a drink on me doesn't translate in French

flatfishy wrote:

One husband for sale

Grumpy old man i think you'll find.

Nowt wrong with them, I have a tendency towards that direction .

I had a problem stopping for a tractor in France once, I was on an FJ1200 two up, fully loaded for two weeks touring (the ex took everything she could even though I had cut down her stuff twice!) and doing nearly a ton and he just pulled out. The farmer didn't even notice me at any point of my panicked braking, the ex was most unhappy at being nearly catapulted off the back of the bike. Such is the life of a biker .

FJ1200 is famous for not having good brakes from new anyway :)