Slingshot vs. Deer

    Well for all of you who have ever wondered how well a Slingshot would hold up against hitting a deer.............wonder no longer.


    Friday the 13th got me on an evening ride with some friends. At least 20 deer were in a field on a back road here in Maryland and the exhaust noise from the cafe style bikes my buddies were riding spooked them. Half went one way, half went towards us on the road. I had slowed down to about 20-25mph when I saw them running, but they were to quick and I hit probably the last one through. It was a pregnant doe too, which makes me feel even worse. I am just glad none of my buddies hit any on their bikes or it would probably have been a fatal crash scene. Luckily a neighbor witnessed the entire thing (he said it happens often there) and he put the poor thing down so she didn't suffer. The irony of the spot is that one of the intersecting roads a is called "Deer Run Lane". You can't make this stuff up!


    I was able to bend the lower wing back out, which caused the passenger side to pop back into place. The paint is spider cracked on the driver's side wing and the support bar was bent pretty badly and will need to be replaced. The deer poop on the wheel washed off at the self service car wash.


    So the bright side of all of this (besides no one injured, except the deer) is that I was able to find the support bar on line for $173 shipped to me and upgraded the wings to the carbon fiber ones that SlingMods has currently on sale! So roughly $512 and some personal labor and I will be as good as new! Didn't want to claim it on insurance.


    I am also extremely lucky that the deer didn't flip up over the hood and end up in my face. She had stumbled going under a fence and didn't get her footing on the asphalt, which is why she hit so low. If she had been fully upright it would have been an entirely different story.

    Glad it was only cosmetic... pulling off all the plastics and replacing the support bar is a breeze!


    May be time to invest in one of those fancy deer whistles (they have saved my bacon many times driving up the Adirondack Mountains on my R1). :thumbup:

    If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you...
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    Quote from ericastar76

    Glad it was only cosmetic... pulling off all the plastics and replacing the support bar is a breeze!


    May be time to invest in one of those fancy deer whistles (they have saved my bacon many times driving up the Adirondack Mountains on my R1). :thumbup:

    Do those really work? I have heard mixed reviews, but I think they are worth trying. Good to hear it is a breeze getting to all of it.



    Quote from bjk81

    You can brag to your hunting buddies you put down a deer with a slingshot. That’s a tough feat to do.

    That is hilarious! I am going to bring that up!



    Quote from BONES

    glad everyones ok, that's what matters most.....deer jerky???

    Maybe I should swing by this weekend and see if the guy made any jerky :thumbsup:

    2017 Sunset Red SL with carbon fiber accents

    Quote from amoede

    Do those really work? I have heard mixed reviews, but I think they are worth trying. Good to hear it is a breeze getting to all of it.

    I never hit one... but seeing that I really dont go all that fast as it is ~> especially on a superbike... your mileage may vary! :evil:

    If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you...
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    Quote from ericastar76

    Glad it was only cosmetic... pulling off all the plastics and replacing the support bar is a breeze!


    May be time to invest in one of those fancy deer whistles (they have saved my bacon many times driving up the Adirondack Mountains on my R1). :thumbup:


    Quote from ericastar76

    I never hit one... but seeing that I really dont go all that fast as it is ~> especially on a superbike... your mileage may vary! :evil:


    I've been riding with folks who had one...deer froze right by the edge of the road and seemed to have no idea what to do, until we got quite close (at a very slow speed by then). I don't know if that's an anomaly or what, but...its not like that whistle really tells them what to do.

    During a night ride a couple years ago, a deer jumped across the road right in front of me and I barely missed her. Unfortunately, her fawn was hiding in the grass next to the shoulder and as I drove past it made a random jump right in front of my right lower wing. I felt for the doe as it was standing next to the fawn's body when I turned around to check what had happened.
    Usually, I have a problem with raccoons, opossums and an occasional armadillo. I guarantee armadillos are NOT soft and squishy!

    Edited once, last by BKL ().

    Mmmmm...I just had some venison rib eye last night. As far as the deer whistles, I've seen plenty of car/deer accidents involving cars with deer whistles. There is no solution really. Even after the winter we had here, the deer are like rats right now. I see dozens of 'em in the fields on my way to work pretty much every night. It's always the one you don't see that gets you though. Come this fall, the wife and I will be out and about, trying to re-stock the freezer. We usually put 2-3 deer in the freezer each season. We have more tags but cannot eat more than that.

    Send lawyers, guns and money!

    Quote from WmHBonney

    We usually put 2-3 deer in the freezer each season. We have more tags but cannot eat more than that.

    I don't even understand the language you are using. Is that English? Must be some bastardized form that doesn't translate to country-boy.


    :00008172:


    We would have eaten deer year-round as a kid if we had more than one tag per season where I grew up.

    I'm so glad you made out fine and ok with the deer , that is exactly why I have deer horns on all my bikes, ALL of em ...Had an electrical deer horn on one of my bikes and the high pitch noise was heard by my dog every time I cut it on...but on my Bee Bee ( my sling ) I have the air whistle ones...... Figured it cant hurt...

    Quote from KayTwo

    I've been riding with folks who had one...deer froze right by the edge of the road and seemed to have no idea what to do, until we got quite close (at a very slow speed by then). I don't know if that's an anomaly or what, but...its not like that whistle really tells them what to do.

    They are suppose to freeze from that high pitch sound coming from the whistle, but theres always that one that's deaf.............lmao

    Quote from Slingrazor

    Really sorry this happened but I am glad you all are ok.
    It might be a little early to ask, but if you have to replace the black portion of the spoiler, can I have it. I need part of the front lower portion of the spoiler for a project I am working.

    If it turns out I have to replace it then sure you can have it. Won't know for a bit since the support bar won't be in until next week sometime. I will keep you updated.

    2017 Sunset Red SL with carbon fiber accents

    I'm going to attempt to inject some humor here. This is a TRUE story. My son currently works as a communications specialist for the NYSP in the high peaks area of the Adirondacks. I-87 runs north/south directly through his area of responsibility. There is heavy traffic from NYC to Montreal along this route. Obviously, they deal with a large number of Canadians. (I am not trying to disparage our neighbors from up north, again, this is a true story.) Anyway, a Canadian caller reports that he is OK, but that he has struck a moose with his car on I-87. The call goes over the radio and several units respond to assist. Upon arrival, the Troopers see the car there, but there is no immediate sign of the moose. There is not much damage to the vehicle either. When they ask the driver what happened to the moose, the driver leads them over to the side of the road and points at the carcass. The driver is pointing at a BEAVER carcass. There was also another time when a caller reported striking a "gazelle". The stories could go on and on.
    Anyway, I'm glad you are OK as Slingshots can be repaired but you don't heal as easily.

    Send lawyers, guns and money!