Hey guys , don't know how many of you live in a climate of total winter , but here in Ontario I'm just getting ready for our 8 week motorcycle season (I'm a wimp and HATE cold)

Anyway I just wanted to maybe warn some of the serious travelers out there about possible SERIOUS health issues from long distance riding.

I love riding , I mean I LOVE riding. There is absolutely nothing else that can compare to the absolute contentment I feel when Im out on the road far away from it all.
Unfortunately I bought the wrong bike for it though. However, in my mind there is no other bike. I love my F4i.

Every year I try to set aside a few days for my main summer trip and just set off with a back pack and my GPS. Last year I went a little overboard. I only had 3 days but wanted to basically see as much of northern Ontario as I could.
I started out along the same route I do every year to visit a friend of mine on the Quebec border then headed west to another destination called Manatulin Island (sp?).

The trip went the same as any in the previous couple of years, you know hanging off the bars on the last leg home just trying to finish the last bit of distance.
I had covered about 2000 kms in just over 2 days.

I was completely exhausted when I got home but other than that nothing out of the ordinary. However when I woke up in the morning I was in agony, had a really high fever and had blood in a few bodily fluids where there really shouldn't be any. needles to say the wife got me in to see the Dr. and thats when all the fun started.

To keep the story as short as possible suffice it to say that I had done some pretty nasty internal damage on my trip. I ended up missing not only the rest of the season, but EIGHT months of work. I just recently got back to work after finding a position in the company that I can actual perform. Im still waiting on surgery and can't really be on my feet for more than an hour or so at a time. Not sure how I'm going to get back on the bike (but I will find a way).

Now just to be clear, my entire ride was great, I had absolutely no discomfort aside from the usual back strain and fatigue that come from riding a sport bike for a while. I mean there was absolutely NO signs that I was doing damage to myself by riding that long. I was on the bike for about 12 - 14 hours a day stopping only for coffee and smoke breaks for about 20 minutes or so, then jumping back on and heading down the road again. I would look for a hotel in the evening then start out again around 5 in the morning.

Any way, here I am going on 9 months , still in pain and waiting for surgery to either repair or remove one (hopefully) of the family jewels. (hence the warning for male riders)
So any of you that live for the ride please do your selves a favor and make sure to take proper breaks its definitely not worth the chance of going through what Im sure you can imagine is a very painful experience, even if the odds of something like this are astronomical , it can happen.

I honestly never gave it a second thought. Like I said there were zero signs of damage or even pain while on the ride. (guessing adrenaline and numbness kept it masked)
I suppose there is a reason they are called crotch rockets.
So please take proper rests.

 

That is a pretty horrible story friend. Any idea what the specific cause is other than the long day in the saddle?

 

Its definitely taken a toll on my life but to be honest, Im worried about how Im going to be able to ride, more than anything else at this point.

As for cause, they say its from extended time with pressure and vibration. It can cause a collapse of the veins running through the boys.
I guess its actually really common in bicycle riders just doesn't normally show up with excessive pain. Something like 2 % of guys will develop the complications associated with the condition. Apparently a lot of men can develop this condition and never even know there is an issue. They normally don't even treat it after its been found unless its a younger guy that wants children (can cause problems with reproduction.) I just happened to be among those lucky few to get the fun that goes along with it.
Theres a name for it but its like 3 feet long. testicular vericosis or something along that line.

At first the Dr thought I meant a 2000 km bicycle ride and recommended looking into specially designed seats that help prevent it.
I looked at him and asked if he seriously thought I could develop a figure like mine by PEDDLING my *** around for that distance lmao.

Its one of those things you would NEVER even know existed let alone think about when your riding, Its seriously no fun and easily avoided. Like I said its not common for it to develop such sever complications but man it can seriously screw with your life.

Thats why I just wanted people to be aware of it.
I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

 

I can honestly say that I have never heard such a thing.
Thanks for sharing this though. May it help prevent someone to go through what you have.