Forest Rat Dead, Bike Dead, Rider OK

[Fairlaner]

Glad to see you are OK Don, was wondering all afternoon how you were.

R

P.S PM sent

 

[Fred W]

Wow. I am impressed that you kept it up after hitting that big of a deer. You can take pride that your cool head and quick thinking probably saved some of your own hide.

This is a really sharp reminder for all the rest of us. Up here in New England the deer hittin' season is just beginning. Once they go into rut they seem to completely lose their minds and start taking on anything with headlights. Which gives me an idea... maybe you'd be safer driving in the predawn, post dusk periods with headlights off? Since yours appear they will be off for a while, maybe you can report back on that for us? :blink:

 

[airboss]

Don, my daughter was looking over my shoulder as I read your post, all I can do is echo her exclamation. [SIZE=24pt]OH MY GOD! [/SIZE]Glad you made it out in one piece.

 

[BrunDog]

Un effin believable.

1. Glad to hear you are OK.

2. Shocked how well you handled this.

3. This is a powerful lesson for anyone, that these PITA animals can ruin your life in an instant.

4. Sorry about your bike. Those pics are harder to look at than the dead rat.

5. Thanks for the post and pics.

6. Glad to hear you are OK.

-BD

 

[RTSR1/FJR]

Glad your OK!

Now, when is the BBQ? I love venison! Ultimate revenge!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Don,

I am glad to hear that you are unscathed as you are...as some do not turn out as well as your incident.

+1 on getting another deer out of the way.

+100 on you keeping your head and RIDING YOUR BIKE...releasing the brake, looking down the road and repeating your mantra...I bet you were a bit distracted weren't 'cha?

Sorry about yer bike...funny about yer dogs...HAPPY :clapping: :clapping: :yahoo: :yahoo: that [SIZE=18pt]YOU[/SIZE] were able to post up about this event...

and finally a +1 on airboss's daughter's comment :dribble:

 

[beemerdons]

Hello Don,

I am very glad to read and see that you are OK! I got to meet you for the first time at the Marriott Bar in Utah with SkooterG. I mentioned that I had lived on Curbaril Avenue in Atascadero for fifteen years and we had briefly chatted about deer in eastern San Luis Obispo County. I also struck a deer on Highway 41 heading to Yosemite at dawn in 1986.

Sincerely, Don Stanley

Cal-Poly Mustang - 1974

 

[stormrider]

Carver,

Glad to hear you are okay.

It always amazes me the amount of damage even the small ones do

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

Don,

Awesome tale! Sure glad you came out on top! Thanks for sharing your success story.

 

[Barabus]

Man, you know how to pick them. That is a big deer! Way to stay on the bike.

 

[bikerskier]

Hey Don, damn glad you are OK. That must have been scary but you did all the right things and fortunately the mass of the bike helped keep you safe.

I am on the last day of my BC, Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Wash and back to Portland trip and I have only seen 3 deer, couple dozen cows, and crap load of turkeys on the road, all of which I saw plenty early, thank god! I had several thoughts of hitting one of these creatures so I travelled quickly but carefully. Is that possible?

Your bike looks mashed, is it repairable and will your insurance cover it?

Good luck, man!

 

[rayban]

You were on our minds yesterday at the ride, Amigo, as we got the news from the Central Coast folks at the link-up point. Glad to hear you're in one piece.

Question: not to side-track, but from a technical perspective, when Don "released" the front brake, they were still probably braking anyway though because he has/had an 06 and the linked brakes would SURELY have been kicked in if he was at full braking and the ABS was at work, right? Even though he released the front lever, at LEAST the linked portion of the front brakes was still in effect, so he was still somewhat compressed. It's unavoidable on an 06 and Don did the right thing, but is that a small-but-live-with-it drawback to the 06 linked brakes?

 

[CraigRegs]

Glad to hear you made it through this in one piece...and with sense of humor intact. It's a great post that can help us all remember that preparing for the worst can get you through it when it happens. Now go buy a lottery ticket.

Craig

 

[Checkswrecks]

Sorry to hear you joined our deer-strike club. I had almost the same thought just before hitting bambi with my Ducati ST2 - "Too bad, this has been a nice bike." Like you, I was able to stay up, but then the one I hit was smaller. It was like hitting a brick wall at the time. Moral of the story is to just ride through the impact and not lock up the brakes.

Just like having the EOM/WFO/CFR/CrashClub/ETC emblem, we need to have a deer silhouette.

Bob

 

[raclow]

Glad to hear you are OK. Sorry for the bike. Way to ride through the impact......GREAT JOB.

Good luck with the repairs or getting a new bike.

 

[SkooterG]

Dude!!!!

WTF?!?!?!

I bet it was that POS ignition switch. It was *calling* the forest rat. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Glad you're ok, my brother.

So where's the piccie of the soiled shorts? And, I thought CBA types didn't actually go riding until like 10am or so, when there won't be any deer out, so what's up wit dat?

 

[dcarver]

Thank You Everyone for the concern and good wishes.

</B>Now, are you going to file and insurance claim? Or are you go8ing to call University Motors and get prices on all that must be R & R'd? I mean, you were looking for a Winter project, weren't you?

Insurance claim has been filed, adjuster is due to examine the bike Oct 1. I'm not going to attempt a self rebuild. I'm simply too busy with work, huge project that is due by 1/08, and I'm crunching to make that deadline. Immediately after that, I should be starting my 2nd job and that schedule is 70 hrs a week for 10 weeks. So, I'll let the pro's have at it for repair and/or wait for the 08.

If you don't mind me asking, how fast were you going?I wish your bike a quick recovery... at least your ignition switch was still working.

I had scrubbed quite a bit of speed prior to impact, my best guess, which I think is pretty accurate, is I hit between 42 and 50 mph. BTW, I guffawed last night when I read your ignition switch comment!

Holy shit! Was this your first deer strike? Any close calls before this? When you finally stopped, how far from the deer?

First deer strike with a bike. I have 120k on a 79 kz1300, 135k on an Ultra, 50k on 74 CB 750, 40k on the Feejer, so I guess I was overdue. I did hit a small doe with a 3/4 ton Ford PU 10 or so years ago - no damage to the truck.. (same truck in the pix below!) Here's a pic of what I think is the deer and the headlight is approximately where I stopped, maybe a bit further.

And when you shut it down, did the windscreen return to its down position?

Surprisingly enough, the instrument cluster (tach, speedo, dashboard) and windshield STILL WORK! The windscreen though does have a hitch in the get-a-long.

Guess you won't be in such a hurry for those brackets, yeah?

Exactly. I was wondering how I was going to get all that plastic off so as to tie into the high beam wire, but had no plans of getting there this way..

Does this mean we can't crash at your place after all? Jb

Jeesh JB, you had to use the C word? Of course you guyz can crash at the Hondarosa. I'm still riding, just back on the Ultra..

I think your bike is fixable. Think the insurance co. will total it?

Interesting question. I think it's right on the cusp, could go either way. The service manager knows the adjuster very well, said the adjuster assigned my case is the best, most reasonable, to work with. The instrument cluster and windshield appear to be functional, that might sway the decision to repair. On the other hand, if forks/tree/frame has damage then it looks like black is back.

Glad your OK!Now, when is the BBQ? I love venison! Ultimate revenge!

LOL. Asked my deer hunting buddy about that.. he says deer strike meat is no good. Too many poisons and adrenaline gets released into the meat, souring it. :angry: I did think about bringing Bambi home, decapitating her or something..

Question: not to side-track, but from a technical perspective, when Don "released" the front brake, they were still probably braking anyway though because he has/had an 06 and the linked brakes would SURELY have been kicked in if he was at full braking and the ABS was at work, right? Even though he released the front lever, at LEAST the linked portion of the front brakes was still in effect, so he was still somewhat compressed. It's unavoidable on an 06 and Don did the right thing, but is that a small-but-live-with-it drawback to the 06 linked brakes?

Interesting thought Rayban, and probably true. I did however release both brakes prior to impact, then took the MX stance of riding deep whoops; legs and arms ready to absorb shock, gripping the bike mid section with knees, ankles, thighs.
Call me lucky

 

[Ari Rankum]

Totally amazing story. I'm really impressed with the account of your riding. That's a hell of a save.

I'm also a big fan of that pic with the three dogs. That's an awesome shot - a real keeper.

 

[FJR_pig]

Man, you know how to pick them. That is a big deer! Way to stay on the bike.

This pic pretty much sums it up, Don. Very glad you're okay.

You can't substitute anything for riding experience. All those miles you have on your bikes surely got you through this, along with a bit o'luck.

 

[sonicspeed]

LOL. Asked my deer hunting buddy about that.. he says deer strike meat is no good. Too many poisons and adrenaline gets released into the meat, souring it. mad.gif I did think about bringing Bambi home, decapitating her or something..

ummmmm as a good southern boy that i am i can attest that fresh roadkill is good enough to eat....if you pick out the undamaged cuts of meat..... and i am glad you are OK