Not the bag it used to be... (Oxford Expander Sports Tankbag)

Member Name: cbr-dave

Product:	Oxford Expander Sports Tankbag
Date:	25/05/07 (251 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lifetime Warranty

Disadvantages: Rain Cover a waste of time.

I've used one of these bags now for seven years (in its various states of evolution), and am now on my fourth bag (all under warranty).
On each bag, it has been the zips that fail - usually with the fabric that hold the 'teeth' to the bag wearing through.
Ignoring this weakness - which is probably common to all bags in daily use (Oxford don't make the zips after all), then I'd say the design is 'OK'.
The magnets are great - in 77,000 miles of use I've never had the bag slip, and I stopped using the headstock strap after the first week! The underside of the bag is also nicely rubberised, and won't scratch the tank unless you trap grit in there. Obviously you want to keep it away from metal filings!
The bag has lost some capacity as it has evolved. The early ones had a half-height separate bag that zipped in between the base (which can be used on its own as a map-holder), and the main bag (which can be used on its own as a rucksack), as well as an expanding gusset on the main bag. It was also big enough on its own to comfortably swallow my Dell D600 laptop, wheras with the current model it will just fit diagonally.
The rain-cover has also been changed from a welded PVC cover, which was 100% waterproof for a couple of years (until it disintegrated), to a nylon/PVC affair. The latter does not even have taped seams, and appears to aid the rain on it's way through to your possessions?! Throw it away and buy another!
On a CBR600, I can't really use the bag fully expanded, as it gets in the way - perhaps due in part to my 5'7 height.
Perhaps I've been spoiled by the way this bag used to be, but now I'd say it's no better than any other Chinese-sourced bag, and if it were not for the repeated replacement under the lifetime warranty, I'd be using another bag by now. Having said that, the warranty is a definite plus point!

Summary: An 'OK' bag, differentiated only by the warranty.