Turkey buzzard hits, kills motorcyclist

[larry kahn]

Seeing wildlife ahead is about the only time I use my horn. Do it as soon as you see them and be slowing too. Squirrel, deer, vultures, anything. Gives them more notice you're coming and can at least start to get moving.

 

[rsrider]

After reading so many moto-meets-wildlife stories, I have to believe there is only one course of action -

Stay loose, hold on, and keep on the gas.

Dunno know if it will work, dunno if I'll remember to do it, but there ya' go.

I really don't think staying on the gas is a good strategy. If you're moving fast, and they don't see you, what will get their attention is your sound (I'm assuming that Vultures can hear :|). So they hear you, but you're traveling at speed and are right on them (this is my experience) and the first thing they're going to do is fly. These birds are big and heavy, and it takes them a few seconds and some distance to get above 10 feet. This means, you're traveling towards them, at speed, while they are trying to get airborne. I've encountered many vultures on the road, and IF I had stayed at the speed I was traveling when I observed them, I would have hit them (almost certain). That's why I've always slowed down. I also blast my horn. By the time I get there, they are just getting out of the way.

 

[bluenoser]

My buddy Joe hit one out at Berryessa on his K1200S at about 60-75.

God, those things have some seriously disgusting smelling guts! Ug. His garage still stank like two weeks later. Had guts on his Shoei and leathers.

Fairings ftw.

Don't know if it's the same story, but I recall hearing about a turkey buzzard exploding on the front fairing of a bike, spraying the bird's guts (and whatever the bird was eating that day) all over the rider's jacket and helmet. I can't begin to fathom what partially-digested roadkill smells like.

My condolences to the family, to lose one so young in such a seemingly inexplicable tragedy.

 

[Brown81]

Don't know if it's the same story, but I recall hearing about a turkey buzzard exploding on the front fairing of a bike, spraying the bird's guts (and whatever the bird was eating that day) all over the rider's jacket and helmet. I can't begin to fathom what partially-digested roadkill smells like.

That is exactly what happened.

 

[gixxerjeff]

*enter gratuitous Harley rant here*
LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES!

 

[louemc]

Don't know if it's the same story, but I recall hearing about a turkey buzzard exploding on the front fairing of a bike, spraying the bird's guts (and whatever the bird was eating that day) all over the rider's jacket and helmet. I can't begin to fathom what partially-digested roadkill smells like.

I know exactly what partially digested dead meat smells like. A turkey Buzzard threw up on me. I didn't see the Buzzard fly-in feast going on, on a dead stear in a field I was going past. The first thing I saw (I was wearing a dirt helmet) was black feathers at the edge of the visor. Then Whap the bird unloaded on me. I have to suspect it knew it needed to lighten it's load to gain altitude.

The meat was in long-ish strings, and slimy. A stink that had a strength that could of pealed paint (seemed like it would of).

After that event, then I saw the group of Buzzards out at the dead stear.

 

[ohio]

Good buddy hit a turkey buzzard out on his sumo on 1 a few years ago, mid corner. Low-side into some rocks. Dislocated shoulder and a lot of broken bones. Dumb birds that love roadkill... this is why I ride at 50% on the streets.

 

[larry kahn]

http://www.natureali.org/TVfacts.htm

 

[larry kahn]

Forgot this was rider down thread. RIP.

 

[budman]

that sucks.

I have seen a rider shread thru a rabbit on Willow Springs in turn 8. Split it in 1/2 and he barely moved.. he was going about 130MPH at night (it was a 24 hour race).

I just asked him about it.. and he did not even know he had hit one..!

Godspeed young man..

very sad for his family as well.

 

[MCSFTGUY]

These things are not just outside of the city areas. I know I saw a wild turkey flying about 15 feet above the freeway where the 680 s/b rolls into the 24 w/b about 2 months ago... about the same time a friend of mine said he came up on one in the Caldecott about 0630 in the morning on his way into work... no telling what you will see or when you will see it.

 

[Xof711]

That sucks man! Freaking 18!! RIP bro...

 

[SuperMike]

RIP rider.

Seeing wildlife ahead is about the only time I use my horn. Do it as soon as you see them and be slowing too. Squirrel, deer, vultures, anything. Gives them more notice you're coming and can at least start to get moving.

I've found as well that animals respond to the horn more predictably than they do to the lights, or the sound of the motor. Especially if you have a LOUD horn.

 

[Nemesis]

So sad. Can't imagine how the parents feel.

Am I d!ck for saying this: It's probably safe to say they won't be eating turkey for Thanksgiving.

And I don't even mean that as a joke. I'm serious. I know some families who have lost their child during a holiday weekend/month and they don't celebrate it anymore for the shear fact that it reminds them of their lost.

 

[maxandgrinch]

RIP rider.

I've found as well that animals respond to the horn more predictably than they do to the lights, or the sound of the motor. Especially if you have a LOUD horn.

RIP rider.

That horn is available at local Genuine Scooter dealers for cheaper...... Yes, it really does need the relay and 30A fuse.

 

[ThumperX]

RIP Rider
...I'm a lucky one (and I know it,) I've lived through all my wildlife encounters.

 

[budgie45]

i ran over a ratcoon one night coming back from work 3 am in the morning on the bandit,

i was lucky i didn;t get killed freaked the fuck out of me,

 

[crick]

The owner of Motowrx almost caught an owl to the head riding home after dark one night on a back country road. Caught a flash of white in the headlight, and reflexively flinched a little to the side... it barely caught him, enough to pull a couple of feathers out... that would have ended badly had he not flinched.

i've killed 2 owls in my car like that???? it was late at night and all of a sudden BAM. scariest thing ever. on a bike, it sure would be fatal.

This is one of those out of the norm tragedies

 

[Gnarly Cranium]

Am I d!ck for saying this: It's probably safe to say they won't be eating turkey for Thanksgiving.

This was not a turkey, gobble gobble, pretty feathers, eat it at dinner turkey. This was a vulture, larger and much smellier and not at all sanitary for eating at thanksgiving.

I saw many of these on my ride out to Point Reyes on Tuesday. One of them dipped very, very close in front of me, enough that I actually ducked my head instinctively. They are not very smart and don't think very fast, but they are large and I could definitely see it being a big problem. They are still birds though, and not huge like a deer-- at lower speeds it may be possible to take the hit and keep rolling if you can just stay focused... through your new extra-stinky flesh vomit hairnet.

 

[VelocityStack]

RIP to the rider. So young..

On a ride at skaggs, a sparrow sized bird ran into me at speed. 5 minutes later, a turkey vulture darts into my friend's chest at speed. The impact knocked his entire upper torso back so that his hands could no longer reach the handlebars. I was right behind him to watch the entire event and still could not believe it. The turkey vulture was still flapping its wings in my friend's arms and blocking his vision. I'm glad he saved it. It was like the bird tried to attack him. Two dead birds in five minutes.