Aerodynamics and Bees

[mdisher]

OK, so you're cruising along, with a fine after market shield in the up position. In a perfectly STILL bubble. You open your visor to get some of that still air. Clearly the top of the windshield is above your visor or you'd get more air from it acting as a scoop.

Then along comes a bee, who somehow goes up and over the windshield yet under your visor to smack you on the cheek. He defies the laws of physics and aerodynamics as I understand them. Not only does he negotiate through the 60-70mph wind that's being accelerated and pushed over me by the faring and windshield, he also has the presence of mind to turn his *** 'stinger' first into my face before impact.

This isn't the first time this has happened to me, even with just a cracked visor.

As in today's experience it hit me like a ton of bricks. WTF, that hurt... Then I feel this wiggling feeling in my beard, then my chin and cheek begin to burn like a son of a *****. So I stop, rip off the helmet to find the poor fellow smashed between said chin and the nolan rubber chin thingy. He wasn't happy nor was I.

In all serious-ness, how the hell does something like that not just flow completely OVER you as opposed to into your helmet.

 

[S76]

Just........................................because.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I'm no physics so in lay terms, behind the windscreen is one nasty low pressure area. The bee got caught in the slip stream but fell into, or got sucked into the low pressure abyss. Then.... GOTCHA. :dribble:

 

[airboss]

What ya talking about, aerodynamically bees can't fly.

 

[Silent]

I've had them come over my screen, under my chin bar of my helmet, over my 'stitch collar (velcroed closed) and sting me in the top of the rib cage :blink:

Go figgure.

 

[Warchild]

What ya talking about, aerodynamically bees can't fly.

They can if they use [SIZE=14pt]AMSOIL[/SIZE] products!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:lol:

 

[OhioFJR1300]

Karma dude

 

[SR-71]

Simple! A "Low flying bee" gets caught in a updraft created by your fairing and WHAMO - he get sucked into your helmet. buzzzzzzzzzz - STING! The good news is, many a "high flying bee" got blown OVER your helmet and you probably never saw the little stinging varmit! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! :lol:

 

[user 6393]

Murphy's law?

 

[Leartech]

LOL, I know it wasn't all that funny at the time, but this is some funny stuff now.

I have had it happen before. Pretty much the same thing. Windshield full up, visor cracked, sun glasses on. Saw the little ******* coming from way out and was totally amazed as I watched it rise up over the shield, then drop down under the visor, only to go up again over the shades to blast me right square in the forehead. Luckily, I wasn't going THAT fast.

I was still finding it amusing after getting home. Felt as one with the bike, having bug guts all over me and all.

Bryan

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

Rent "The Bee Movie", not only will it intelligibly explain the aerodynamics of bees but also inform you as to how the bee may be feeling. Have you considered it's point of view? How did it feel? Have you considered therapy? Reflect. What could YOU have done differently so that next time YOU don't essentially run over HIM? Why isn't he the victim in this case? There he was, minding his own business, probably just out doing his work to bring home the pollen to help out the hive and maintain his family, then WHAMMO! YOU hit HIM. And, not to mention, you merely came away from the incident with only a minor irritation and no true injury, but in all likelihood, you probaably cost him his life after being disembowled after merely attempting to defend himself. YOU *******!!! How could you? I oughtta go PETA on your ***! :assassin:

 

[brazos parker]

Murphy...definitely.

 

[Knifemaker]

What you are not seeing here is the bee is not moving as "you see him" but was moving along on his own somewhat sporadic random path. He was not racing towards your windscreed at 70mph (or whatever speed you were going)...you were the one moving at a fast rate towards the bee and the bee was just moving along at normal bee speed.

The aerodynamics of your windscreen only effect the air mass you are moving through, and a random particle moving at a completely diffrent trajectory and velocity (the bee) can easily move over or under the air deflected off your bike, being that it is self powered. (fish can swim upstream...)

Bees are cued to bright colors or diffrences in contrast...meaning the bee found your "sudden apperance" intresting and may have even taken it as an aggressive act. It may have actualy tried to attack you. Now it suddenly is whacked by you, and does take it as an attack and thus defends itself.

Keep the visor down....

KM

 

[Jazzzzz]

Can't help you figure out the aerodynamics, but last summer I had a similar experience on 71 south - bee zipped right around the windshield and into the chin vent on my helmet. Bee guts all over my mouth (not tasty) and it was a pain in the *** to fish that little SOB and his various parts out of the vent. Guess I was lucky he died on impact and didn't crawl his way into the helmet to exact his revenge.

 

[Toecutter]

Keep the visor down....

Word!

 

[squeezer]

Ouch. You know, the only thing in my first aid kit that I've ever really needed was the bee sting stuff.

The aero discussions here are pretty good, but the truth is the ******* did it on purpose.

 

[Caba]

Seriously, that low pressure zone behind the windshield has serious pull. I'm always amazed at how I get bugs splattered on the BACK side of the windshield! It makes the path under the visor an easy route!

That and it was probably a killer mutant jihad bee from hell.... :blink:

 

[airboss]

Ouch. You know, the only thing in my first aid kit that I've ever really needed was the bee sting stuff.
The aero discussions here are pretty good, but the truth is the ******* did it on purpose.

Not only do we have to deal with cell phone yakking cagers, but now we have kamakize Bees :dribble:

 

[wfooshee]

I've seen raindrops "float" behind the windshield. Little silvery orb hovering there hypnotically, trying to get me killed as I forget to watch what I can see of the road.