Bike Crash, we both lost... the deer and I

[CaptainJoe]

My wife and I were on the way home from Elizabeth, Wv and I was on my 650 V-star as my 2007 rsmv is in the shop for radio, windshield, and rear shock. She was on her 250 V-Star about 60 yrds behind me.

Thank god my Wife is ok with only a few scratches on her bike.

Well a deer ran out in front of me as I was riding about 45mph at 7 pm. I locked both brakes hoping he could scoot across the road in front of me. No such luck. He hit me dead square at about the headlight and side and took the bike out from under me. broke the left floorboard and bent the handlebars. I think the handlebars got me as I was flying over bike as I now have two broken ribs on left side, over my heart. Hurts like the dickens. The bad thing is, I know for a fact that this will hurt for about 6 weeks. When I was taking martial arts classes I guess I got a little cocky with my instructor and he un-intentionally broke the last lower rib on my left side.

Deer had to be shot as it busted it up pretty bad.

lessonS learned:

Always wear a full face helmet (if I can fighure out how to send a picture of it I will).

Always wear a Joe Rocket or like breatheable and padded Motorcycle Jacket.

Alway wear gloves (my half gloves protected all but outside of my right wrist).

Always wear steel toe boots.

Am going to look into vented / armored pants as I have road rash on both knees.

I hit deer hit at 45 mph and I came away from it with just two brokeb ribs.... I thinK I'm very luck, The big guy must have been watching over my wife and I:2143:...

Edited April 30, 2010 by CaptainJoe

[Sleeperhawk]

Dang, glad you only came out with a couple busted ribs.

[Guest scarylarry]

Anytime we walk from a spill we are lucky, glad u are ok...

Are you having us over for some deer roast?

 

[Skid]

Glad to hear you're mostly OK Joe.....

[Guest Ken8143]

So glad you and the wife came out of this with minimal damage. Bikes can be replaced ...

[Wanderer]

Sure coulda been a lot worster! Glad all worked out for you'ns.

[RandyR]

Take a look at these.

 

http://bohn-armor-pants.com

 

You can wear them under jeans or leathers

[CaptainJoe]

Thanks everyone.

The hardest part is that I won't be able to do too much work the next couple of days, and I'm a workaholic...

Oh well, they are calling for rain tomorrow and for the next couple of days after that.

Will give me time to look for a new HJC Helmet'withflip down sun shades" and a set of mesh pants with reinforced knees to go with my Joe Rocket Jacket, for my wife and I.

Would have been nice if there had been a chest protector built into my coat. Probablly wouldn't have broken my ribs. Have one for my dirt bike, a 2000 model RM 250 Susuki and I know for a fact that had I been wearing that, I would have walked away from that crash, with just a couple of brush burns... as it was, I was unconsious for a couple of minutes with blurry vision for about 20 minutes.

Told my wife no more riding in WV after 5pm for us. There are just "WAY TO MANY DEER on the road after that for me".

We got back from the hospital around 1:30 am ish last nite and there were 4 deer at various places in the road .

Dr's were amazed at what little damage I had and kept saying that my gear saved me from a hosipital stay and some lengthy surgeries.

I am going to throw my half helmet away... I hit so hard with my full face helmet that I blacked out. It's just not worth it to me now.

My only hope is anyone reading this learns from my oversights and adjusts accordingly. I've been in some horrific crashes on dirt bikes in the past but have always walked away from them with the exception of torn ligaments in my right ankle and a spiral break on my right leg. I attribute that fact, to the protective gear I was using.

[CaptainJoe]

About the deer... hopefully the nice people that flagged down the cars, kept them from hitting me and put it of its misery used the meat.

I really hate wasting anything.

Mental note... Buy deer whistles for the bikes also!

 

Thanks Randy... I will definately check those pants out!

[Flyinfool]

About the deer... hopefully the nice people that flagged down the cars, kept them from hitting me and put it of its misery used the meat.

I really hate wasting anything.

Mental note... Buy deer whistles for the bikes also!

 

Thanks Randy... I will definately check those pants out!

 

Glad to hear that you and the wife are gonna be fine.

 

Wisconsin has a LOT of deer too.

I have done a lot of experimenting with deer whistles over the years.

What I have found is that the deer walking across the road will hear the whistle and stop right in front of you. They hear the vehicle coming but that is a "normal" sound for them to be hearing along a road so they pay it no attention, the whistle is a new sound so they stop, right in the middle of the road, to check it out. The best deer mover that I have found is a VERY LOUD air horn to scare the crap out of them. If you scare them, they will run away first and figure out what it was later.

 

I am also thinking of putting the same Fog lights on my bike as I have on my truck, they put most of the beam off to the sides to let me see those deer on the shoulder or coming across an open field long before they get near the road. Normal driving and passing lights do not do that nearly as well.

[dynodon]

Hit my first dear in almost 46 years of driving last year in a car. Never saw the deer, just a hit to the LF and luckily it was a small one.

 

If you are buying whistles, (and understand, I am dubious about their effectiveness, but hey, like chicken soup for a cold, it can't hurt.) check out this one:

 

http://www.deerwhistle.com/?gclid=COXk8ZTArqECFU3X5wodXzPl-w

 

I have used these for a couple decades, they didn't help with that one deer hit, but I have seen many a deer look at me and turn around. Funny thing is when I asked the body shop to take the whistle off the front bumper cover and put it in the glove box....could hear them laughing all the way back in the shop! (I knew that would happen!)

 

There is an active noise maker thing that some motorcyclists rely on, I haven't bought one, but you might consider it too.

 

Lots of deer in most parts of the country. Glad you weren't hurt worse.

[Flyinfool]

That deer whistle website FAQ supports what I just said.

 

Q. Will the whistle scare the deer away?

A. The whistle will alert the animal of your approaching vehicle with sufficient time to avoid a costly collision. Deer are a highly skittish animal and will normally react to the whistle by stopping, looking, and listening to determine if they are being threatened.

 

The deer tend to stop look and listen right in the middle of the road.

[CaptainJoe]

Sounds like good advice to me. Lots of lights and Noise!

When I do night landings over at Ravenswood airport I ALWASY BUZZ the runway first to scare them away. I don't know wether its the grass on either side of the runway or something else, but they sure DO like TO congreate...

WORDS OF WISDOM.... Don't even think about landing there after 5-6pm without buzzing runway first, Ive seen more than one wreck between deer and airplanes and they are not only not purdy, they are unbeliveably expensive!

 

Hummmmmm... Wolo air horn on the 650 "I like it"...

MIGHT NEED ONE for THE CESSNA 150

 

THAT, OR, MAYBE SOME 50 CAL GUNS LIKE IS ON THE A10 WARTHOG so I can clear a path, mow the lawn.....

[pktexas]

Glad to hear you and the wife are ok. Take care and heal soon. Hope you still get to go to a launch.

[Lone Eagle]

Glad to read that you and your wife came out of this fairly well.

[CaptainJoe]

Thanks Guys.

I'm still going to the launch, My ribs are already busted and it won't make them any worse.

My wife knows I'm stubborn when I set my mind to something.

[MikeWa]

It's good to hear you guys made it through this ordeal. Very scary and could have ended up much worse. To bad for the dear too. Dear will frequently jump out in front of you, especially at night. That is because the escape route which gives them the best visibility often involves crossing the road. Even more so at night if the road is lit up by headlights. They just don't recognize headlights coming at them as a problem so they become mesmerized and then blinded. Whistles sometimes work sometimes not. Perhaps someone can invent a whistle that sounds like a coyote or bear or something.

Mike

[Brake Pad]

Hit my first dear in almost 46 years of driving last year in a car. Never saw the deer, just a hit to the LF and luckily it was a small one.

 

If you are buying whistles, (and understand, I am dubious about their effectiveness, but hey, like chicken soup for a cold, it can't hurt.) check out this one:

 

http://www.deerwhistle.com/?gclid=COXk8ZTArqECFU3X5wodXzPl-w

 

I have used these for a couple decades, they didn't help with that one deer hit, but I have seen many a deer look at me and turn around. Funny thing is when I asked the body shop to take the whistle off the front bumper cover and put it in the glove box....could hear them laughing all the way back in the shop! (I knew that would happen!)

 

There is an active noise maker thing that some motorcyclists rely on, I haven't bought one, but you might consider it too.

 

Lots of deer in most parts of the country. Glad you weren't hurt worse.

 

I can tell you the Deer whistles really work, the doe, came down over a small hill, and stopped dead in front of me. Yep, They work well, deer 1 -- Bike zero:doh:

[RandyR]

I can tell you the Deer whistles really work, the doe, came down over a small hill, and stopped dead in front of me. Yep, They work well, deer 1 -- Bike zero:doh:

 

I think this has been pointed out before. But the only sure fire deer repellent is to hang a hunting license and orange cap on the front of the bike...

[Zfrebird4]

I am installing this electronic deer whistle which is recommended on our site in the tech library.

 

www.deer-whistle.come/technical.html

 

It has an effective range of 700 feetIn 076 it was $68.95 in black or $74.95 in chrome. Easy to install and comes with all the wiring. Call: 800-690-0132

 

After ca $200 with my wrench for new throttle cables, this is my next goal, ... and essential in CO. Be sure an install and off and on switch in case you are coming up on a horse rider or folks walking their dogs. Otherwise you could continue to be safe and STILL very unpopular.

 

Sure glad the two of you came out of that good. Drove through a deer in OH; but one put me down near Paonia, CO. It's time JZ! (Yup, talking to myself).

 

LOL.

 

JackZ

aka

DePreach

 

[CaptainJoe]

After a lot of reading I have decided to go with the electronic version of the Hornet deer whistle.

 

www.deer-whistle.com/technical.html

 

Was told the cheap air operated whistles won't work on a motorcycle as they can't get

enough air/are not loud enough? Anyway, they are a kurayakan item so they are on sale for 10% off this month at Country Chrome, so I'm picking Two tomorrow.

 

Also got a pair of Joe Rocket 734 gloves for the wife and I.

 

We're starting to look like Mr and Mrs ROAD WARRIOR!

 

MAKE A PATH DEER!

 

HERE WE COME!

 

Thanks for all your help!

[bigbob]

To me whistle can scare a deer on the road when in the ditch. You never know where they will go . just luck of the draw. I don't use them.

 

Ride safe Bob

[Zfrebird4]

... the hornet, ... as it offers the max protection. Just time to bite another bullet for my beloved ZFrebird! ... and for me. Thanks all for posting.

 

JackZ

 

:mo money:

[Yammer Dan]

How did I miss this??

Glad you weren't hurt any worse Joe. I wear the fullfaced helmet and nothing else. Try to keep as much gear on as possible. I've still got leather but have been looking at some of the textile stuff.

 

Hope you heal quick. Ribs are nasty. Expect about 10 weeks.

[Aussie Annie]

Hope you heal fast Joe. Over here it's kangaroo's!! Same thing......just when you think you are okay the dang thing will turn and try to go THROUGH you and the bike Some of the big grey's stand over six feet..very scarey!!!!!