oh deer

[shaggystyle]

Lame pun intended.

I hit a deer tonight....or more accurately it hit me. The stupid thing ran into the left side of my bike. Didn't do much damage: broke/bent the left front turn signal, cracked the fairing just under the left headlight, broke the plastic covering the left headlight. I'm perfectly unhurt, never lost control of the bike for a sec. Just came to a quick, smooth stop and looked back in time to see it hop through some guys yard and out of site. I didn't see it until it was too late. I was on a two lane road, had just crested a small rise and it was hiding behind the glare of an oncoming car (why couldn't it have hit them instead?). Anyways, as soon as the car passed I saw it standing on the edge of the road and it made a bee line straight for me. I rolled on hard trying to get by before it got into my lane, but I didn't have enough time. Still, I'll take a smack in the leg over getting thrown any day.

I'm going to try and get an estimate from the dealer tomorrow. I imagine it's going to need a new fairing and maybe a new signal. What do you guys think, $400 sound about right? Gotta call and find out what my insurance deductible is.

Oh yeah, when I got home I had a nice size patch of fur stuck to my riding pant....no blood though, so I imagine it'll live.

 

[wrightme43]

Make sure you keep the fur. If you need it for insurance.
It may of done more damage than you know.

Really glad your ok man.

Good job on keeping it up and riding.

 

[CMHrider]

Glad you're okay. If you decide to claim it on insurance I hope they are quick to get you your money!

 

[shaggystyle]

I don't think it's one of those situations where I would have been really hurt. I wasn't going that fast. I was geared up. It was a pretty small deer, barely as tall as the bike. I'm just frustrated I guess, and I don't really know why. At first I didn't think it had done any damage, but then when I noticed my signal and when I got to the gas station I saw the fairing. I didn't even realize it had hit the front of the bike at all, I thought it had made contact with my leg first. Just frustrating is all.

 

[wrightme43]

Well yeah man. That would be agravating. Then again, imagine how the deer feels about it. LOL

She probley has a big hunk of red plastic, a bunch of cuts, bruises and maybe a broken bone or two.

Stupid deer.

 

[GConn]

Hmmm....cracked headlight lens? Maybe this your chance to install a HID projector and post some pics??

Seriously though, glad to hear you are ok.

 

[CHEMIKER]

Glad you're okay. Really glad to hear that you were able to keep your head and come to a safe stop.

Out of curiosity, what rpm were you cruising at?

 

[Zealous]

Good thing you're okay. At least you faired better than the guy in that youtube video. He kept it up after hitting a deer head on, but the damage to his bike.....well he sums it up in one word at the end of the video. lol. Ride safe.

 

[idanny]

Good thing you're okay. At least you faired better than the guy in that youtube video. He kept it up after hitting a deer head on, but the damage to his bike.....well he sums it up in one word at the end of the video. lol. Ride safe.

yah I have seen that video pretty scary, happy to hear you are alright, bike looks alright for the most part.

here is one youtube video dear is alright and so is the guy and his bike
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaSEOaJ5phY"]YouTube - FZ6 vs Deer[/ame]
There is another one when a guy is on an fz6 and hits a dear and wipes out but I cant find that one.

 

[Cloggy]

That sucks but glad to hear you're OK Shaggy, the bike can get fixed.

 

[shaggystyle]

Out of curiosity, what rpm were you cruising at?

I usually try and keep it up over 6k when I'm cruising back roads, but I was probably a little under since I had slowed down while cresting the rise.

I still don't understand why the deer ran out in front of me and not the car....or why the car didn't flash it lights. He literally passed the exact same spot 3 seconds before I did. Arg, obviously sleeping on it hasn't lessened the frustration.

 

[wrightme43]

Yes but now you can legitimately put a little black deer shilouete on each fairing.

 

[shaggystyle]

You might be joking....but I consider that the most brilliant idea EVAR!!!!11!!1

 

[AlanB]

I don't think it's one of those situations where I would have been really hurt. I wasn't going that fast. I was geared up. It was a pretty small deer, barely as tall as the bike. I'm just frustrated I guess, and I don't really know why. At first I didn't think it had done any damage, but then when I noticed my signal and when I got to the gas station I saw the fairing. I didn't even realize it had hit the front of the bike at all, I thought it had made contact with my leg first. Just frustrating is all.

A little too modest, I think. Deer strike enugh to damage the bike while rolling on acceleration and still kept the rubber side down?! Darn fine job, man. Don't think I coulda done it. Good job! :thumbup: Sorry about the damage, but glad you're OK.

 

[HavBlue]

First, I'm glad to hear you're OK and it's also nice to hear the bike isn't bad off either.

I would however like to ask why the deer, or any animal that comes our way and makes the unfortunate mistake of crossing the road and getting hit is always termed stupid?

For you folks that live in the area around Prado dam in the Riverside / Orange County area of California, have you ever asked yourselves why they took out the off ramp to the 91 freeway just west of Green River Drive where it is about 8 lanes wide? To the north of that is the state park and to the south, the Trabuco Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest. The reason they took the ramps out was to allow for an animal corridor between the two areas. Unfortunately when we build roads the EIS (Environmental Impact Study) fails to fully address habitat within the scope of migration and movement. Screw it, we need the road and closing an animal in that may have an effective habitat range in the tens of square miles like that of Felis concolor (mountain lion) or Ursus americanus (the black bear) isn't worth thinking about right? Wrong, these animals are highly stressed much like the deer and they will move about so contact with humans is inevitable. I wonder if anyone ever bothered asking them about the dumb humans??

 

[shaggystyle]

No offense buddy, but the deer was inside the city limits of Louisville.....it's not like I was out in the boonies. An animal of that size wandering around a metropolitan area probably didn't have all it's screws in one basket if you know what I mean.

Also, any animal that runs toward danger, not away.....evolution just hasn't finished it work on those yet.

I see your point, I agree, I'm still going to call it stupid....if only out of spite.

 

[Hellgate]

Ouch! I'm glad to hear you are okay Shaggy.

Now you put a stencil of a deer on the side of your fuel tank, like the WW2 fighter pilots!

 

[Hellgate]

Yes but now you can legitimately put a little black deer shilouete on each fairing.

There ya' go, I should have read the entire thread!

 

[Red Wazp]

Glad your ok, Shagg. I hit one a few years back on my KLR, stayed up but even the small ones are more solid than you think.

Forest rats are taking over the burbs! Studies have shown the deer population is higher now than ever in the US. Around here the Mt. lions just can't eat them fast enough.

Not a proven fact yet, but since I installed the 2Bros cannons I have seen our local rats hear me coming and run from the road. May be loud pipes do save deer lives.

 

[sideshow_downs]

Now is your chance to go naked :rockon: