Has anyone gotten sick from riding...?

15823 Views 23 Replies 13 Participants Last post by bsislam25, 2 mo ago

G

Discussion Starter · Jan 2, 2004

Seriousely, we all talk and brag about the wonderful pastime of motorcycle riding and knee-dragging, but I'm really interested if anyone has ever fallen sick or ill from riding?

What brings me to this inquery is one very cold saturday morning, oh say 35 degree weather when I took my M800 for 230+ mile ride down some beautiful country roads in Virginia. I was wearing had full gear, 3 sweaters, armored leathers, thermals, sweat-pants and jeans on top of it, Dr. Martin boots, two paris of socks! Well, needless to say I had I had pretty much every item of cothing I own but that didnt stop me from freezing my a$$ off. 35 degrees is one thing, but add to that 80 mph wind chill and we're talking some serious cold.

The ride was absolutely stunning, had a great time, exept for one little detail. A day later i developed 103 fever which stayed with me for 4-5 days. I finally decided to see a doctor, and it turned out I got PNEUMONIA. Good stuff. Now I'm taking antibiotics, thinking about the exhaust system and front sprocket I want to put on my bike and just wondering has this ever happened to anybody? Anyone ever gotten sick from riding in - say - cold weather?

I really want to know what you guys think....

By the way, I now still have 101 fever, but tomorrow I'm taking my baby out for a spin. ;D

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

Speeddog

· #2 · Jan 3, 2004

I don't know much about pneumonia, but I have FHE.

I got it about 15 years ago, and it was a motherf*cker.
Felt like I had been flattened by an SUV.
Antibiotic shots every other day for about two weeks.
Didn't feel completely right for 6 months.

Take care of yourself. Don't push it, give yourself a chance to get over it.

AFAIK, you have to catch it from someone who has it. I did. You likely would have gotten sick even without the ride, and probably had it before you went on the ride.

Sorry, but I recommend postponing the ride until your fever's totally gone.

terrible_viking

· #3 · Jan 3, 2004

The bike didn't make you sick, the cold ride just brought it out. I take extra care to cover my neck and make sure no cold air can enter into the top of the jacket, in the neck area, and blow down my chest. I've caught mild colds and sore throats that way, and I think yesterday's ride brought out a nice cough (I knew that would happen too, I could feel the wind enter my jacket on the ride home and found out as I got home that I hadn't zipped the jacket all the way up).

I've never gotten sick as long as my neck and chest were protected from the wind.

-R.

G

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 3, 2004

Had the start of pnumonia two years ago, if I remember correctly my doc said if you have a bad chest cold sucking in cold air can start it up.

dreamse83

· #5 · Jan 3, 2004

I actually have experienced just the opposite. When I first got my monster (my very first bike mind you) I got real sore and tired after riding for an hour or so. I'd get off and think, damn! I'm gonna get into shape just riding this thing. It actually brought out some sickness that was starting to rear its ugly head. Felt real nausious. Then I had to go home for the night and was actually dreading getting on the bike because of how sick I was feeling, thought I would puke. I kid you not, the second I got on the bike, it all went away. This happened everyday for over a week. I thought maybe it was just butterflies from having a new first bike but I actually was sick. These bikes do some funny things to us.

DTMsurf

· #6 · Jan 3, 2004

I did a 150 mi freeway ride home once after dark, and I didnt have nearly enough gear (didnt even have a full face helmet on) I ended up with a sinus infection and a pretty bad cold.
Just got caught in much colder weather than I was expecting. Go get some all weather rideing gear, its better to be hot than too cold.

Humbaba

· #7 · Jan 3, 2004

I was getting over being sick a week or so ago when I decided to take advantage of a break in the rain an go for a ride. By the time I finished it was getting dark and was pretty cold even though I had some layers on. I soaked in hot water that evening to get rid of the chill, but definitely started feeling sick again. Fortunately a good night's rest seem to take care of it. I agree: you were probably already getting sick, and the cold ride didn't help. I'd recommend staying put till the fever clears.

DaffeDuc

· #8 · Jan 3, 2004

The bike didn't make you sick, the cold ride just brought it out.

actually it's almost accurate... being out in the cold puts your body into an environment that is much colder than your internal body temp so the heat travels to a lower temp environment, thereby kicking in your own body's way of maintaining it's own nominal temp. This in turn recruits almost all your own body's resources to keeping your body temp from dropping and lets the squidly viruses/bacteria that already reside in your respiratory tract but are kept in check by your own body's defenses take hold an give you hell.

-- Daffe Spock

ducatania

· #9 · Jan 3, 2004

I doubt you got the pneumonia from the ride per se

But I've heard that when you are cold, it compromises your immune system, making it more diffcult to fight off anything you might have had coming on. I'd wait until you don't have a fever before venturing out again.

Seriousely, we all talk and brag about the wonderful pastime of motorcycle riding and knee-dragging, but I'm really interested if anyone has ever fallen sick or ill from riding?

Well, needless to say I had I had pretty much every item of cothing I own but that didnt stop me from freezing my a$$ off. 35 degrees is one thing, but add to that 80 mph wind chill and we're talking some serious cold.

The ride was absolutely stunning, had a great time, exept for one little detail.

Duc_N_Har

· #10 · Jan 3, 2004

Seriously, that is why one must invest in the electric vest and gloves, keep that core temp up while riding on those bone chilling days, and the sickness will stay away.
Hey, even the "hot" californians are wising up and getting that heat, way to go, Speeddog & D.
With the heat , you don't have to wear as many clothes, and that way you have better freedom of movement!!!!

G

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 3, 2004

uh yep, almost died...hypothermia......

krista_k

· #12 · Jan 3, 2004

I got kinda sick once and then VERY ill another time. Both were from riding when cold. I will buy an electric vest before doing that crap again.

Another thing that's real important are the gloves. One time we got real good Held winter gloves and that helped pretty well.

Chris

krista_k

· #13 · Jan 3, 2004

btw, both of those were on 400+ mile rides...

oh yeah and I forgot about the time(s) I dehydrated in the heat. Got back from one 200 mile ride and slept a day to recover.

G

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 3, 2004

I got a little sick from riding this weekend 300 miles in 30-50 degree temps. Nothing to bad though.

I usually get motion sickness from riding tighter roads for more than 20 minutes at a time. I have a horrible inner ear and can't take roller coasters or riding backwards in car or anything else like that. It really sucks since my hands go numb, I feel like I'm going to puke, and it's hard for me to even pull over.

G

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 4, 2004

if you got pneumonia then go to bed... that stuff can kill you or at least easily put you in the hospital. jeez your lungs basically just fill up with fluid, it ain't no itsy bitsy flu or cold. only 101 fever.... well that's just a few points away from passing out... great time to be on a bike freezing your butt off.

when i had pneumonia the last thing i thought about was motorcycles. i was so exhausted that i pretty much slept for 72 hours straight and after that when i wasn't asleep i was delirious from fever. frigging took forever for me to recover from that crap. i'd pass on getting that stuff again thank you.

G

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 4, 2004

Hi Vasil
Take care man, and do not take your baby out for a spin until the Doc. gives you an o.k. Sometimes this pneumonia stuff comes back and then the antibiotics will have trouble getting you back on your feet again, it will take several month.
Being a Norwegian I do my bit of cold weather riding, a sore throat and fever happens from time to time. Protect your throat and chest, always, and you will be o.k.

Slim

G

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 4, 2004

Well, just before christmas i bombed a systemic pathology test 1/3 of which was on the lungs.

That being said you don't get sick from being cold. That is simple. Pneumonia is a generic term for a lung infection caused by any of a number of criters. Having a fever usaully indicats a viral infection in which case antibiotics aren't going to do you any favors. Your best bet is to treat the symptoms, and rest. Going for a ride with a fever would be what we refer to as a mistake.

There is a good chance you had the infection before your ride and it hadn't had time to kick in.

ohh yeah...going out with a wet head will not give you a cold.

Finally, how many times have you been out for a cold ride without getting sick?

-BTW, my first name is not doctor.
Chris

G

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 4, 2004

I got a broken arm once from riding - does that count ?
......er, maybe that was from when I fell off ;D

test-reg

· #19 · Jan 4, 2004

dunno, aint no doctor, but i have been told being cold itself will not get you sick, but a loss in body temperature can. a loss in body temperature lowers your resistance.

krista_k

· #20 · Jan 4, 2004

if you got pneumonia then go to bed...

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