Bird Strike

Very sad case here. Thankfully rare. A couple of years ago I was the victim of a bird strike whilst riding in the country a few miles from home. Fortunately it was a small bird, possibly a swift. It swooped across from my right and hit my helmet visor with considerable force. i was wearing a full face helmet. The visor did not crack but the mechanism busted. I consider myself very lucky. It happened so fast and was completely unavoidable. Gave me a shock, but I was able to stop safely without injury. Obviously a new helmet was required, apart from the visor damage, there was copious amounts of bird blood and gore residue.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/21/motorcyclist-killed-pheasant-struck-helmet-60mph/

Sad news...
Always monitor the roadsides for any critters that might suddenly decide to cross your path...
Avoided a pheasant a couple years back, scraped the top edge of the windscreen, but I ducked in time though... at 120kph one could name that a "close call" then...

Stay safe out there!

Last summer while riding US12 across eastern MT I hit a bird 3 different times. Don't think I have ever hit a bird before in my life but these birds were right on the side of the road and would take off too late. 2 hit my helmet and one hit the fairing and got stuck in the windshield.

Scotland last year, I had a pigeon clip the front of my bike. Lucky he was flying at an angle away from me so impact was minimal. We were 2 up, so that could have been nasty.

Early 1970's......I wore open faced helmets with full face shields. On a trip with my cb750 K0, I was nailed by a bird at highway speeds. I saw it coming from my left and turned my head to the right. It struck my chin on the left side and ended up between my face and shield, right over my left eye. Somehow I managed to stop on the shoulder and removed it. Bird had a broken neck and lots of instinctive flopping. Lots of scratches on my cheek but my glasses had protected my eye. I became concerned about a similar incident or damage from rocks, lug nuts, etc kicked up by traffic on Louisiana roads.

Soooooo....off to the dealership for a full face hat, which weren't all that common in 1970. Most in stock were DOT compliant with plastic shells, I wanted fiberglass. To demonstrate the integrity of the DOT full face, the salesman dropped one onto the concrete shop floor, breaking off a very large section of the top of the shell, exposing the foam. Ended up with a Snell certified helmet made in Germany ($$$), don't remember the brand. Guess this explains my fixation with Snell certified helmets. I realize that technology and fiber reinforced plastics have improved muchly in the 48 years since, but sometimes old experiences continue to drive decisions.

Had an occasion about 3 years ago driving along on Ga 52 just outside Dahlonega, descending a twisty hill approaching a stream and a nearby harvested corn field... noticed a few turkeys gliding in for a quick meal. When I turned my head to the left to check the direction they were traveling from, I had to duck to keep one of the birds from striking me. I often think about how hard a hit that would have been... Counting my blessings. You just never know.

I had a buzzard fly low enough across my path at 40mph that I ducked. I don't know if it was within 3 feet or 6 feet, but it was closer than I wanted to be to a bird of that size at speed!

Once had a pigeon being chased by a sparrow hawk fly between me and the screen
That made me jump

Hit by a quail going into John Day, Or. Full face helmet. No damage but I did feel it. 2002 going across South Dakota at 80mph, had a close encounter with a sand hill crane. Too close for comfort.

I saw a small Hawk or Falcon swooping in from the LEFT side, then suddenly dove down VERY FAST and plowed into my footpeg area, while I was riding 70 mph. on the Interstate!! NOTHING in the mirrors. It was obliterated. Bike was clean.
I felt the impact thru the boot!! CRAZY. Just lucky it didn't hit up higher! Nice, clear, 60 degree Fall morning. It must have been going for something in the grass on the right roadside/ shoulder area. Focused on the prey = Never saw the bike!! WOW

I hit a sea gull a few years back on my ST1100 doing 90 MPH!. Got stuck on the radiator and the engine started to overheat, so I had no choice but to pull over. Wasn't sure what I'd hit but a glance in the mirror didn't show any leaking coolant. The bird was DOA, with it's head stuck between the inner faring and the radiator. Those damn things are big as a chicken! The inner faring bit was shattered as well. It took some maneuvering to remove it without further damaging the tupperware but I got it out more or less in one piece. As the highway was directly adjacent to the ocean, I tossed the carcass into the water. A burial at sea if you will. After cleaning up the mess, I surmised that sea gulls are composed of approximately 75-80% poop! Even after the cleanup, the radiator fan would blow a few feathers out of the maintenance panels the next few times they came on. Once at a stop light where a received an "if looks could kill" glare from the woman in the car next to me.

Had a bird hit me just outside Jasper Alberta . Had an aria full face with the flip up sun visor , the bird destroyed the flip up piece of the visor . On a more serious note an OPP officer was hit by a Canada goose at highway speed the crash resulted in him loosing a leg .

Although the little woman has had a sparrow commit suicide on her helmet on the freeway, mine have all been bike or body hits. A beautiful Hawk that was swooping down splattered on my HD lowers and leg, various small bird fairing strikes and I even had a Condor strike my helmet with its wing while taking flight, a huge bird. The oddest was riding over the mountains into Death Valley at night when something hit my chest and landed in my crotch. I reached down and grabbed it and while raising it to eye level I realized it was a bat. I think we both screamed.

Trapperdog said:

I think we both screamed.

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Good one... made me laugh!

Birds are a flaming nuisance, I don't know why our garden is full of feeders, it only makes the blummin things bigger.
Recent strikes have been in the car, new headlight £80.00 and 5 hours to fit, new grille £50.00 and 2 hours to fit; I was getting used to taking the bumper off the second time.
Only good strike on a bike was a pheasant on my service bike, it just touched the front wheel and then disappeared head first up the side mounted wailer, speed was daft mph at the time and I thought I'd got away with it when I realised I looked like I'd been tarred and feathered from head to toe. Had to shove a hosepipe up the wailer to get him out and wash myself off in similar fashion.
Happy days.
Upt'North.

Oldbikefixr said:

Early 1970's
[...]
Ended up with a Snell certified helmet made in Germany ($$$), don't remember the brand.

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Schuberth maybe? Linky

They're still expensive

A few birds for me too, thankfully they've been small.

The most notable for me are dodging a bear galloping across the road, and having a rattlesnake hit the underside of my boot.

wjbertrand said:

I hit a sea gull a few years back on my ST1100 doing 90 MPH!.

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Methinks I remember the pics of that incident on the old STOC mailing list...
(and then there was Dale Wilson's woes with a forest-rat, but that's a STory for another time/campfire... :wink

vinny said:

Had an occasion about 3 years ago driving along on Ga 52 just outside Dahlonega, descending a twisty hill approaching a stream and a nearby harvested corn field... noticed a few turkeys gliding in for a quick meal. When I turned my head to the left to check the direction they were traveling from, I had to duck to keep one of the birds from striking me. I often think about how hard a hit that would have been... Counting my blessings. You just never know.

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I too had a near miss with a turkey, and yes, I ducked though I don't know how close he was. Afterward I got a good laugh making up an epitaph for my tombstone had I hit said turkey.

Had a flock of small birds hit me and gl1200 years ago in southern Alberta while heading to “going to the sun hiway”. Could see them coming and I was in their way. Bunch hit me and bike. Wasn’t nice but I got away with just some bruises and dirty bike. Washed it down at next gas station where they just laughed. Lucky they were small