Motorcycle Hits Deer @ 85 mph | Helmet Cam

ANALYSIS & Damage Assessment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQRv1H...
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I hit a buck (had 2+ in. antlers) on my 04 GSXR 1000 on June 28, 2009.

I did not crash, but the bike was totaled. It literally jumped right in front of me and I had no time to react! In the analysis (link above), you can see the deer was only on cam for 6 frames which is 6/30 or 1/5 of a sec! Therefore, speed had nothing to do with impact.

Factors to consider (in debatable order of importance):
1. Speed: a) at limit only .5 sec to react b) going faster *I* would have evaded
2. Momentum: a) accelerating out of the corner b) not enough time to let off
3. Angle: Bike was almost all the way leaned over
4. Deer mid-air: a) less resistance b) not high enough to knock me off
5. Deer impact location: Only hit neck, not body
6. Deer angle: Jumped from -right- side while I was leaning -right- into it
7. Deer weight: a) approx. 100 lbs (45 kg) b) not a fully grown buck yet
8. Ride position: Usually hang off bike, but was taking it easy
9. Frame sliders: Protected leg from tearing off
10. Exhaust: OEM (not shorty) prevented carcass from hitting rear wheel

11. Post impact: No car in oncoming lane
12. Wobbles: Violent steering caused front wheel to lift off ground
13. Bars: a) throttle hand came off b) if left hand came off... whiiiskey throttle!
14. Corner: Caught bars and dropped front just in time to turn, avoiding woods
15. Full gear: Deer brushed knee- no injury
16. Camera angle: a) cam tilted too low b) if normal, impact wouldn't be visible

17. Rider behind: a) avoided spinning deer in approx 1 second b) didn't swerve
18. # of riders: 10 approx 1-10 secs ahead and 5 approx 1-10 secs behind
19. Following distance: Deer jumped in between 2 riders

20. Time unpredictable: a) time the deer jumped b) time i was there that day

I rode the bike for another 45 mins until I had to shut it off to prevent engine damage because the radiator was busted. I survived without a scratch. The deer was still in mid air as it's neck/shoulder was sliced by my right fork and brake rotor. Then it busted my frame slider all the way back, brushed my knee (leaving fur in the velcro), and flung off the exhaust, when it made like a top and spun to the other side of the road, leaving a blood trail over 50 ft. The 2 lines of blood keep intersecting, which show how much the deer spun.

Lastly, I want to mention that my right is a wide open field. There's 1/4 mile before woods. Deer heard us coming at least 10-20 secs before the first rider passed. If it did not hear us coming from miles away, then it had to have seen the other bikes go by. It tried to go between us... This stray deer ignored all instincts! Freak accident and nothing else! If you think slower speed would have avoided impact, then watch the analysis. If I was going faster, I would have avoided it entirely and the guy behind me could have hit it too.


Am I lucky I didn't die or am I unlucky this shit happened? Many things in life cannot be controlled. It's best to keep calm and carry on!

• Category

  Autos & Vehicles

[G Banger]

Of course speed was a factor. Say you were going 20 mile an hour instead you would have much more time to react. Saying speed wasn't a factor is completely stupid.

[termites4000]

yeah, a whole second to react at 20mph. the speed limit was 50 anyways, which would have been half a second to react instead of a quarter of a second. sometimes accidents are unavoidable

[Chris Julien]

"The speed limit is 50" "Some accidents are unavoidable".

Are you retarded? Maybe if you were doing the speed limit instead of 85 mph you could have avoided this situation.

[termites4000]

no i am not. dont make yourself look like a fool, just watch the replay video and figure 2/5 of a second reaction time if traveling 42.5 mph... your statement is retarded "maybe-if-instead-could have"??? just read the list of possible outcomes!

[termites4000]

dont drive an automobile then

[matthew spalding]

In most of the videos ive watched, all the bikers bitch and say that cars are responsible for wrecks with bikes. Never once do they think weaving in and out of traffic or speed plays a role. I dont hate bikers, but i do believe they could help themselves avoid stupid wrecks by slowing down and driving like they have a brain. But, i guess someone has to win the Darwin award every year.....

[GenjiSama91]

You've obviously never ridden a motorcycle if you think all accidents are avoidable and if you have, then you also have a guardian angel, cuz you're clearly a shit rider/driver. Hitting a deer is just something that happens. I assure you the time you have to react seeing a deer coming out of the edge of the woods (maybe 5-10 feet away ) moving directly into your path doesn't increase by much when you're already going 50, you're looking at the speed diff. and not reaction time

[timzilla1997]

i thoughtu hit a diffrent one in the last part i was like what the freak

[Keefe Brown]

Your a solid rider bro, i'm amazed you didn't fall into the woods, or spin out! way to keep control and calm.

[Nemisisak]

thats crazy, and there's nothing you could do in that situation, animals don't have logic they have flight mode and unfortunately this shit happens .. luckily biggest thing I have hit is only a pigeon which still made a mess of me, but a dear that's crazy.

[onton4]

Would've been horrible if he hit a moose. He wouldn't walk away from that.

[drussellkuhr]

That was crazy. Amazing the driver and others were not killed. God must have something special For this person.

[DarkBrony20]

3:12 gruesome ain't it?