Pukeko vs Test Ride

[AllanB]

Out for a test ride on a new bike this morning. Christchurch turned on a pearler - sun, warm temps, dry roads - idea early spring test ride weather.

Bike pre-prepped and arranged with local dealer (cheers).

Off I head - significantly different from the Hornet 900 and takes some kms to get comfortable - just getting into the swing of it and looking forward to the return trip. Rural environment.

A Pukeko (pic below as an example - real one is DEAD) starts over the road ahead of me, shits itself and take flight straight into the front of the bike (doing say 80 kms per) WHACK, gone - F-me that was close.

Brake fluid starts spitting everywhere. Bird has broken off the plastic brake fluid holder where the rubber hose attaches. No front brakes. I pull into a house and ask for a bucket of soapy water and rag. Older gentleman is happy to help and we talk about bikes as he use to ride back in the day but stopped due to health. Tells me I should buy it as it sounded great coming down the road ......

Call shop to tell them I'll be late due to ......... slight panic.

S L O W ride back to dealer who looks very relieved it is only the brake reservoir damaged.


I'll need a return visit to this beast, sans bloody bird to determine if it is a keeper.


Any similar or interesting test ride stories? A mate ran out of petrol on one .................

[Swoop]

What brand of bike packs a sad after hitting a motorway-chicken?
Italian?

[AllanB]

What brand of bike packs a sad after hitting a motorway-chicken?
Italian?

Italian it was. To be fair it was a large fat bastard of a bird. If it had hit the brake lever with the same force .........

[Swoop]

Italian it was. To be fair it was a large fat bastard of a bird. If it had hit the brake lever with the same force .........

Wop?

No wonder it broke down!
Size of the chicken wouldn't matter, it would have still been stranded by the roadside!

[caspernz]

Mmmm, a broken bike on the test trip? That would be a sign not to buy it, or anything of its ilk surely??

[AllanB]

Mmmm, a broken bike on the test trip? That would be a sign not to buy it, or anything of its ilk surely??

Nah. Not like it broke down on it's own accord. Unless there was divine intervention by the big guy prodding the Pukeko to commit suicide to prevent me from going Italian.

[caspernz]

Nah. Not like it broke down on it's own accord. Unless there was divine intervention by the big guy prodding the Pukeko to commit suicide to prevent me from going Italian.

Your choices are all yours. The last time I went Italian was in the south of France, but nothing holy happened, in fact one could argue a confession was in order

Italian bikes are an acquired taste, one could argue even a love-hate relationship ensues for some. Best of luck with your choice

[neels]

Pukekos must be drawn to Italian bikes, another kber a while back had the front of a Guzzi demolished by a wayward pukeko.

You're a good bloke doing your best straight away to prevent any further damage to the bike, almost sounds like you're thinking you'd better look after it as it might be yours soon......

From personal experience I can say that a jap 4 is a very competent bike, but an Italian v-twin adds character to going for a ride.

[pritch]

Considering the traditional recipe for cooking pukeko you could count yourself lucky.

For the benefit of city dwellers:
Place the pukeko in a pot with water and a large rock.
Boil for several hours then throw away the pukeko and eat the rock.

[FJRider]

I hit a Hawk (bird not a Police radar unit) on a suzuki GS1000S. It took out a fairing mounted mirropr with no other damage to the fairing. The remnants of the Hawks internals (and feathers) stuck to the fairing ... were easily hosed off.

[ruaphu]

Yeap similar vein here too, copped a hawk to the head,, nearly binned the bike in a ditch. damaged ma neck, was on physio for ages. Knackered the helmet to say the least. Visor pooped, and the helmet took a good whack, i binned the helmet. Hawk was DOA by the time it hit the ground.

Work mate got struck by a bliggan type of parrot five or so years back on his three year old gsxer thou. Destroyed the screen, mirror, front end of the fairing and damaged the tank, nearly wrote the bike bike off. Made a right friggin mess, never did get the poo brown skid mark and smell out of his leathers, poor bastard.


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[Laava]

I hit a Hawk (bird not a Police radar unit) on a suzuki GS1000S. It took out a fairing mounted mirropr with no other damage to the fairing. The remnants of the Hawks internals (and feathers) stuck to the fairing ... were easily hosed off.

I have hit neither but have had a lot more close shaves with Hawks. Pukes usually tend to fly low to the ground as they screech away! You were unlucky Mr B but also lucky you didn't get hurt.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...=Pukeko+helmet

[Shadowjack]

Not a test ride, but collected a hen pheasant to the right shoulder at about 70 kmh, around the Mahia Peninsula a few years ago. Ached for days after that.

[Fastmark]

A few years ago back in the UK out for a blast on my ZXR750 with a buddy following, pulling about 130mph (Yea I know what a rebel) on a dual carriageway when BANG! smacked in the head by a crow...

Luckily it was a glancing blow but shit I was disoriented for a few seconds. Managed to wobble to a halt at the side of the road and get off the bike, buddy pulls up pissing herself laughing since it looked like the crow exploded on my crash hat.
Rode home bloody slowly after that and had neck and back ache for days.

[Berries]

A few years ago back in the UK out for a blast on my ZXR750 with a buddy following, pulling about 130mph (Yea I know what a rebel) on a dual carriageway when BANG! smacked in the head by a crow...

Talking of ZXR's, I was following a mate who was on his while I was on my GPX750 on a back road in the Highlands. Family of ducks were crossing the road and his big fat rear tyre threw one of the ducklings in to my face. Luckily I had my visor down.