Deer!!!
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
Deer Whistles
Not really sure if they work, but we have lots of deer in middle TN and I added a pair of chrome deer whistles (6 bucks at autozone). They work if you go 35mph or faster. I mounted them on the ends of my crash bars at the bottom of my bike. They will stick on with good double sided tape and they can pop off if needed. They are so hidden no one notices what they are and they cover the ends of the pot metal look of the crash bar bottoms. Anything that will help, lights, loud music, deer whistles, barking dogs...
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 203
Likes: 1
From: OCEANSIDE, CA
I had a fellow rider heading to Utah and hit a deer, said he had no warning or chance to evaid. During the day so at night would of been even worse, put him in intensive care and totalled the bike. Recovering slow and will be on his other bike soon. Said the only thing that would of helped would be going slower. But thats not really a choice that may have lessened the injury but if your going to hit your going to hit. Alot of good ideas here, pick and choose. One way to not hit a deer is to stay in the city but then again that deer could be your friends dog. Keep Alert!! Drive Defensively.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 50
From: Louisville, KY
I feel real lucky today!
At around 4pm soon after leaving work on a bright sunny day, going about 50mpg a fairly large deer came out of the bushes to my right and I connected with its hind quarter.
I could not believe that I held it together and did not go down.
I felt real bad for the deer because he attempted to run off but his back legs were broken bad - it would have been best to put him out of his misery, but I don't have a fire arm and none of the cars that stopped had one either, so the unfortunate deer was left to die a slow death.
My NT had just a little damage - the steel front fender was distorted, the turn signal bent backwards and the wind shield mounts also bent - I was able to straighten all out with no sign of damage - it runs vibration free and true at highway speeds, so all's good.
Why did the deer not get scared off by my loud V&H pipes coming down the country road?
At around 4pm soon after leaving work on a bright sunny day, going about 50mpg a fairly large deer came out of the bushes to my right and I connected with its hind quarter.
I could not believe that I held it together and did not go down.
I felt real bad for the deer because he attempted to run off but his back legs were broken bad - it would have been best to put him out of his misery, but I don't have a fire arm and none of the cars that stopped had one either, so the unfortunate deer was left to die a slow death.
My NT had just a little damage - the steel front fender was distorted, the turn signal bent backwards and the wind shield mounts also bent - I was able to straighten all out with no sign of damage - it runs vibration free and true at highway speeds, so all's good.
Why did the deer not get scared off by my loud V&H pipes coming down the country road?
Last edited by 1004ron; Jul 4, 2014 at 10:03 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 53
From: Myrtle Beach,SC
Lighting just lights up their way....They see the lit road and run out in it. The farther away the light is the more time there is to react. Deer will always make the first move toward where they are looking not away.
Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 19
From: Illinois
They are a stout animal, are they not? For those of us who have hit one will tell you it's like hitting a wall that very 1st split second of impact until something gives. I thought when I 1st hit mine I would explore ways to keep that from happening again. I have come to find out that it is what it is, there is little one can do to avoid it other then to just stop riding and that's not an option for me.
I think the best and one and only thing to do is ride with caution and slow down when in an area that might present a deer to you. I hit my deer the last ride of last season. The first ride of this season I hit a ground hog and did more damage than the deer did, for figure.
I think the best and one and only thing to do is ride with caution and slow down when in an area that might present a deer to you. I hit my deer the last ride of last season. The first ride of this season I hit a ground hog and did more damage than the deer did, for figure.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 3
From: Montclair, CA.
Yes even in Southern California we have deer. Out with the wife in our truck a couple of weeks ago in the back country of San Diego and this Doe just came out of no where during the day and we just missed her, no time to brake or anything.
Now for the lighting issue I installed the Truck light 7 LED headlight and Aux LED lights on our '12 Heritage and they DO make a difference. Slowing down and seeing farther does give you more time to react at night and day time but when it's your time, well.....
.... 
Now for the lighting issue I installed the Truck light 7 LED headlight and Aux LED lights on our '12 Heritage and they DO make a difference. Slowing down and seeing farther does give you more time to react at night and day time but when it's your time, well.....
....
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Culpeper, VA
Wife almost tagged one on the way home last night from the inlaws (and this is only 5+ miles from DC in Virginia). In her small car it would've come right thru the windshield into our laps if she'd have been going faster. She'd just got done saying "I can't see" and had slowed down. Doe walks right out in front of us from behind some brush someone put on the curb for pickup and she jammed on the brakes. Scared the **** outta her. Can't believe the doe kept walking across the road as sometimes they just freeze. If we'd have been out in the country (where we're about to move) going 50-60mph that would've been bad, bad news. Lights on that car SUCK and better ones absolutely would've lit it up that side of the road.
But again, it's the ones you never see that you can't do much about. Most times it's a split second thing and you either get lucky or you don't. Making me really think twice about riding to work through the country once we move (especially when it's dark early and in the afternoon). They're breeding out of control now.
But again, it's the ones you never see that you can't do much about. Most times it's a split second thing and you either get lucky or you don't. Making me really think twice about riding to work through the country once we move (especially when it's dark early and in the afternoon). They're breeding out of control now.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 53
From: Myrtle Beach,SC
ONe of the reasons I don't put on the miles here I did when I lived out west in Vegas especially. Nothing but two lane tree lined roads. not only is it not scenic and boring, but also a great way to clip a deer with zero reaction time. At least riding in the desert I could see for miles in both directions on both sides of the road. Never even came close to hitting an animal in 30 years out there.
Here we have deer across the pond in my backyard in the woods.....Very skiddish in my cars and bike. Came within 3 seconds of hitting a couple crossing a few years ago at 60MPH on a back road straight away (I have not been on since) and had to accelerate around a Doe in a 90 degree sweeper last year ( I now crawl around at night).
The one get off I feel I cannot control are deer and animal strikes.
Here we have deer across the pond in my backyard in the woods.....Very skiddish in my cars and bike. Came within 3 seconds of hitting a couple crossing a few years ago at 60MPH on a back road straight away (I have not been on since) and had to accelerate around a Doe in a 90 degree sweeper last year ( I now crawl around at night).
The one get off I feel I cannot control are deer and animal strikes.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 32,851
Likes: 17,887
From: Newcastle, OK
I feel real lucky today!
At around 4pm soon after leaving work on a bright sunny day, going about 50mpg a fairly large deer came out of the bushes to my right and I connected with its hind quarter.
I could not believe that I held it together and did not go down.
I felt real bad for the deer because he attempted to run off but his back legs were broken bad - it would have been best to put him out of his misery, but I don't have a fire arm and none of the cars that stopped had one either, so the unfortunate deer was left to die a slow death.
My NT had just a little damage - the steel front fender was distorted, the turn signal bent backwards and the wind shield mounts also bent - I was able to straighten all out with no sign of damage - it runs vibration free and true at highway speeds, so all's good.
Why did the deer not get scared off by my loud V&H pipes coming down the country road?
At around 4pm soon after leaving work on a bright sunny day, going about 50mpg a fairly large deer came out of the bushes to my right and I connected with its hind quarter.
I could not believe that I held it together and did not go down.
I felt real bad for the deer because he attempted to run off but his back legs were broken bad - it would have been best to put him out of his misery, but I don't have a fire arm and none of the cars that stopped had one either, so the unfortunate deer was left to die a slow death.
My NT had just a little damage - the steel front fender was distorted, the turn signal bent backwards and the wind shield mounts also bent - I was able to straighten all out with no sign of damage - it runs vibration free and true at highway speeds, so all's good.
Why did the deer not get scared off by my loud V&H pipes coming down the country road?
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