From now on, They're DEAD!

[72chevelleOhio]

Well, I was riding home this evening. Distracted because work, the idiots on the highway (trying to race me) and I had to watch my speed due to all the cops out.

I come to a small dip in the road and see beady little eyes glowing on the shoulder of the road. I let off and ride on the center line, and a raccoon decides he want to run diagonally across the road. I hit the brakes and swerve behind him thinking he was just going to keep running. Well he stops and shuffles. I was in too high of gear to power out around him so I swerve back the other way (into the opposite lane) because he took a few steps back the way he came. Then he decides to run again.....RIGHT INTO MY BIKE! .

I cussed so loud I hope I woke the neighbors. I was so mad! I just knew the plastic was screwed. I got home and cleaned the bike. Sure enough, my graphics have knicks in them and there is a scratch about an inch long where his face hit. The knicks are low (claws?), but the scratch is up where you can see it. Yeah, its on the right side, so when its on the stand its right there! (well, I know its there at least... )

I hopped in the truck and when back to the spot. There were two dead, the one I think I hit had his brains smeared all over the pavement by the time I got back there.....too little to late IMO. I was looking for more and will be "hunting" them when I am in the truck from now on. I don't care if I have to drive up on someones lawn, its getting ran the f**k over!!! and I may turn around to do a "victory burnout" on it!! F**K THEM MUTHA F**KERS, RAHHHHHH!!

Yes, I know its my fault. .........but, you wanna buy a hat?

/rant

[jeffcoslacker]

The best course of action with low profile smaller animals is not to try to dodge them, they'll usually screw you up like that. Run a wheel over one in the middle of a swerving or braking move and you're going down.

Instead you wanna get a good grip on the bars, lift your butt off the seat slightly with knees bent and roll on the throttle....rolling on makes the bike decompress the front suspension and allows more fork travel to absorb the hit, getting off the seat allows the rear to hop the animal without launching you off the bike, your knees will flex and hopefully take much of the shock and keeps your feet on the pegs before you get booted by the back of the bike coming up to meet you...

You have to remember that no matter what it feels like, the objective is to land it in the direction of your original path...it feels like hell, but as long as you stay on top and have a grip on it, you'll come out OK...

Also there is the element they use sometimes in racing, aim for the crash car, and it'll be out of your way by the time you get there....try to avoid and it will spin into your escape route every time...by deciding to intercept the animal and just getting ready for it, you almost guarantee he'll go somewhere else....

I've hit a raccoon carcass with a bike, I know it works. The biggest element is being prepared for just how forcefully the seat comes up and hits you, you have to keep your feet on the pegs and stay on the bike...

[MagicRat]

Well, it could have been worse. It could have been a deer, etc.

Most of my riding is done in rural areas and the idea of some suicidal animal running out concerns me more than the little old ladies turning left.

[72chevelleOhio]

I think what makes me mad the most is that I knew the correct way to avoid it..
Since I got this bike brand new, For whatever reason I went from "prepare yourself" to "Oh, gawd, not the bike".. at the last minute it "clicked" and I did run over him straight, knees bent etc..(back wheel must have only caught his paws, it wasnt like I ran over a 2x4, but it did jump up)

...the old bike I managed to run over dead animals, boards and a fist sized rock with no problems. The rock made me sway, but not to a chance of me downing it. (my county is pretty....uh...trashy )

I can't believe the amount of people that want to mess with a guy on a sportbike. My old cruisers, I got pulled out in front of all the time. This one, its like they wait on me to pass and then race all around me, tailgate, and stay in the blind spots hopeing to see something they can post on YouTube...Its frustrating and I was simmering on that when I came up on the raccoon. He was hiding in the low spot on the road.

....I should have stuck to cruisers. I wanted a Night Train for a long time, but maybe I'll just go steal rich's Fatboy..
Riding used to be a release, I don't feel that way on the sportbike..

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by 72chevelleOhio

I can't believe the amount of people that want to mess with a guy on a sportbike. My old cruisers, I got pulled out in front of all the time. This one, its like they wait on me to pass and then race all around me, tailgate, and stay in the blind spots hopeing to see something they can post on YouTube...Its frustrating and I was simmering on that when I came up on the raccoon. He was hiding in the low spot on the road.

....I should have stuck to cruisers. I wanted a Night Train for a long time, but maybe I'll just go steal rich's Fatboy..
Riding used to be a release, I don't feel that way on the sportbike..

The safest I ever felt on a bike was when I had that '89 Kawasaki 1000 Police Special, straight from the St Louis District 3 PD...that thing just commanded respect. Funny how people can turn left or change lanes into any normal cycle, but they see a cop bike a mile away and track it until it's out of sight....

[jeffcoslacker]

[ChvyS10Racer214]

kinda off topic here but you think you could post a bigger pic of the bike n what make and model is it? looks pretty nice from that little pic u have.. n ill help u hunt the bastards down.. cant tell u how many times they've jumped out in fromnt of me haha

[ChvyS10Racer214]

kinda off topicbut could u post a bigger pic of ur bike by any chance? n ill help u hunt down them racoons.. cant tell u how many times they have jumped in front of me haha

[72chevelleOhio]

Well, I cleaned waxed and re-waxed. I got it down to looking like rock chips and a bug splatter, so I am calm.....I'm still planning on running raccoons over though.

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

Why sell it? (or are selling), looks to be in perfect shape...

Originally Posted by ChvyS10Racer214

kinda off topic here but you think you could post a bigger pic of the bike n what make and model is it?

Welcome to AF!
Mine is a 2008 Yamaha R6. All my latest pics are crappy, and this is the best out of them. I just put on the flush mount turn signals and fender eliminator in this pic.

This thread has the pics when I first got it about a month ago.

[richtazz]

Originally Posted by 72chevelleOhio

....I should have stuck to cruisers. I wanted a Night Train for a long time, but maybe I'll just go steal rich's Fatboy..

Riding used to be a release, I don't feel that way on the sportbike..

I wouldn't advise it , you think that racoon looks bad? This bike owner shoots first, asks questions later,

Seriously though, that does suck that it had to jump out in front of your new bike. There's nothing worse than the first scratches on your new toy. At least you have an entertaining story to go with it instead of "I dumped it in a parking lot" or something stupid.