Roadkill Report

[rotaryryan24]

Do to my high numbers of bird strikes in the last month, I started wondering how many others seem to have bad luck with mother nature's moving targets.
 
I have had three birds hit me in under a month, a small blue bird to the shoulder at 60 mph. A medium size crow to the chest at 45mph. The last one and most painful was a softball sized bird to side of my throat at 80+ mph. I haven't hit any rabbits or squirrels in a while.

[Cruizin]

I took one to the faceshield in April and it damn near knocked me off the bike. I swerved and then skid to a stop and just sat down for a while.

[nmucat]

Nothing for me so far. Worst I had was a giant bug hit me right in the throat, felt like s punch. Had to pull over to breath again. Can't imagine a crow hitting me

[hippiebikerchick]

We have lots of suicidal squirrels here but I have never run one over. A deer ran out in front of me last spring, scared the daylights out of me. There was a tarantula in the road last weekend which we pulled over and took to the side of the road. But bugs fear my death-helmet! Bwahaahaahaa!

[coleman67]

I hit a buzzard a few years back. Very traumatic experience for all involved. I still have trouble talking about it ....

[cassecou]

That's what I always said about speed limits, it's too slow, it's dangerous. Going over 90mph is needed to over take mother nature.

[YZEtc]

I've hit (and knocked down both and killed the second) two deer, with me going down on the first one (unhurt).
Numerous small rodents like squirrels, chipmunks, my aunt's puny dog, and the occasional stray dogs in the middle of the road.Several birds, the most dramatic was a seagull at slow speed (in front of a McDonald's) with it's wings fully spread and ending up in my lap, temporarily blocking my vision.
Hit them with the throttle open as if you're wheeling over a speed bump as this makes the bike more stable while doing so.
It's either you or them, and you often have just a split second to do something.

[jerryv]

Damn ... never been hit by a bird or vice versa, just bugs. Biggest was one of those night crawler bugs (big beetle), smack in the chest. I've read about a guy who ran into a flying turkey and he had a big mess, damage and injury.

[hobbs]

Rounded the corner yesterday and there were half a dozen turkeys on the side of the road who took off in flight. Didn't hit one since the car in front of me veered them away. Pretty grateful for that.
 
Rocks on the other hand...

[Guru]

Wow, in all my years of riding I've never been hit by an animal, at least not on my bike. 3 in under a month, that's crazy. 
 
Big Kamikaze bugs know how to find me but other then that I have been lucky. 
I have had a close call with some deer the other days and I was going too fast to do anything, it was running towards me and decided to veer to the right. 
 
 

[qjohnson]

Never been hit by an animal. I did however have a bee hit me in the throat and then go down my shirt and sting me. I must have looked like an idiot pulled up on the sidewalk ripping all my gear off as fast as I can haha. I'm a little girl when it comes to bees. Hate those effers

[hippiebikerchick]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I'm pretty sure I ran over a snake one time. It was about two feet long, tried not to. 

[jerryv]

Never been hit by an animal. I did however have a bee hit me in the throat and then go down my shirt and sting me. I must have looked like an idiot pulled up on the sidewalk ripping all my gear off as fast as I can haha. I'm a little girl when it comes to bees. Hate those effers

At least it didn't fly up your skirt.  (rofl)  I had a gnat fly in my helmet and the damned thing went in my ear ... buzz... buzzzz. buzzzzzzzz.  I was hoping it was a gnat anyway.

[qjohnson]

^^hahahaha

[cassecou]

I have read that "modulating headlights" do help against deers.
For those who don't know, modulating headlights are flashing headlights. They are flashing all the time when riding and are becoming very popular.
I don't like them. As a cager, I find them so annoying that I want to ram that biker.
But when a biker with a modulating headlight is meeting a deer, some say the deer does move out of the way instead of just glaring at the headlight (like my mother in law when I talk to her).
In our case, the FZ-07 has the passing flashing light switch.
Should we train to hit that switch when encountering a deer?

[Guest montana07]

Wow, haven't hit anything yet. Crazy how much some of you have taken out.

[mjh937]

I have yet to hit anything, but I have had a deer and a family of four raccoons run out in front of me. Fortunate all with enough room to easily avoid them.

[wabill]

I have yet to hit anything, but I have had a deer and a family of four raccoons run out in front of me. Fortunate all with enough room to easily avoid them.

I think we have more deer in town than out in County.  The best encounter was on Yew St at the cross walk north of the cemetery.  A doe with two fawns was walking them across in the cross walk.  

[mjh937]

We often have deer in our yard (Northern Heights), but the one that jumped in frount of me was on Dewey. The raccoons were in Sudden Valley.

[rotaryryan24]

Ran over a 4' long rattle snake today, aimed for a couple off inches behind its head. No snake bites for me.

[qldnat]

I hit a bandicoot not long ago, gave we a serious scare. Also loads of cane toads at night. Almost nailed a wild turkey but was able to miss it just.

[Geteup]

Dang, three in a month! I've hit 2 birds in my 13 years riding bikes. They both hit the bike and not me. One bounced off the windscreen while tucked, the other, well, my bike needed a bath. Come close to several critters since.

[p0k3yiii]

bees and wasps hit me at a alarming rate.
had some shoot up the neck line
right under my helmet 
at 60mph
while on the phone on my sena
 
 
all you heard where screams and saw evasive action to get off the road safely 
 
 

[fromthecage]

Had a close call with a vulture about two weeks ago and ran over some of the grill assembly of a car that hit the deer (dead) that I swerved to miss the other night

[snowdriftless]

I have read that "modulating headlights" do help against deers. For those who don't know, modulating headlights are flashing headlights. They are flashing all the time when riding and are becoming very popular.
I don't like them. As a cager, I find them so annoying that I want to ram that biker.
But when a biker with a modulating headlight is meeting a deer, some say the deer does move out of the way instead of just glaring at the headlight (like my mother in law when I talk to her).
In our case, the FZ-07 has the passing flashing light switch.
Should we train to hit that switch when encountering a deer?

I currently live in an area with quite a few Deer. I haven't hit any animals yet (Crossed fingers). But I will definitely try this next time I see a deer.