Fumes and rider sickness

Moto East Mag
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 9:42am
Ever since I heard Reed comment on DMXS about this issue I have been thinking about it. He blamed fumes at Supercross for his health issues.
Does anybody think fumes at Supercross races might be one reason so many riders are sick? (Reed, Stewart, Villopoto?) Remember Stewart got sick in Paris?
I raced three arenacross races recently and the fumes were intense. My gf was breathing through her shirt all night. Even after I wash my gear you can still smell it very strongly.
Just a theory...I would say a 50 cent painter's mask might be a good investment.
Not to mention four strokes also spew fiberglass shards...
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Torco1
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Torco1 3/12/2010 6:11pm
3/12/2010 6:11pm
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty bad.....who knows though, something has to be causing all these riders illnesses.
Halfast816 3/12/2010 7:21pm
3/12/2010 7:21pm
Same people that complain about those fumes spend hours a week with their head over the barbque. No one ever says cooking a steak made them sick.
kevin204
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kevin204 3/12/2010 7:22pm
3/12/2010 7:22pm
Chad's stomach issue seemed to be worse during the nationals, lots of ventilation there.
Moto East Mag 3/12/2010 7:30pm
3/12/2010 7:30pm
kevin204 wrote:
Chad's stomach issue seemed to be worse during the nationals, lots of ventilation there.
Maybe so. It struck me what Reed said. He outright blamed the fumes in stadiums for his issues.
My observations are a combination of hearing what others say and my own experience. I think this issue may have been overlooked.
Guy B- if your listening, whaddya think/? the photogs are there week after week.

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raddad
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raddad 3/12/2010 7:45pm
3/12/2010 7:45pm
Its no secret that fumes make a person sick.. if anyone has ever raced an indoor venue you would know this. And 4 strokes do not spew as much fiberglass or heavy solids as two strokes. The packing on 4stks is much more solid and is rarely made of fiberglass. Only two strokes can get away with using that type of loose packing.

You have a good theory actually, its why most indoor MX races are monitored for high levels of C02. We have an indoor area near here that has caused many to get sick. Google it and you will be amazed at how harmfull exhaust is even in a big arena..
Big Lenny
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Big Lenny 3/12/2010 7:47pm
3/12/2010 7:47pm
Torco1 wrote:
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty...
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty bad.....who knows though, something has to be causing all these riders illnesses.
"The Man"...
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jeffro503 3/12/2010 7:58pm
3/12/2010 7:58pm
Breathing in a combination of dust and fumes can take a toll on a persons body. And with these guys training every single day , they take in more than anyone on this board , by probably 10X fold!

The toxins you can get in your system from dust , and the poisons from the fumes are probably a very valid reason for a lot of these guys getting sick. Epstein Barr syndrome , Fatigue and many other symptoms are caused from over exerting yourself to the point where the body wants to just "shut down" ...on top of the dust and fumes....No wonder these dudes get sick!
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jeffro503 3/12/2010 8:01pm
3/12/2010 8:01pm Edited Date/Time 3/12/2010 8:01pm
Torco1 wrote:
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty...
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty bad.....who knows though, something has to be causing all these riders illnesses.
Running indoor arenacross can get extremely bad with a full house of riders. Our track used to get so thick with fumes it would burn your eyes , and your throat after a few hours. that was with the exhaust fans running and the doors to the place wide open. 280' long building , and seeing the banners on the far back wall we're really fuzzy at times. Now go do some 15 min long practices in that.......I used to get sick once a month working there. My health improved 100 times over once i left.
Moto East Mag 3/12/2010 8:39pm
3/12/2010 8:39pm
Torco1 wrote:
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty...
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty bad.....who knows though, something has to be causing all these riders illnesses.
jeffro503 wrote:
Running indoor arenacross can get extremely bad with a full house of riders. Our track used to get so thick with fumes it would burn your...
Running indoor arenacross can get extremely bad with a full house of riders. Our track used to get so thick with fumes it would burn your eyes , and your throat after a few hours. that was with the exhaust fans running and the doors to the place wide open. 280' long building , and seeing the banners on the far back wall we're really fuzzy at times. Now go do some 15 min long practices in that.......I used to get sick once a month working there. My health improved 100 times over once i left.
Yeah- I am not trying to create an issue, but I think this has been a little overlooked. I know after Arenacross I had a raging headache.
Like I said, it was really Reed's comments that got me thinking on this. When people talk about bacteria from dirt causing this sickness, I think fumes are a lot more likely source.
Motodrew295
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Motodrew295 3/12/2010 8:43pm
3/12/2010 8:43pm
Now I get a headache from the fumes and thumper exhaust in arenas.
Torco1
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Torco1 3/12/2010 9:03pm
3/12/2010 9:03pm
Torco1 wrote:
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty...
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty bad.....who knows though, something has to be causing all these riders illnesses.
jeffro503 wrote:
Running indoor arenacross can get extremely bad with a full house of riders. Our track used to get so thick with fumes it would burn your...
Running indoor arenacross can get extremely bad with a full house of riders. Our track used to get so thick with fumes it would burn your eyes , and your throat after a few hours. that was with the exhaust fans running and the doors to the place wide open. 280' long building , and seeing the banners on the far back wall we're really fuzzy at times. Now go do some 15 min long practices in that.......I used to get sick once a month working there. My health improved 100 times over once i left.
Moto East Mag wrote:
Yeah- I am not trying to create an issue, but I think this has been a little overlooked. I know after Arenacross I had a raging...
Yeah- I am not trying to create an issue, but I think this has been a little overlooked. I know after Arenacross I had a raging headache.
Like I said, it was really Reed's comments that got me thinking on this. When people talk about bacteria from dirt causing this sickness, I think fumes are a lot more likely source.
You're correct that the fumes are toxic, I had to take a class for work that teaches about the harmful vapors and fumes that come from oil and gas. The light ends that dont get burned off in the motor can be bad.
Torco1
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Torco1 3/12/2010 9:08pm
3/12/2010 9:08pm
Torco1 wrote:
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty...
Its possible, but I think you would have to be in a pretty small enclosed area (like a garage) for the fumes to affect you pretty bad.....who knows though, something has to be causing all these riders illnesses.
Big Lenny wrote:
"The Man"...
They'll get rid of these damn dirtbikers one way or another.
ridge
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ridge 3/12/2010 9:30pm
3/12/2010 9:30pm
Steroids will make your tummy hurt too. Shorty never seems to get sick, nor does he seem to miraculously 'step it up' from one train- uhm season to the next. Jus sayin. I might be way off base though.
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Crush 3/12/2010 11:18pm
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kevin204 wrote:
Chad's stomach issue seemed to be worse during the nationals, lots of ventilation there.
Metal buildup or any sort of poisoning, doesn't just disappear overnight..

For instance if you get bitten by a snake and get the anti-venom in time, you'll still have kidney failure, liver issues etc for ages...

Once ingested, things like that take forever to fix up!!!

These guys have had a lot of exposure to it, I'm not surprised at all!!!
FIREfish148
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FIREfish148 3/13/2010 12:08am
3/13/2010 12:08am
I remeber the very first supercross i went to when i was a youngin at seattle sx in 93 i threw up in the kingdome because the fumes and dust made me so sick. We had nosebleed seats and i remember you could look across the stadium and see the blanket of dust/fumes.
Nowadays im just immune to it i think... or im just too retarded to tell the difference.
Ashleymx
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Ashleymx 3/13/2010 4:21am
3/13/2010 4:21am
No doubt the fumes are toxic. Carbon monoxide kills and unfortunately some people use car exhaust fumes to end their lives. Ever stood behind a 4 stroke revving in the pits? The gas seems to travel very far and with force. (unlike a 2 stroke) If your were in that pathway while deep breathing during a race you'd get a lung full. But is it much worse than sitting in traffic 2 twice a day like the average joe? At least motocross athletes have health on there side to start with I guess.

Something else Ive noticed since 4 strokes came along is the packing floating in the air after every start. If the sun is at the right angle it glimmers in the light. Looks very bad to breath in to me. 2 stroke exhausts were much smaller and moist with oil thus I don't think it was ever an issue back then.
Hoov
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Hoov 3/13/2010 6:10am
3/13/2010 6:10am Edited Date/Time 3/13/2010 6:18am
Lemme tell ya, after a whole day flaggin the finish line jump at arenacross amature days in the '90's, I was a sick puppy...usually took till about tuesday before i felt "normal" again...pro nights weren't so bad (mechanics knew how to tune the bikes) but amature day was horrible...even with "Big Bertha" the vacuum.... Blink
mt798
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mt798 3/13/2010 6:11am
3/13/2010 6:11am
I remember being at the AX races at Will Rogers here in Ft. Worth watching little sparrows drop dead from the rafters. True story! Both 2-strokes and 4-strokes were being raced. During practice they were all fluttering around up there and by race time they were dropping like rocks...

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Cygnus
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Cygnus 3/13/2010 6:19am
3/13/2010 6:19am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 9:22pm



Hoov
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Hoov 3/13/2010 6:23am
3/13/2010 6:23am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 9:22pm
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit!
Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000??? W00t
SL91
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SL91 3/13/2010 6:32am
3/13/2010 6:32am
mt798 wrote:
I remember being at the AX races at Will Rogers here in Ft. Worth watching little sparrows drop dead from the rafters. True story! Both 2-strokes...
I remember being at the AX races at Will Rogers here in Ft. Worth watching little sparrows drop dead from the rafters. True story! Both 2-strokes and 4-strokes were being raced. During practice they were all fluttering around up there and by race time they were dropping like rocks...
There's the "canary in the coalmine", right there. I can only imagine how prolonged year in, year out exposure to the CO and other toxic chemicals in race fuels could affect someone's health. Not to mention the particulate matter from exhaust packing that could lead to lung cysts and other respiratory issues. It would be interesting to see a study done.

Twenty years ago I worked at an office where new carpeting was installed. None of us noticed at first, but after several months many in the office began getting weird symptoms like headaches and nausea. Testing was done and it was determined that the glue used to put the carpet down was off-gassing through the carpet and causing sickness. The carpet was ripped up and replaced with a different, healthier flooring. But it was too late... it literally took years for me and others to get better as the toxic load in our systems gradually cleared out of our bodies.

I would not be surprised at all that the air at supercrosses can give a rider a chronic illness. If I was Reed, I'd take all my money and run!

I sure love watching SX from the comfort of the couch, though.
mt798
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mt798 3/13/2010 6:41am
3/13/2010 6:41am
Hoov wrote:
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit! Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000???
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit!
Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000??? W00t
I was there and saw that! Luckily nobody was hurt...
wardy
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wardy 3/13/2010 6:50am
3/13/2010 6:50am
can you imagine the fumes at that famed midget races called the "chilli bowl"? I have been to a few sx races, each time walked out of the place with a splitting headache from the fumes.

LOL it's why combustion motors are to be used "outside". Smile
Hoov
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Hoov 3/13/2010 6:52am
3/13/2010 6:52am
I remember a race...I think it was Hampton Va where the fire marshall followed us around all day with an air quality meter...he shut us down several times that weekend (mostly on amature day) for over 30 minutes at a time...
Hoov
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Hoov 3/13/2010 7:18am
3/13/2010 7:18am
Cygnus wrote:



They actually control that smoke pretty well till the very end....still hate Devo (sry Denny) Evil
jeffro503
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jeffro503 3/13/2010 7:31am
3/13/2010 7:31am
ridge wrote:
Steroids will make your tummy hurt too. Shorty never seems to get sick, nor does he seem to miraculously 'step it up' from one train- uhm...
Steroids will make your tummy hurt too. Shorty never seems to get sick, nor does he seem to miraculously 'step it up' from one train- uhm season to the next. Jus sayin. I might be way off base though.
WOW!!.....Friggin' Ridge goin' in for the death punch! hehe.....I like your style man.
YellowZonker 3/13/2010 7:44am
3/13/2010 7:44am
ridge wrote:
Steroids will make your tummy hurt too. Shorty never seems to get sick, nor does he seem to miraculously 'step it up' from one train- uhm...
Steroids will make your tummy hurt too. Shorty never seems to get sick, nor does he seem to miraculously 'step it up' from one train- uhm season to the next. Jus sayin. I might be way off base though.
Short was sick all last summer during the nationals.
kc
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kc 3/13/2010 7:53am
3/13/2010 7:53am
wheres all the mototown riders?? i kno after being in that place for a few hrs i def dont feel the greatest. even heard alot of complaints from workers. and mototown has co2 monitoring as well
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ktm300hater 3/13/2010 7:55am
3/13/2010 7:55am
Hoov wrote:
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit! Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000???
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit!
Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000??? W00t
mt798 wrote:
I was there and saw that! Luckily nobody was hurt...
I was 20 feet from where the bike landed... it was on a little girl
Hoov
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Hoov 3/13/2010 8:25am
3/13/2010 8:25am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 9:22pm
Hoov wrote:
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit! Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000???
mt798...i dont doubt that a bit!
Off topic: do you remember when Jeremy Buell launched his Kawi into the cheap seats at Will Rogers in 2000??? W00t
mt798 wrote:
I was there and saw that! Luckily nobody was hurt...
ktm300hater wrote:
I was 20 feet from where the bike landed... it was on a little girl
I knew it hit a kid and dadSad i also know we were scared sh*tless we might get sued! Must have been "handled" from above since i never did hear what happened...
I heard somewhere the kid wasnt hurt to bad...scraped up a bit....but if anyone wondered why you dont see large berms indoors anymore...it started with incedents like that one

PS: sorry for highjackin your thread Moto East Mag whilst we remenisce....

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