How many critters have you encountered while riding?

I had my first critter strike yesterday. I have only been riding since the spring. I ran over a squirell and it wasn't that big of a deal as I thought it would be. I was only going perhaps 25 down a small blvd and a squirell had jumped out into the road and did a juke right in the middle of the street and ran back the way it came. It went under the front tire on my super glide and it felt just like a mild bump and the handlebar shook for a brief moment and that was about it. I stopped just to check the tire to make sure there wasn't any debris on it and it was fine. Unfortunately, the squirell didn't make it.

In our MSF class, the instructor said anything you can eat in one sitting is usually ok to run over in most cases, provided you don't try to turn the wheel when you hit it and aren't leaned over. Anything that would leave leftovers should always be avoided. Just keep moviing straight ahead don't panic and try to swerve aggressivley or you may hit the critter when swerving and that could be bad.

 

I've had various birds commit suicide while riding. Biggest critter was a groundhog that came out of the weeds unexpectantly, ran right under my front tire as I was doing 40mph. Felt like I was going over a speed bump, nothing major. Buzzards had a feast.

 

The county Animal Control agency accused me of competing with them. Now they just follow my bike around with barn shovels.

 

Especially if you ride on county roads a lot, you are going to hit critters.

Biggest thing I have actually ran over is a rabbit....speed bump for me, didn't turn out well for the rabbit. It was a bit of a ride though, but I kept it up. Best advise is that if you know you're going to hit a small critter, make sure the bike is upright, and don't be braking or accelerating when you hit it.

I've hit squirrels, rabbits, snakes, birds, and grazed a dog. Deer are what scares me & I've had a couple very close calls.

 

A rabbit bolted in from the right sidesholder of a rural road at night, and struck under my right foot on forward controls so hard that it bent the foot peg mounting bracket! Oh, it also cracked 3 bones in my ankle.

Same road, at night; An opossum commited suicide via Superglide speed bump.

Same road.....(You know) Deer (TWICE!) 1st time stayed dirty side down, under heavy braking, I struck her on the neck/sholder area, she spun around the right side of the bike and slapped my leg so hard it gave me a spiral fracture of my tibia. It broke her neck, and we had venison for thanksgiving...

2nd time, not so lucky... Same road. Three deer came out of the ditch, stoped staggered broadside across both lanes! With heavy braking, I realized I wouldn't be able to stop in time. Nowhere to go, I tapped the rear brake a little harder, and lay the bike down on its left side while going about 30-35 MPH, placing the bike between me and the deer. To this day I still can't say for sure if I hit them or not. All I know is, it seemed like a good plan at the time to put the bike between me and the deer, and it would of worked had I not "high-sided" when the slide slowed down. Flipped me off! three broken ribs, a torn rotator cuff, an a partially serrarated sternum.

I guess that's the risk you take riding to work in the dark from the country... I still ride the same route....(a little slower). Can't wait 'til I retire from work!

Two sayings come to mind; " If you're going to be stupid, you better be tuff" and "It's not if, but when" (you crash)

Best wishes....Tim(HT)

 

I've had to eat crow more than once in my life.

You Tube

 

Amazingly NONE since 1972. Have ridden all 48 more than once and no animal strikes (Lots and lots and lots of bugs tho).
I missed a black bear on the Lolo pass early one morning a few years back, I still say God intervened because I lost site of the bear momentarily beyond my batwing. Remember the clumps of cinnamon hair right there, road torn up for construction, anti lock brakes at full tilt. The world slowed down and I remember deciding I was going down, surreal.
Boy did I let out a WOOP after that adrenalin rush.

I have hit squirles and deer and even bumped a cow in a cage tho.

 

I think Harley Tim must be riding through the zoo.

 

lol!!!!

 

I have to my credit 6 kills. A deer was my first. Hit her head with my headlight at 0430 in the morning. Only serious damage was where my spincter chewed a hole in my seat. Number 2 & 3 were rabbits. 4 & 5 were black blrdsoff the shins ( hurt like hell) . Yesterday I took out skunk with my floor board. We saw each other at the same time (too late for both). He never had the chance to lift its tail.
True story!!