Have you ever made road-kill with your bike?

[CatatonicBug]

Have you ever hit any kind of critter on the road while riding? I just ran over a small creature with my cage this last weekend and it got me thinking about what would happen on a bike. I know there is at least one crazy story about a squirrel out there!

[g15usmc]

i hit a coyote bout 3 weeks ago...screwed up my radiator but never laid the bike down...luckily i was able to ship my radiator off to this place in utah and they fixed it for me for about 120 bux...much cheaper than the near 600 for the new one...

[cywelchjr]

Almost have a few times. Couple dogs have run out in front of me and almost got it, and a few cats. Had more than a few squirrels miss death by only inches or less (I refuse to attempt to try to avoid anything that I'm not 100% sure sure I can avoid unless it's big enough that I can't take it down, sorry, if it's me or them they are gonna be road kill). I also had a few close calls with forest rats (deer). With the full rig I figure I'd survive and the deer wouldn't most likely, but I doubt I'd enjoy the experience, so any time I'm in an area where they might be I keep my eye peeled.

I think I've gotten a bird or two, but didn't look back to see. As long as they don't get through the windshield I'm good.

And I've hit some REALLY BIG BEES!

[jwhughes3]

Just wondered why the poll - if you hit something.


I didn't think about the bigger insects I've killed by whacking them with my face mask. Don't think that counts.


John

[natemoen]

Almost hit a freakin peacock once last summer.

[WMarshy]

I've bounced a few birds off my chest, not fun. Never squashed anything under the wheels and don't think I want too. I would imagine anything cat sized and smaller would be not too big of a problem if your traveling in a straight line. It becomes a real concern when your in a turn.

[b.walker5]

Friend of mine T Boned a big hare right beside me one day. Thing ran straight across in front of me and right under his front wheel. He got it midship in the soft part so it was just a couple of bumps at 80 mile an hour. Could have been nasty on a bend but it was on straight road so not a problem.

Have had plenty of winged critters commit suicide on my chest and helmet over the years but none on the road.

If you do hit something, make sure you clean it up 'coz, round here at least, no one else will either, not even the Road Markers....

[dpotter58]

effin deer hence the bikes name

[Ken Talbot]

The coyote was already dead and sprawled out nicely perpendicular to my line of travel when I drove over it in a rainstorm one morning just east of Saskatoon. I was just about ready to swipe my glove across my visor to restore visibility when I saw it out of my lower peripheral vision and felt the bump. It was all over before I knew it was happening. No problem with stability or control. I had to call back to SWMBO on the Chatterbox to ask what the h&#$ it was!

[3Phase]

I hit a German Shepard on my Kawasaki at about 50 mph one afternoon. It ran out in front of me and hit the engine/frame, mostly, but knocked my right leg back pretty hard and threw me off course so I wobbled a bit. The dog rolled off the road, then got up and ran off. We were both lucky!

Big dog, side pocket .... <crack!>

[doorsfan83]

I nailed a squirrel on my old cx-500 and also had to stop and honk at a sixteen point buck at 4 in the morning he just looked at me for about 30 seconds and slowly moved on. Thank god he didn't see me as a threat those corn fed Illinois bucks can be over 300 pounds and this was one of them.

[fredintoon]

Originally Posted by CatatonicBug

Have you ever hit any kind of critter on the road while riding? - - -

Hi 'Bug,
bought a guy's 3rd BMW one time, he'd written off the first two hitting deer with them.
Closest I came was many years ago back in the UK, got nailed in the head by a thrush.

[tcoop]

Nothing still alive. Previously hit critters on the highway, I was unable to swerve around them because of the cages around me. I’ve had a few deer threaten to jump out in front of me but I saw them first.

[XSive Okie]

Actual strike has only been a field mouse, so far. But I live directly across from a grain elevator, and in the fall and winter, when coming home at dusk, I have to watch every time for deer. They like to cross my land and go eat free spilled grain at the elevator, which has made for 5 close calls.

[psycoreefer]

I've hit a few small animals, squirrels, rabbits, mice, birds. Never had any sort of problem, just another bump in the road.

My policy is that if its smaller than a German Shepard I'm better off running it over than trying to avoid it - sorry critters.