Thought I was going to dump it this morning

[bucky]

I've been riding for years, but I'm no pro. I'm just now getting comfortable finding out just how far I can lean this bike over after roughly 3,000 miles on my 09 FJR.

I ride it to work pretty much everyday, finally got my brainbucket and sena SMH10 working.

I ride pretty sanely and try to keep it under 100mph (it's not easy).

So this morning (about 30 minutes ago) I'm riding to a clients, which is about an hour from my house. I'm riding in the back country of WI, doing about 65 or so.

Nobody on the road to speak of, and I'm listening to the local talk station.

Coming up around sweeping right hand corner, I noticed a big ole country cat standing in the grass on the left side of the road. I think nothing of him, until he decides to start crossing the road. His angle and speed couldn't have been any more perfect (or worse, depending on how you look at it). He wasn't crossing straight across...it was almost like he was trying to attack my bike. I went to speed up and he changed direction more up the road, I then decided to let off the gas and he changed again.....

For a brief second, I KNEW I was going to hit him and I thought 'Well, is this really how you're going to dump it?'

Sure enough, I smoked the poor thing. I was bracing myself for wiping out, etc. I've never hit an animal with any bike before so I had no idea what to expect.

Sadly, when I hit him, my FJR made a 'THUD' and my bike barely moved. I looked in the mirror and he was rolling back into the other lane of traffic.

I'm quite certain he didn't make it, and as much as I can't stand cats (hate the little sh1ts), I obviously felt a bit bad.

I'm sure this story is probably a bit anti-climatic from what you all expected. I can tell you that in my close to 25 years of riding....I've never been that freaked out. I had no idea what to expect, and was very surprised at how little it affected the bike/ride.

Anyway, I don't know if anybody else here has hit an animal or not at 65mph, but it freaked the crap out of me.

Glad you are ok, but why do some people hate certain animals? Especially an animal as harmless as a housecat? They are only animals, and probably someone's loved pet. I never could figure that one out. How would you feel if that was your child's pet and you heard that the person who ran it over said he hated cats? Even if it was totally unintentional?

Years back, someone ran over one of our housecats. The person came to the door, explained what happened and said they were sorry it happened. That's class.

Don't get me wrong, I felt horrible that I hit it. I certainly didn't want to kill the animal.

I would think you could ascertain that from my post, but apparently not.

I personally loathe cats, but not to the point where I want to kill them.

Thank you for caring about my well being. But I don't believe I ever espoused I enjoyed hitting it this morning.

There were no houses nearby for me to stop and notify someone.

I was not implying you did intentionally hit the cat, as you made clear in your post. I wouldn't make an quick maneuver to avoid a small animal either even assuming I had enough time to actually think about it. I was just making a comment about your use of the word "hate" in the context of not hitting the cat, rather just hate of cats in general. I dislike snakes, pitbulls and various other critters. But I don't hate them. They are only animals, acting the way they do either because they are genetically programmed to do so or trained to do by their owners. I reserve my hate to the truely evil human beings of this world whose planned actions qualify them for that distinction.

 

[BLS]

Glad you're OK.

Do search around here for a member who goes by toecutter.

He took out a jackrabbit.

At speed.

With his toe.

The jackrabbit pretty much exploded.

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=24039

He's lucky he didn't break anything.

 

[Willie]

Glad you are ok, but why do some people hate certain animals? Especially an animal as harmless as a housecat? They are only animals, and probably someone's loved pet. I never could figure that one out. How would you feel if that was your child's pet and you heard that the person who ran it over said he hated cats? Even if it was totally unintentional?

Sorry, but I hate cats too. Don't take it so personal buckaroo.

I like cats but don't take any offense if you choose to hate cats. Your prerogative and I am ok with that too. Is it 5 yet and is it raining tomorrow ?

Willie

 

[Willie]

Stayed upright with this strike..

I had a FJR that looked like that I left in Clyde Park Montana.

Willie

 

[SkooterG]

I was not implying you did intentionally hit the cat, as you made clear in your post. I wouldn't make an quick maneuver to avoid a small animal either even assuming I had enough time to actually think about it. I was just making a comment about your use of the word "hate" in the context of not hitting the cat, rather just hate of cats in general. I dislike snakes, pitbulls and various other critters. But I don't hate them. They are only animals, acting the way they do either because they are genetically programmed to do so or trained to do by their owners. I reserve my hate to the truely evil human beings of this world whose planned actions qualify them for that distinction.

Holy cow dude! Deeeep breath, exhale slowly. Repeat.

 

[airboss]

I love katz, they tase great.

 

[SacramentoMike]

During my motorcycle safety course the instructor told us "if it fits into a frying pan, don't bother trying to avoid it. You can do more damage by trying to avoid it than you will do if you just run over it."

+1, I was told that if you can eat it in one sitting

Probly oughta go with ahchiu's version. . .

What are the odds you'd hit a Yamaha deer?

 

[graler]

My animal impact isn't quite as spectacular. I hit a spider. A tarantula probably about 5" - 6" tip of legs across. The front wheel kind of slid a little then it was fine. It also started to match my speed as I speed up and slowed down. Not really - that was for dramatic effect. Actually I saw it in the road and couldn't figure out what it was. As I focused on it I began to head straight for it. There has got to be a lesson there somewhere.

Glad you are ok. Riding in Wisconsin this time of year has to be sweet. We are in the middle of the heat in Texas. Makin' ball soup.

Sorry about the cat.

Joe

 

[Crash Cash]

Meh. I hate cats because in my experience, they're psychotic little assholes that make Hitler look like Gandi.

I also hate owners that let their animals roam free to get killed. That's animal abuse in my opinion.

For example, one of my neighbors had a large terrier thing that he used to let loose. You could hear him yelling for the dog at 8am all the time. Real winner. So one day I'm coming home and the dog comes snarling out of the bushes at my front tire. I didn't hit him, but I heard the "screeee!! THUMP!" as the car behind me did.

 

[Fontanaman]

All this talk about cats

.
I would like to learn how to embed Iframes on the forum.

 

[gixxerjasen]

For example, one of my neighbors had a large terrier thing that he used to let loose. You could hear him yelling for the dog at 8am all the time. Real winner.

I must have moved into your old house.

When you said Country Cat I was thinking more mountain lion, not house cat.

I recall a story, here, ironbutt, adv, somewhere....guy hit a mountain lion and went down. He's on the ground thinking "Damn, I really hope I killed it instead of just pissing it off!"

 

[dcarver]

Tell yah what tho - hit a squirrel, cat, or other smallish rodent when heeled waaay over running at > 70% and it can get real dicey..

 

[Redfish Hunter]

The two most important things are:

1. You and the FJR are not hurt.

2. You learned more about what your motorcycle is capable of.

I am glad, you are okay. Neither myself or Dad have hit anything with our current bikes but when we shared his '84 GoldWing it seemed to attract animals. Numerous opossums, raccoons, armadillos, and snakes fell victim to that bike. Dad killed a Doberman with the right crash bars that wrap around the front of the cam belt cover. The worst thing that he killed was an owl. The owl cracked the corner of the headlight lens and dumped what looked like a gallon of white owl shit all over the right side of the bike. It actually stained the right exhaust pipe and no amount of polish would get it off.

I thought it was VERY clear that you did not want to hit the cat. I place the value of any normal person far above the value of any animal. When I was a child my father made it very clear to me when I crashed my Honda MR50 to miss a dog, that you always sacrifice the animal to save yourself.

I HATE it when people get upset with me because I say I hate something. I HATE it when someone would show more concern that you hate a cat than the fact that you could easily have been killed. I HATE the fact that such a good thread has been blemished with such HATEFUL drivel.

 

[starsandstripes]

I ran over a woodchuck once on my XT225. Just like any other bump in the road. Another time I was leaned over in a turn and a deer crossed in front of me, but I fortunately had enough time to straighten up and brake long enough for it to get away.

 

[Fontanaman]

I ran over a woodchuck once on my XT225. Just like any other bump in the road. Another time I was leaned over in a turn and a deer crossed in front of me, but I fortunately had enough time to straighten up and brake long enough for it to get away.

Damn, we will never know how much a wood would a dead woodchuck chuck if a dead woodchuck could chuck wood. RIP Mr. Woodchuck.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I ran over a woodchuck once on my XT225. Just like any other bump in the road. Another time I was leaned over in a turn and a deer crossed in front of me, but I fortunately had enough time to straighten up and brake long enough for it to get away.

Damn, we will never know how much a wood would a dead woodchuck chuck if a dead woodchuck could chuck wood. RIP Mr. Woodchuck.

I HATE dead woodchucks...

 

[Fontanaman]

I ran over a woodchuck once on my XT225. Just like any other bump in the road. Another time I was leaned over in a turn and a deer crossed in front of me, but I fortunately had enough time to straighten up and brake long enough for it to get away.

Damn, we will never know how much a wood would a dead woodchuck chuck if a dead woodchuck could chuck wood. RIP Mr. Woodchuck.

I HATE dead woodchucks...

I was not going to go there but surely the thought was in my mind and on the page, but I erased it from the screen before clicking Add Reply. Now I am inspired!

I HATE Chip Seal!

 

[bucky]

I forgot. It's pile on me friday. I hate it.

 

[azitlies]

I LOVE cats! They are AWESOME creatures...

they are very independent, and take joy in saying Fuck You to those that don't like them how cool is that?

but they get killed on the road regularly, love em or hate em. that'll never change.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I forgot. It's pile on me friday. I hate it.

In that case, I LOVE the fact that you are willing to be a good sport. In honor of that post, I will stop being a jerk. For the purpose of this thread I mean.