Let's be careful out there...

[jfremder]

Pheasant Strike on Beemer rider in the UK has sad result

[EddyQ]

An old buddy of mine crashed this May when a wild turkey hit him in the face when riding. His bike was totaled, but he managed to survive. He was quite banged up and busted.

 

It happens . . .

 

Be careful . . .

[David]

I'm confused about how I'm supposed to be careful???

 

I don't see any way to prevent something like this, nor do I think any amount of gear would make a difference.

[Patallaire]

David:

You know loud pipes and a full face helmet would have made a big difference!

[David]

David:

You know loud pipes and a full face helmet would have made a big difference!

 

Oops. I forgot about that.

 

Seriously, I don't even think about risks like this. There's nothing I can do about it. Hell, it would likely have killed me in a car, if the hit was on the windshield.

 

I talked with one guy who was racing at Road Atlanta and ran into a deer at full speed, but you don't see deer whistles on MotoGP bikes.

[smiller]

Well you can have that attitude if you want but personally I'm going to be on a more careful lookout for airborne pheasants in the future.

[David]

Well you can have that attitude if you want but personally I'm going to be on a more careful lookout for airborne pheasants in the future.

 

 

My grandpa was a big pheasant hunter. He's 99, now, but maybe I can put him on the back with a loaded rifle and beanie helmet.

[leikam]

I was riding down a country road once at a moderate pace and surprised a few turkey vultures eating by the side of the road. They took flight and one came at me (and, yes, I had loud pipes and a full-face helmet). About all you can do at that point is duck and perhaps swerve.

 

Looking back, the admonition to "be careful" isn't really any more helpful than generally developing good skills and using good judgment while riding.

[BanjoBoy]

I did hit a buzzard once, but luckily it was just my arm. I was banked over at a good clip, and just like you said they were munch'in on a raccoon carcass mid-corner, one flew up and pulled my right arm off the bars.

I didn't bail, but it sure got my attention. Stuff happens and you can be care to minimize the risk, but if your number's up, all the careful in the world isn't going to help you.

This is why it's good to use the 7/10ths rule on the street. (You can use 10/10ths on the track)

And it's also good to be light on the bars. If I had all my upper body weight on my bars, things might have turned out differently.

 

Andy Norris

[barryNmarin]

Yep, me too! I rounded a curve and surprised 3 buzzards on a roadkill. One went left, one went right and one went right down the center line and thats the one I rearended just left of the head light. We were all surprised and although the impact knocked the bird to the side of the road, he revived and flew off.

I had no idea that a buzzard was that big!!!

[Pennys Dad]

I had wild turkeys fly across my path on the way to Julian one morning. No bird strike, but there was a Poo strike.

[Calvin (no socks)]

Large bird interceptor, my K12s on a return from UN V. At 80+mph a hawk appeared from the edge of my vision, I instinctively ducked, in my rear view I saw his flight path deviated by the vortex of my passing.....my friend on a bike just behind witnessed the whole thing and was amazed that no contact occured.... until I found a scratch on the windshield at my next stop... I also ducked at every bird sighting for the next 500 miles of Texas riding...I was gun shy....

[sardineone]

On an early morning ride trying to avoid LEO problems on 'the Dragon' last year, I almost scored a turkey myself. I have also encountered turkey buzzards locally. To date, I have always had plenty of time for braking.

[jfremder]

Pheasants are somewhat predictable in their habitat. Scrub for cover, water access, food availability. While I've never flushed one on the bike, I've found wearing an orange vest and hat keeps them very well hidden while walking around with a Browning.

 

I've had to brake and swerve for 3-4 turkeys, and managed to clip one that couldn't move fast enough last summer. He survived missing a couple feathers. I enjoyed an increased heart rate and that funny taste in my mouth for a few miles.

[Mark_Turner]

Lets not forget it dear mating season now too! Those things are crazy this time of year. They never stop to look left or right!

[JayW]

I took out a smaller bird once that smacked right into the middle of my windscreen. A windscreen could confer a safety advantage if it keeps the bird from hitting your head, but it would be hard to justify using one just for that unlikely event.

 

Jay

[gottabmw]

I took out a smaller bird once that smacked right into the middle of my windscreen. A windscreen could confer a safety advantage if it keeps the bird from hitting your head, but it would be hard to justify using one just for that unlikely event.

 

Jay

Yeah, small bird maybe. I'm forever thankful I was in my pickup (doing about 60 in the pitch dark) when that huge white owl hit my windshield head on right at my eye level. It completely shattered the driver's side of the windshield. I was spitting glass and struggling to see the road for a place to pull off. No motorcycle windshield would have prevented my likely death.