Took my first "long" trip on the GV650.

[flamin lib]

300 miles round trip on some twisty N Texas roads. Had a good time but it was an expensive trip--hit a bird, smashed the face-shield on my helmet and lost my Serengetti sunglasses.

More like he hit me. I was crusin' at 'bout 70 and he flew diagonally from the left side of the road to the right about a foot off the ground. He was well past the shoulder of the road. Just before I passed him he changed his mind and flipped up and back to the left. I couldn't have him more square if I were parked and somebody threw him at me. Right between the eyes. All I could see in the rear view mirror was a cloud of feathers.

[Robb]

1. Yikes. That's rare as can be

I've hit two birds in my life, both times while driving a car. Most people I talk to have never hit one. :shrug:

The most interesting thing that hit me on a bike was a bat. Lordy. Plus, he hung on to my chest for a bit, which was more than a little unnerving. :D

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. Maybe a good idea to remove the windshield ...

.. That would have been a more expensive repair! (except I don't know the price of those sunglasses)

Good thing you didn't have just a half helmet and some shades.

Anyway, I'm envious. I could go for a ride, but I'd have to do a better job clearing the ice and snow from the driveway. Brrrrrr! I guess I'll let the bike hibernate for a while longer.

:hi:

[flamin lib]

4. I've got a nice windshield but took it off 'cause I kinda wanted the

feel of open air cruising.

The Glasses are $100 on the 'net--my wife spoiled me a few years ago and I've splurged on them twice due to loss in the past.

I'm thinking maybe a full face helmet may be a good idea after all . . .

[Haole Girl]

3. Wow... I'm glad you're ok!

I'd probably freak out & fall right off my bike if that happened to me. :scared:

[flamin lib]

5. He was a small bird. Meadow Lark I believe, 'bout the same size as a

quail. He was considerably the worse for wear for the encounter! Still, made my ears ring.

The guy in the pickum up truck approaching me musta' been sayin',"Dayum! Didja' see that!"

[ThomWV]

6. My god! Something similar, but no where near as bad for me last fall

I was riding on one of the few straight stretches of Rt. 50 through the mountains of eastern West Virginia when a Redtailed Hawk flew up from the roadside directly in front of me to the right. I didn't even see him before he flew, and I wasn't going very fast, maybe 45. He wasn't flying away from me either, he rose up and aimed himself staight at me like a boxer taking a leaping punch at a much taller opponent. He hit my windshield and bottom of the headlight and just sort of stuck there. There was no traffic and I brought the bike to a stop as fast as I could while tryint to make sure he didn't drop down under the bike as I slowed and the wind dropped down. I stopped and he fell dead to the ground. I guess his neck snapped. I picked him up, about 5~7 pounds, and carried him off to the side of the road in case he was just stunned. He was so beautiful and I felt so bad but there was absolutly nothing I could have done to avoid hitting him - it was as if he was on a suicide mission. I rode on and on the return trip an hour or so later I stopped to see if maybe I had misjudged and he was just badly stunned. No such luck - stone cold dead.