Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to Cobar we go!

Well finally I'm returning MattF's bike. This was the one that had been thoroughly fucked by the shop in Sydney. We actually completed the rollerisation and service a fortnight ago and both Michael and I had taken it out for longish flogs to check it out and given it the all clear. So Matt dropped in after being in Sydney with his missus and rode off to Canberra for the night where I got an anguished call that it was leaking, a lot!!?

Anyway I drove in in the van and sure enough it was doing the Exon Valdez number down the side of the block. Well that was weird but we ripped into it, first suspecting timing chest gasket and then, finally, finding it was the base gasket to n that side. While I'd like to be able to blame Sydney the fact is I don't think it can be sheeted home to them. All I can imagine is after we did the top end it took a few heat cycles for the gasket to start leaking.

We thought we'd fixed it but were no longer willing to trust it so Michael rode it home and the next morning it thre up the oil can warning! ARRRGH! Back in the van, back to Bungendore, replace the switch, no more problem. Then the NEW switch springs a leak! ARRRRGHx2! Fit another bloody switch and then take it for a good 80km gallop! Hurrah! Finally! No more leaks!

It's actually one of the very nicest GRiSO's we've ever ridden. Michael's a bit pissed off its so much nicer than his! Anyway, since we had 'Finished' the job, we owned it so it's now another trip back up to Cobar. No matter there are worse ways to spend a weekend!

Pete

Success!

Nice work Moto Moda!

I can't express my appreciation to Pete and Michael for their effort, level of customer service and professionalism they have shown during this whole process. I have told a few of my mates the whole sorry story around my bike and they can't believe that: (a) a supposedly reputable workshop could have made such a mess of my bike and (b) that there are still people around like Pete and Michael who really care and are not just in it for the business.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to getting my bike back and can't thank the gentlemen at Moto Moda enough. Even though they are 700 kms away, they will be the only ones touching my bike from now on.

Oh we're in it for the business all right! It's how we eat! But the thing is I feel it imperative to take responsibility for work we do and if we've decided it's OK and ready to go and then something like this happens I'm certainly not going to try and weasel out of any responsibility!

I don't think we actually covered ourselves in glory on this one, I should of heat cycled it a couple more times before pronouncing it fixed, but the base gasket that came off was very weird, all sort of lumpy and blistered! Never seen that before but the fact it wasn't ready and we'd said it was meant that it was our problem.

Anyway, we're staying in a very nice renovated pub, (The Royal Hotel I think?) in West Wyalong tonight. It's really very nice. Lovely room, superb new reverse cycle air-con, comfy bed, super clean. Not en-suite but spotless bathrooms just down the verandah and $60 a night! Trip Advisor also has a host of reviews saying the restaurant is the cat's pyjamas too so we're eating here tonight, Nom-Nom!

We'll drop the bike off mid-day-ish tomorrow and then flee. We hope to stay in Forbes tomorrow night. Forbes being another large, regional centre in the central west of NSW. Lots of big tractors, big hats and Utes with dogs in the back. There are a lot worse places than outback Oz.

Pete