Bird strike!

[rideon]

Cruising home today after our lunch in Raglan, we were taking the long way home via the top of the harbour & Waingaro. Came around a RH corner prolly just a tad over the 100 cliks mark , and about 10 -15 mtrs in front of me was a BLOODY hawk mid flight with road kill in tow at about head height . Only had an instant to stand the bike up get on the picks. The rear locked up (as I clearly remember the sound ) and I was off them again just about as quickly - and WHAMM, head just about ripped off my shoulders with a face full of Hawk. Have no idea how I negotiated the remainder of the corner but came to a stop on the shoulder of the road with the hawk dead undies full and a very sore neck. My Visor took the full impact as I remember it pushing into my face - didn't break though ???? Have had a few close calls in the past with Hawks & Pukakoe's but this was the first time I have connected - not much fun at all !!!

Clearly the Hawk failed to give way ..............

[Oakie]

Clearly the Hawk failed to give way ..............

He should have worn hi-viz so you could have seen him earlier.

Actually I've connected with a couple of hawks while driving a bus between Twizel and Mt Cook. Big enough fright hitting the windsceen a few feet from my head.

[The Singing Chef]

I feel your pain, have had a large bird fly into my visor, not 5 seconds after I closed it, going down dominion road in Aucks, bloody hurt aand gave me a huge fright!

[nosebleed]

Had one just south of Mercer. Cunting thing changed its mind 3x going back and forth across the road.
I ended up just having to tuck my chin, and shoulder charge it.

Yokels in the car i'd just overtaken thought it was awesomeness.

Sore frikken shoulder for weeks, those pricks are solid.

[sleemanj]

Came around a RH corner prolly just a tad over the 100 cliks mark , and about 10 -15 mtrs in front of me

Think of it this way, at least it wasn't a tractor, child, or cop 10-15 meters around that corner.

I'll just leave this here.

[LBD]

Not related to the photo, I collected two ducks with my helmet. First glanced off but the second caught me square on, pushed the visor in and gave me a bloody nose. Some what dazed I pulled over. A following car pulled over...did a u-turn and went back to puck up he ducks with so much as checking to see if I was okay.

[Tigadee]

Smart arse birds, think they are right quick but what do they know... Should send Katman to go talk to them about situational awareness.

[GSF]

Fuck me, I can't imagine collecting a hawk with my face. I caught a sparrow with my Shoei last year on SH16 and that hurt bad enough, tiny little bird but at 110 it felt like a good smack in the face! Poor little bastard disintegrated, I was lucky to not bin it - throttle hand came off the bars and I couldn't see shit because my visor was splattered with blood and feathers. Only reason I didn't stack it was that I'd just exited a corner and was accelerating onto a dead flat straight with the bike upright.

[G4L4XY]

.

Cheeky bastard catching a free ride!!

[manxkiwi]

I too hit a hawk with my clutch hand. A mate ahead spooked it out of the roadside ditch. Came staight out in front of me. Bent the clutch lever over my fingers! Didn't actually hurt, though the impact was pretty heavy. I remember thinking, shit I wouldn't want that in the head!!

[awa355]

Aren't Hawks protected???

[sleemanj]

Aren't Hawks protected???

Obviously wasn't ATGATT

[Zedder]

Aren't Hawks protected???

Not from traffic impact.

[miSTa]

Managed to collect a hawk in the chest a couple of years going through Lewis Pass. To make matter worse it got stuck between my arms and started flapping its wings like mad trying to escape. Took me two attempts to get rid of it.

Not the most pleasant of experiences. Bit shy of Hawks now, they are somewhat unpredictable.

[mossy1200]

Got me a wood pigeon in the arm that ended up under my armpit.The instant tank slap was the thing that frightened me the most.