What a day......

[MrGrumpy]

I've been having an 'interesting' day today!

Day off work, so I decide to go across the Pennines up to Alston ( on the TMax obviously). Get as far as High Force when I get the mother and father of all slides on a bend (and its raining). Suspected a puncture but nothing obvious. Completely freaked out I crawl across the Pennines stopping for every bend, not daring to lean it over.

On the way back, the thing seems to handle OK but there's a nasty rattly noise coming from somewhere which I haven't heard before, maybe something to do with Malossi variator, so I decide to call in at my favourite bike mechanics in Darlington. Just as well I did!

They could here the nasty rattly noise OK, but then asked 'where's that oil coming from?' as a small pool of engine oil was forming under the scoot! They said 'you have a major oil leak!' - the casing of the Oil Filter had rusted through! Anyway, they helpfully got on their bike and went out and bought a new filter and changed the oil - there was only about 1 pint left!!!!!!! Back wheel, back tyre, rear brakes utterly covered in oil residue - so more or less lethal!

God knows what would have happened if my route hadn't passed their door. I guess I'd have run out of oil and trashed the engine! Or crashed on an oil soaked tyre.

And the nasty rattly noise vanished with the new oil as well! Charged me £67 but they did go off somewhere and buy the filter and spent a lot of time cleaning off all the oil from the bike, so I'm not grumbling about that.

Apart from the that, the thing I went to see in Alston was closed, and my glasses went wonky, so not a good day alround! Still, I'm pleased that the problem was found and fixed and I still have an functioning TMax and am not splattered at the side of the road!

[poldark]

Not ideal, but far better result than it could've been so actually well done all round.

[macp]

Glad your ok but that was some close shave

[mottza]

Worse luck than me. The X9 got a puncture on the way to the Olympic Football. Now £100 lighter!

[Data]

Close call Grumpy! Glad it's all ok. Had your oil filter been on the bike for a long time?

[pikey]

Ive had that on the Silverwing luckily noticed spot of oil under it in garage pulled it out on the drive and it spurted out when I started it up so was just an early oil change and had oil and filter already

[tallpaul]

I'm pleased you lived to tell the tale, grumpy. I thought you were going to say the crank case was cracked or something.

[anonstarter]

[Lou]

That could have been a whole lot worse, although that's no consolation to crap day all round!

[MrGrumpy]

Close call Grumpy! Glad it's all ok. Had your oil filter been on the bike for a long time?

No...thats the mad thing - it was only put on less than a year ago. I do think filters ought to last a year without rotting!!!!