Under the heading, You Can't Make This Stuff Up, a California man has sued BMW North America and motorcycle-seat maker Corbin-Pacific, claiming that a four-hour round-trip ride on his 1993 BMW bike with a "ridge-like" seat gave him "a severe case of priapism (a persistent, lasting erection)" that's lasted 20 months and counting. (Pause here, while you think of a Jay Leno observation).
Having undergone the opposite effect, riding a 1957 Ducati 125 Sport on the 1000-mile Motogiro d'Italia ("Where's the Rest of Me", to quote Ronald Reagan in "King's Row") I'm going to be fascinated to read the supporting testimony, as will all motorcyclists, and, no doubt, seat makers as well.
I've seen custom motorcycles with fancy seats being raffled in Las Vegas casinos, but it never occurred to me that there might be side effects, which could actually have advantages in Nevada. The lawsuit does not say how old the plaintiff is either, surely a contributing factor in sympathy and damages, were he, say, 72 and counting.
Without being flippant, I am reminded of a marvelous quote from beloved auto journalist and collector Raymond Milo, delivered conspiratorially at the Arizona classic car auctions a few years ago. Bon vivant Raymond, who was in his 70s, materialized with a 40 year-old leggy redhead and observed, in his delightful French accent, as she waggled away: "You know why old men need Viagra? They sleep with old women."
The product liability lawsuit against BMW and well-known aftermarket seatmaker Corbin-Pacific (reported first by Courthouse News Service in California) was filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco last Thursday by Henry Wolf and his lawyer, Vernon Bradley of Sausalito.
The Wolf v. BMW lawsuit alleges that Wolf has continued to suffer the erection problem since the September 2010 ride -- and, as we know from Viagra ads, anything past four hours is a problem.
The lawsuit for emotional distress says Wolf is "now is unable to engage in sexual activity, which is causing him substantial emotional and mental anguish."
According to the lawsuit, Wolf wants compensation from BMW and Corbin for lost wages, medical expenses, emotional distress and "general damage."
Sympathetically, I have to say it takes cojones to bring a suit like this. Not everything people will say about the plaintiff will be considerate. I wonder if he has an ex-wife?––Paul Duchene
