Road Hazards

[sd2003]

While returning home early yesterday evening, I ran into a flock (cloud) of Starling like birds that swooped right down in front of me while traveling 65+ mph. I didn't have a chance for any avoidance type manuevers so I put my head down and prayed for the best. The feathers and plastic went flying. The left side (hand guard) of my new Givi shield broke off and I took it and one of the birds on my gloved knuckle. Other than a broken shield and bruised knuckle, I came away mostly unscathed. Not sure how many birds I actually hit, but I'm really glad I had the windshield. Be careful out there.

[Shfls]

While returning home early yesterday evening, I ran into a flock (cloud) of Starling like birds that swooped right down in front of me while traveling 65+ mph. I didn't have a chance for any avoidance type manuevers so I put my head down and prayed for the best. The feathers and plastic went flying. The left side (hand guard) of my new Givi shield broke off and I took it and one of the birds on my gloved knuckle. Other than a broken shield and bruised knuckle, I came away mostly unscathed. Not sure how many birds I actually hit, but I'm really glad I had the windshield. Be careful out there.

I've seen those big flocks many times, but they always got out of the way in plenty of time. How bizarre that you would hit them! You should be grateful you weren't riding a naked bike. I can't imagine what your chest would've looked like.

I shall be extra vigilant now.

DH

[Chris Eberhart]

A friend of mine was riding naked on the interstate a few years ago when a sparrow hit him in the chest. It knocked him off the bike and broke two ribs. One of the motorists who stopped said that he was sliding down the highway in sitting position with his arms still stretched out in front of him. He was able to get his bike out of the ditch and continue on his way.
An acquaintance was hit in the face shield by a starling on the interstate. He did not see it, those riding with him did, all he knew was that he was riding along, heard a whack, and suddenly two vertebrae in his neck were cracked.
It is because of incidents like that that I always wear protective gear and always have a face shield at higher speeds.

[williamr]

...And having been hit in the eye a couple of times by flying insects, eye protection is a must even at low speeds.

Rob

[Harry H]

A friend of mine was riding naked on the interstate a few years ago

Blimey, you'd get arrested for that in the UK. And bloody cold

[breausaw]

Years ago I hit what I believe was an Artic Turn on the Seward Hwy in Alaska; it was dark so didn’t see it coming. Scarred the s—t out of me along with the wind; had to have been doing 65 mph or better.
The year was 1974 and the bike was a 1968 British made Indian 500 cc single 4 stroke, my first bike. The dang thing vibrated so bad you had to use thread lock on every bolt, and the kick starter could make a grown man cry.

[williamr]

Years ago I hit what I believe was an Artic Turn on the Seward Hwy in Alaska; it was dark so didn’t see it coming. Scarred the s—t out of me along with the wind; had to have been doing 65 mph or better.
The year was 1974 and the bike was a 1968 British made Indian 500 cc single 4 stroke, my first bike. The dang thing vibrated so bad you had to use thread lock on every bolt, and the kick starter could make a grown man cry.

Are you sure that it was a '68 Indian. I thought they'd ceased production in the late 50s.

Rob

[breausaw]

Are you sure that it was a '68 Indian. I thought they'd ceased production in the late 50s.

Rob

Actually now that I think about it the bike was a 1970 Indian Valo 500, here’s a link that will explain a little of the history.

http://motorcycles.about.com/cs/indi...ianbikes_3.htm

[williamr]

Actually now that I think about it the bike was a 1970 Indian Valo 500, here’s a link that will explain a little of the history.

http://motorcycles.about.com/cs/indi...ianbikes_3.htm

Thanks for that info. I don't they were ever sold in the UK after the demise of the original factory.

Yours had the Velocette single engine, which is interesting because I thought that Velocette had ceased production about 5 years earlier after it became part of AMC. A couple of friends had 'Thruxton' Velocettes using that engine, but they were late 50s clubmans bikes, competetitors to the DBD34 Gold Star.

The only Velo I can remember seeing new was an LE, which was a water cooled 200cc flat twin with shaft drive - originally known as a 'noddy bike' because the police used them in citys, the last version had a nice twin headlamp glassfibre fairing.

Rob