Headbutted a pheasant today

Jerry

2016
CBR650F ABS
May 18, 2017
The Netherlands
I was on my way to work. Was a little early so I decided to take a small detour. There's a small stretch of road next to some open grasslands which is nice because I don't think I've ever seen another vehicle on there and I get to enjoy the typical Dutch view of long stretches of nothing but flat grass. Going about 50-ish or so (kph) I decided to open up the throttle a bit. I was going about 90kph when I noticed a group of birds sitting to the left side of the road. One of 'em decided to cross the road in front of me. So I subtly hit the brakes to slow down a bit and give the bird a chance to cross the road before I got to him. Being focused on the crossing bird, I initially didn't notice another bird still sitting on the side of the road deciding now would be a good moment to take flight across the road. I noticed it after it took off and saw it coming straight at my head. I kind of ducked so it would hit the top of my helmet rather than the visor. I guess I hit the animal at 65-70kph or so. It felt pretty heavy but didn't hurt at all. I stopped to check the bird was ok. Was a little difficult to identify the one I hit but I didn't see any ones dazed or hurt so I guess it's ok. I checked my helmet for any damage but there was none. Do you think hitting a 1kg bird at 70kph does any internal damage to the helmet?
 

GPJake

2014
CBR650F
650 Alumnus
Staff
Mar 8, 2015
United States / Northern KY
Riding Since
2004
I personally wouldn't worry about the helmet. What brand is it? Sone will let you ship it to them for free inspection... But I (personally) wouldn't do that either.

Lastly, I got a decent laugh at the thread title 😂🤣🤯🐦
 

iR72

650 Alumnus
Mar 15, 2015
Sevenoaks, England
Pheasants, I encounter then quite often, damn they are stupid birds.
They run towards the lights
They stop at lines
They really are not adept at take off

Although I have occasional encountered them on the CBR most of my crossings with these feathered meals are on my zed,and;
I have had the joy of hurtling along the country road and having to look twice as there is a pheasant running full speed along the yellow verge line. To be fair it was going faster than some of the cars I have to pass.

I have had the pleasure of having to brake for the stupid things in the fog as they appear in it usually running straight at you as you approach them. It is that run towards the light thing.

I have video of the wife and I riding through about 40 of them all milling around the side of the road. I swear they were watching both Hondas eyeing them out, "think why would we cross the road if we where chickens we would."

I too have had the misfortune of impacting one. I came up over the crest and I see this pheasant in the other lane doing only the gods know what pheasants do on the roads. But it sees and hears me. I know it’s going to do that thing where it runs across the road trying to take flight instead of just running to the nearest side. So I prepare start to move over to the left – the bird starts to accelerate – bird then stops dead at the lane split line on the road – bird then looks and starts to take flight – I now cannot swerve right as there is oncoming traffic so brace for impact – right knee impacts with pheasant. I describe it like kneeing a frozen chicken just at 70 :angelic:– my knee is fine it is armoured not so sure about bird. All I can say is the next morning there was bits of meat everywhere, was it me or was it a car strike or did something have a feast on the road.

I swear one wanted to mate with the bike. The zeds horn at times sounded like a strangled goose (I have since replaced the Denali mini bomb on it) but one morning carving through the farm lands I notice a small gaggle of pheasants running along a farmers field entrance road so I know there going to be more of the things so I back off on an approaching blind bend. As I exit it, there is the middle of the lane is a pheasant doing the Road Runner eating in the middle of the road, it turns, looks at the approaching noise – turns and starts to run along the road in front of the bike. So I blow the horn – I kid you not – the frigging thing stops turns, cocks its head and starts running towards the bike so – I blow the horn again and start to swerve (again there is a car approaching from the other side) but by now the bird has realised the big black and green thing is not what it thought. But it is now attempting to take off It swoops back into my side of the road as the car is suddenly where it was – I had to duck but missed a head impact.

I await my next encounter, not. If I road with a shotgun I would eat a lot of pheasant.

If you thing the impact on your helmet was worse than a heavy drop then yes you can assume that the internal protection has been compromised as it will have done what it is designed to do. But if you and the bird where not to dazed and confused or seeing stars and other birds flying around your heads then I think your helmet will be ok. But what an excuse to get a new one :droid:
 

miweber929

2014
CBR650F
650 Alumnus
Staff
Feb 13, 2015
Woodbury, MN
Riding Since
1975
If you don’t see anything that looks like damage, I’d say you’re fine to keep using it.

Glad it wasn’t worse, my dad hit a turkey on the way to the superbike races 20+ years ago or so which totaled his bike (it was a beautiful ‘82 or so GS650E Suzuki he had just bought from the original owner) and broke his wrist. Birds suck.
 

Thomas

2015
CBR650F ABS
650 Alumnus
Apr 8, 2017
Germany
Leaked footage of Jerry this morning.


I once missed a buzzard by around 3cm. Could already smell his panic poop.
I saw that :asshat: launching from that wooden pole he sat on coming directly in my direction.
Happened really fast but luckily I was able to duck away.
Prevented quite some mess. With my speed that would probably have been his last flight.

And regarding the helmet I would get it tested. Safe is safe.
 

Jerry

2016
CBR650F ABS
May 18, 2017
The Netherlands
It felt like someone dropped a bag of rice on my helmet. I guess it's still OK, not too worried about it.

Reminds me of this situation some time ago where birds actually helped me. I was riding behind a big van. Couldn't see too sell ahead so I kept my distance. The road made an ever so slight bend to the right. Some way ahead of the van I saw some birds sitting on the road. I thought it were ducks at first, so I expected the van to slow down. It didn't really though but then I saw the birds fly away (they were Jackdaws). So I thought OK, they're gone. But then I thought, why were there a bunch of jackdaws sitting in the middle of the road? I realized there must be something there for them to eat, probably a dead animal or something. I slowed down a bit to be safe. Then the carcass of a dead hare appeared under the van as it drove over it. Because I expected something to be there I could easily evade the dead animal. If the birds hadn't been there, I probably wouldn't have seen the hare due to the van blocking my view. The van just passed over it but since I ride more or less in the middle of the road, I would've hit it if I hadn't been able to evade.
 

Jerry

2016
CBR650F ABS
May 18, 2017
The Netherlands
Leaked footage of Jerry this morning.
Hah, yeah I immediately thought of Iannone having a run in with that seagull as well :)
He hit the beast with his fairing though, which broke off quite a piece of it. They had some shots of it after the race. That was one of the most epic MotoGP races ever by the way :)
 

Thomas

2015
CBR650F ABS
650 Alumnus
Apr 8, 2017
Germany
Hah, yeah I immediately thought of Iannone having a run in with that seagull as well :)
He hit the beast with his fairing though, which broke off quite a piece of it. They had some shots of it after the race.
Yes, you can also see it in real slow motion.
But I still think this is hilarious!
But the amount of triggered people commenting on that was insane.
Comments reaching from "the poor bird" up to "You egoistic *** should die for killing an animal just for the attempt to win a race.....".
I don´t like seeing dead birds or something but calm down, it was an accident and at least the bird was dead in a second without suffering....
Some people these days......
 

Thomas

2015
CBR650F ABS
650 Alumnus
Apr 8, 2017
Germany
I think you did well to avoid a big impact, quick thinking batman.It makes you realise how vulnerable we are.
Guess I´m glad that I´m not batman. With this helmets and those "ears" I maybe would have scratched that sucker :smuggrin:


wildcrumbs-003-bathelm.jpg


Yes, vulnerable indeed. But no risk no fun, am I right... You can´t avoid everything but you can at least try to.
 

Thomas

2015
CBR650F ABS
650 Alumnus
Apr 8, 2017
Germany
🤔 explain that I'm thick.
I´m sure there are some German helmets left from 70 years ago. They might be cheap and all (which most likely isn´t the case) but those come with a "logo" you don´t really want to wear on your helmet.
 
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