Attack from the sky!

[D-Mac]

It was a beautiful, fall-like day up here in Michigan, so I skipped out of work and went for a ride (actually 2 rides).

At one point I'm going about 70 down a tree-lined road and out of NOWHERE a MASSIVE BIRD flies up off the left side of the road. I saw its shadow first and I think it was a Turkey Vulture. It headed directly towards the right side of my bike and at the last second I looked away (thinking you ride where you're looking and I wanted to avoid it) and I banked HARD to the left. I also ducked down at the same time thinking that it was going to hit my head!

I didn't hear anything as the bird flew an inch or so past my head (I had earplugs in), but when I brought the bike up level I noticed my right mirror was bent waaaayyy out of position. That was close!!

I haven't looked at the front, but I don't imagine there was any actual damage since I didn't feel anything.

 

[wrightme43]

Damn man good dodging.

 

[ms mrdr]

Vulture huh,,,maybe you should shower! kidding!

 

[Oblisk]

probably working for suzuki or honda

 

[pooty]

lol good responses, glad he missed you for the most part. had a vulture hit me right under the head light @ around 110, he died.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Wild Turkey? and no, I'm not offering a drink.

 

[FZ-B]

Speaking of turkey vultures...I hit one with my face last year, wearing a full face helmet though! Him and a pal were enjoying some roadkill as I buzzed around a left hand sweeper hitting 60-70. They both took off the same way, but this guy changed direction...WHACK. Stunned me for a moment, but luckily my death grip was in action. I got to the next stop sign and looked down to see him dead and bleeding in my lap.

 

[jmerch44]

when I get hit by a bee, I'm distracted. I hope I never hit a bird with my helmet, I'd probably reck! Way to stay in control man.

 

[Sosu2211]

In the immortal words of Hunter S Thompson...

"We can't stop here, this is bat country!"

Thanks for sharing, and nice dodge!

 

[sasper]

when I get hit by a bee, I'm distracted. I hope I never hit a bird with my helmet, I'd probably reck! Way to stay in control man.

I was stung by a bee on the back of my neck, then a few minutes later i felt it on my back as well, while I was in the Malibu canyons. Imagine what all of these people thought when they passed me jumping off my bike and taking all my gear and clothes off to get that thing out of there!

BTW -- I'm allergic to bee stings, so I was kind of concerned

 

[teeter]

Nice avoid. Turkey Vultures are huge!

Don't tell PETA, but I nailed an owl last fall. It swooped down out of trees and smaacked "dead" into the front fairing/headlight area. I chose to stay the course and squint/wince... it seemed to work (for me at least.)

Poor Eastern Great Horned Spotted Snowy Burrowing Screech-Owl. :shakehead:

 

[grumpy1luvs2eat]

I dodged an OWL one evening! Scared the bejesus out of me at the time. No time to react, it was just there in front of me. I also hit a sparrow at freeway speed, ouch. I have also run into a swarm of bees, the guy I was riding with had to taken to the ER in a meatwagon and spent several days in recovery. Ought to be a law or something! These incidents happened over 40 years of riding. A buddy got hit by a golf ball, that's evil. The bruise was awesome! GRUMPY

 

[AJ_rider]

I dodged an OWL one evening! Scared the bejesus out of me at the time. No time to react, it was just there in front of me. I also hit a sparrow at freeway speed, ouch. I have also run into a swarm of bees, the guy I was riding with had to taken to the ER in a meatwagon and spent several days in recovery. Ought to be a law or something! These incidents happened over 40 years of riding. A buddy got hit by a golf ball, that's evil. The bruise was awesome! GRUMPY

Wow, riding with you seems to be a health risk. :shakehead: :justkidding: :thumbup:

 

[oldtimer]

Maybe this vulture was working for Geico

:mikebike:

 

[Hollow]

when I get hit by a bee, I'm distracted. I hope I never hit a bird with my helmet, I'd probably reck! Way to stay in control man.

:rof: You know you make a good point. I do the same a big bee or bug hits me i almost have a wreck sometimes trying to dodge it. Or when it does hit me I am thinking dang i bet that stings if I didn't have a helment on.

 

[Hollow]

Man these things with bikes hitting things that fly seem more common than thought. I well my uncle had a friend who bought a HD and was riding on a country road oneday. All of a sudden he had a turkey in his face with just a turtle shell on. He wrecked and when he stopped he still had the dead turkey in his grasp. But any how he still rides and says now hes not just worried about deer but flying things also.

 

[Nobby]

In the immortal words of Hunter S Thompson...

\"We can't stop here, this is bat country!\"

Thanks for sharing, and nice dodge!

Funny you should say that,half my km's/miles are done at night & I've hit all sorts including a flying fox(fruit bat).One of the worst things I've hit was a moth,at certain times of year we get these moths the size of a sparrow & when they hit you they can blackout the visor & splatter your gear(nasty):thumbdown: