Raccoon. Seriously?

loadedthorn · 09-06-2007, 11:37 PM

That's what I thought when I went down tonight. I hit a raccoon. Actually, I braked and was about to miss it, but my front wheel caught the back end of it and somehow that was just enough to send me down on the left side. Interestingly enough, my right side suffered the injury so I don't really know what happened. I think just some scrapes and bruises, cause it was a pretty low speed (25mph maybe) wreck.

Left footpeg broke off, and the left front fairing bent down to prevent my handlebars from turning right. So I had to have my neighbor (who owns a 24 hour towing business thank you Jesus) come get me.

I'll post pictures tomorrow, but it looks like the frame is bent slightly through the tail section. Does this ruin any chance I have of selling the bike? It's not worth it for me to fix, so I'll probably be parting it out soon.

You know, hit a raccoon in a car and you just hear a bump. I think it'll be a while before I get another bike.

LITEITUP · 09-07-2007, 6:26 PM

Sucks to hear. Dont sell it. Fix it enough to get it on the track or the road, it doesnt need to look perfect to ride. Why do you say itll be a while before you get another bike? Are you quitting? Giving up?

nedro · 09-07-2007, 6:35 PM

My best friend from the age of 17 was a tow truck driver. He has since moved out of the area, but...
All I can say is that having a tow truck at your disposal is so much more valueable than any sorry @$$ed 911 system.

pmlavigne · 09-24-2007, 7:49 AM

Hitting a small animal at speed can hurt like hell at the least and be fatal at most- so here's the drill. If you have one of these critters run in front of you do NOT hit the brakes- nail the throttle. This will lighten the front end and minimize the chance of a low side and will give you enough momentum to power through the animal, keeping the bike going straight and upright. I know very well that this method is way easier said than done. Our instinct is to brake or ride around it. And I know first hand how a raccoon appears instantly in your headlight, giving you very little time to react. This is one reason why I refuse to ride in the country late at night. And by the way, this method does not apply to moose, deer, bears, cows, horses etc. for obvious reasons.

Twincam · 09-28-2007, 5:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmlavigne

Hitting a small animal at speed can hurt like hell at the least and be fatal at most- so here's the drill. If you have one of these critters run in front of you do NOT hit the brakes- nail the throttle. This will lighten the front end and minimize the chance of a low side and will give you enough momentum to power through the animal, keeping the bike going straight and upright. I know very well that this method is way easier said than done. Our instinct is to brake or ride around it. And I know first hand how a raccoon appears instantly in your headlight, giving you very little time to react. This is one reason why I refuse to ride in the country late at night. And by the way, this method does not apply to moose, deer, bears, cows, horses etc. for obvious reasons.

Haha, i think we would need abit more momentum to power through a moose, deer, bears, cows or horses... Might add some spikes and a scoop on the front..

jgercken · 11-06-2007, 7:33 PM

I hit a possum crossing a highway once. I didn't have time to avoid it so I just maintained speed and direction hitting it square on. There wasn't any blood anywhere to speak of but there was a deafening crunch that echoed in my head for miles. I shouldn't like to repeat the event anytime soon.

pizzaboy · 11-06-2007, 7:59 PM

Did you at least find him and make him into dinner ??

longbreakdown · 11-06-2007, 8:50 PM

That does suck dude, but don't give up. Get back on the iron horse.

Liteone-74 · 11-06-2007, 9:37 PM

Small critters can be a pain. i've gotten one taby, three rabbits, and a bunch of mice. so far not gone down. Probably because, like jgercken said, don't hit the brakes.

Have Blue · 12-26-2007, 1:15 PM

Awww you havent lived until you've been alligator jumping. :-)

CBR929RE · 12-26-2007, 2:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twincam

Haha, i think we would need abit more momentum to power through a moose, deer, bears, cows or horses... Might add some spikes and a scoop on the front..

I'm gonna go with a giant razor sharp blade. slice that bitch in half.

one summer I worked on Martha's Vineyard driving a bus. when we asked this one guy why he always drove with the bike rack down even if he wasn't carrying a bike he said "if I hit a deer I'm cutting that f*cker in half"

don't give up riding. if its just the subframe thats bent you can still ride it.

tymeshare · 12-31-2007, 4:43 AM

that sucks to hear...but subs are easy to staighten(aluminium..YEAHHH!)...and plastic?..who needs it?...pegs and clip-ons are a dime a dozen on e-bay...don't think that this doesn't happen to everyone..eventually...I hit a bird one tyme and it went through my windshield and hit me in the chin at something over a hundred mph(taught me to stay away from knock-off windscreens).

rvt1000 · 01-18-2008, 4:53 PM

raccoon fur can sell for good money...should've kept the bugger to pay off your deductible!

Twincam · 01-18-2008, 5:46 PM

Haha, i dont think he was thinking about that at the time..

What does racoon taste like?

-Z- · 01-19-2008, 10:15 AM

Man, sucks to hear that. Hopefully everything concerning the bike works out and you're up and riding soon again.

Until then, here are a couple of ideas for what to do with the raccoon.

Put a raccoon symbol on the side of the bike! Like wild west gunslingers putting notches in their handles or fighter pilots who paint silhouettes on their fighter's sides.

Or you could just cut it's tail off and attach it to the back of the bike, or even your helmet!

Have a buddy who took a wild turkey to the chest one time this summer. Feathers everywhere! Craziest part is that I was in the front and the only way I didn't hit the turkey is because he did some crazy Matrix/Jet Li style backflip right over me!

Twincam · 01-19-2008, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Z-

Craziest part is that I was in the front and the only way I didn't hit the turkey is because he did some crazy Matrix/Jet Li style backflip right over me!

Haha, why cant they all do that...?

Would cause less accidents!

CBR929RE · 01-19-2008, 2:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twincam

Haha, why cant they all do that...?

Would cause less accidents!

not all of them get the proper training.

Mr DB · 02-25-2008, 6:22 PM

THAT IS HILARIOUS... "there was a deafening crunch that echoed in my head for miles. I shouldn't like to repeat the event anytime soon." Man that is funny...

Mr DB · 02-25-2008, 6:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Have Blue

Awww you havent lived until you've been alligator jumping. :-)

You guys are a trip... lol lol...

954Regret · 03-10-2008, 9:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBR929RE

not all of them get the proper training.

Awesome!!

loadedthorn - Don't let this get you down stick with the ride it gets better.

Robins still have my vote for dumbest critter. Tallied 3 on one early morning ride. Straight out of the bushes on the side of the road. Took 1st one off the right foot peg, 1/2 mile down the road another off the helmet. Then 2 miles down the road caught another off the front windscreen.

Maybe I'm helping natural selection?

Surffrog · 03-11-2008, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 954Regret

Awesome!!

loadedthorn - Don't let this get you down stick with the ride it gets better.

Robins still have my vote for dumbest critter. Tallied 3 on one early morning ride. Straight out of the bushes on the side of the road. Took 1st one off the right foot peg, 1/2 mile down the road another off the helmet. Then 2 miles down the road caught another off the front windscreen.

Maybe I'm helping natural selection?

I guess it depends on the area. Frogs get my vote here. When it rains I'm forever catching them mid-jump on the foot pegs. First time it happened I thought I'd hit a stone or small rock thrown up by a car tyre. It wasn't unitl the next morning when I found the carcass still hanging on the peg and drying out nicely.

gagger · 03-11-2008, 1:53 AM

This is the best foum EVER...L O L
A turkey to the chest, clipping frogs running over racoons. HAHA
This is crazy. Thanks all for making my day I needed this....WOW!!

macca9540 · 03-11-2008, 3:44 AM

My dealings with road kill was back in the 70's when I rode into a herd of cows just on daylight. I was lucky enough to hit a cow side on in the head with the head light, but went down after that, then slid into the legs of another and got covered in s#*t for my troubles. The amazing part is I was only wearing an army coat over shorts and a t shirt with slip on work boots and only rashed my knee. The bloody farmer was only worried about who was going to pay for the 2 dead cows. He reckoned I was in the wrong, but I knew he was because it was dark and there was no one up the front of the herd warning on coming traffic, so we called the cops to sort it out.

Bigtoe · 03-11-2008, 8:16 AM

I agree with others not to brake when a small critter runs out in front of you. Often times when braking you will zone in on them and hit them anyway cause you are staring right at them.

Twincam · 03-11-2008, 5:50 PM

Yurp - just yank back the throttle and hold on tight..

steingar · 03-11-2008, 8:35 PM

Sucks for you. At least my crash was from a pedestrian.

GitGoFast · 03-19-2008, 4:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macca9540

He reckoned I was in the wrong, but I knew he was because it was dark and there was no one up the front of the herd warning on coming traffic, so we called the cops to sort it out.

Who won?

Surffrog · 03-20-2008, 5:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtoe

I agree with others not to brake when a small critter runs out in front of you. Often times when braking you will zone in on them and hit them anyway cause you are staring right at them.

Presumably this wouldn't be good advice when staring down a cow... Unless, of course, you wanted to leave this shitty world?

macca9540 · 03-20-2008, 7:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GitGoFast

Who won?

The nice policeman took me aside and advised me I was probably in the right except for the speed he guessed I was doing and the length of the rear wheel skid mark that was from here to eternity on the road so the farmer and I agreed to disagree and called it quits as there was no witness for either of us. He had 2 dead cows and I had a bent bike, but I know I came out in front dollar wise.

Twincam · 03-20-2008, 3:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surffrog

Unless, of course, you wanted to leave this shitty world?

isnt there easier ways...?

Quote:

Originally Posted by macca9540

He had 2 dead cows and I had a bent bike, but I know I came out in front dollar wise.

I wonder whats the retail of a cow?