Bird Strike

Jagermeister · Jun 2, 2008

I had a meeting scheduled in E. KY, 3 hrs away today, and took the opportunity to ride. To avoid slab, I took some great 2-lane roads all the way.

On one of the few long strait stretches, I opened the throttle up, and was pushing triple-digit speed, when I noticed a Pigeon fly out of the field on my left. It was suicidal.

I've hit birds before, but never with my head. The sound of a small bird hitting your helmet at high speed is deafening, and it's one of the most disorienting experiences I've had on a bike.

ATGATT.

Roy Epperson · Jun 2, 2008

Jagermeister said:
I had a meeting scheduled in E. KY, 3 hrs away today, and took the opportunity to ride. To avoid slab, I took some great 2-lane roads all the way.
On one of the few long strait stretches, I opened the throttle up, and was pushing triple-digit speed, when I noticed a Pigeon fly out of the field on my left. It was suicidal.

I've hit birds before, but never with my head. The sound of a small bird hitting your helmet at high speed is deafening, and it's one of the most disorienting experiences I've had on a bike.

ATGATT.

Glad you had your helmet on!!!

A couple of years ago on one of the Roadstar forums, there was a story of a guy you was wearing a "lid" and had a similar hit per riders in the group. Unfortunately for him, it it him in the template and killed him.

FJRBluesman · Jun 3, 2008

If you'd been wearing one of those real cool beanie style cruiser helmets, you'd be in a wolrd of hurt, and possible eye damage etc.

Glide you're OK. :dribble:

You could start a new helmet fad with feathers coming out the side. :lol:

Checkswrecks · Jun 3, 2008

BTDT!!!

I've hit a few small birds and bats over the years and it's amazing how something the size of a robin can make you think somebody threw a brick at your head.

keithaba · Jun 3, 2008

Damn man, you didn't bring that baby back for dinner? I had nothing in the fridge last night, could of went for grilled pigeon.

It's already been tenderized...

kaitsdad · Jun 3, 2008

ATGATT. Works every time.

Jagermeister · Jun 3, 2008

"It all happened so fast!"

I actually flinched at the last .01 second, and turned my head right, causing the bird to glance off the left side of the helmet. If it hit me head-on (no pun intended), I imagine it could have cracked, or worse, broken through the visor.

Never, never wearing a half-helmet.

RoadGlide · Jun 3, 2008

Glad you came out ok. I hit a large bird last year at around 100mph and my riding partner almost died laughing once he knew I was ok. He said nothing but bird **** and feathers exploding from my helmet.

Docholiday · Jun 3, 2008

Jagermeister, Glad that you are OK. That looked nasty. It must have felt and sounded like you were shot. Good on you for keeping it together and not panicking. ATGATT. Must have been one heck of a feather dust up.

jmarran · Jun 4, 2008

Same thing happened to me last year riding down to EOM. Only differences were I wasn't going as fast (50-60), smaller bird and not nearly as messy.

The little sucker smacked right into my temple area - scared the **** out of me (and them I'm sure).

All I could think of is it felt just like someone threw a fastball at the side of my head.

I also tell people that my full-face helmet prob. saved my life as a beak to the temple at high speed certainly would have an unhappy ending for both of us.

FJRMGM · Jun 4, 2008

yucky - can't imagine that with an open face or no helmet.

How does that song go??

Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni........

Cdogman · Jun 4, 2008

Duuuuuuuude I have never it a bird on my bike (yet) but I have hit a dragonfly dead center at 130 mph and that sounded like the crack of a rifle and rocked my head back a couple inches .. I can only imagine how yours felt...

Fukin aye skippy ATGATT

Altinger · Jun 9, 2008

Even having a collision with a bee at high speed is like someone whipping a rock at your face. I'll never wearing open faced helmets.

Kevin Daly · Jun 9, 2008

The other day I was crusing along in the woods and I saw a bird out of the corner of my eye "damn thats a big crow" It all happened so fast but as I ducked to miss it I realixed it was a freakin turkey. I think at 100 mph that would have taken my head off!

SouthernCruizer · Jun 10, 2008

I hit MILLIONS of microbes every day, with a half helmet, no problem. I am indestructable!! :glare:

Jay

'04 FJR 1300

jmdaniel · Jun 10, 2008

I'd never wash that helmet again. Even Chuck Norris would be impressed by the blood.

Nah, on second thought, he would laugh and ask why you didn't hit it in the middle of the faceshield.

Bungie · Jun 10, 2008

jmdaniel said:
I'd never wash that helmet again. Even Chuck Norris would be impressed by the blood.

Chuck Norris wets his bed every night because he has nightmares about me.

jmarran · Jun 10, 2008

Bungie said:
jmdaniel said:

I'd never wash that helmet again. Even Chuck Norris would be impressed by the blood.

Click to expand...

Chuck Norris wets his bed every night because he has nightmares about me.

I'm sure if Chuck Norris wets his bed every night it's because he's 65 years old and probably has a prostate problem.

donaldb · Jun 10, 2008

Was following forum member bristercl last fall on a short local ride one weekend day.

It's true.........those stories you hear about things happening in slow motion.

While following bristercl I saw a hawk fly across the road, approaching bristercl from his left and actually hit his mirror. Feathers flew, the hawk knocked senseless kind of flapped around, appeared to do a flip or two in air, then regained it's composure and flew off :blink: .......never hitting the ground. It took bristercl a little longer to compose himself than did the hawk. He pulled over to the shoulder and stopped. He asked me........what the hell was that? a bird?.......told him yep, a hawk as a matter of fact. Bristercl never saw it approach, just the impact. I guess his periphery vision being blocked by the helmet prevented his ability to see the kamikazi.

Scarred the crap out of me watching that large bird swooping down on bristercl, I thought it was big enough to knock him off his bike if it had hit him just right........fortunately the mirror was easy to replace.

Dam birds............think I'll have fried ckn tonight for supper.

Bird Strike

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YES I ran the fatty over!!