Joined
·
186 Posts
watching this ep now, so at 85mph hitting a cicada it gives you 37lbs of force. but if u somehow hit a large beetle it generates over 100lbs of force, which could kill someone if it hits the neck. crazy stuff lol
85 mph bug hit on mythbusters!
1 - 20 of 46 Posts
here is a link to the first bit but i cant find the full thing
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-bug-vs-biker.html
on a side note i was riding with my girlfriend last weekend and she copped a small bird in the chest at about 110 km/h
She is still sore...
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-bug-vs-biker.html
on a side note i was riding with my girlfriend last weekend and she copped a small bird in the chest at about 110 km/h
She is still sore...
Joined
·
4,464 Posts
60mph and I rode through a swarm of bees that were going form one farm patch to another. Thought it was gravel being sprayed up at me and all I thought was FAAAK! Then I get hit and it was like being shot by rubber pellets even through my leather jacket! Didn't know they were bees until I saw one stuck on my res sock.
Joined
·
11,896 Posts
I'm finding that seriously hard to believe. It just doesn't play out in the real world. I've been hit by big bugs but I've never felt like I've just been nailed by 35lbs of anything. I guess if you going by lbs/sq.inch then it may play out though if you consider a bug on impact is probably 1/16" of a square inch which would come out to 2.2lbs considering 35lbs/sq.inch.
Something to consider as well is the mass of your head at speed. So even if a 100lb hit at rest could break your head the same probably wouldn't apply at speed when the total momentum equals far more potential energy then your head at rest.
E=mv^2 (energy = mass times velocity squared)
Something to consider as well is the mass of your head at speed. So even if a 100lb hit at rest could break your head the same probably wouldn't apply at speed when the total momentum equals far more potential energy then your head at rest.
E=mv^2 (energy = mass times velocity squared)
Joined
·
5,462 Posts
Okay.
A few weeks ago I was doing 140kph (87mph, officer...) on my Daytona when a large-ish parrot flew across the road in front of me. She nailed me fair and square in the forehead region of my lid, just above the visor.
Snapped my head back a bit, and it was definitely a significant impact - I'd seen it coming, dodged two of Polly Parrot's mates and braced just before Polly herself hit me. (Polly may have argued that I hit her, but Polly is dead.)
Those following say the unfortunate bird shot straight up from my lid an amazing distance - they were claiming 10 metres - then plopped down stone dead.
I kept moving. I was half expecting a sore neck, but I was fine. No damage to my lid, either.
Shame about the parrot ... but I was completely unscathed. A neck/body hit? Wouldn't have been pretty, but I'd have been fine.
O.B
A few weeks ago I was doing 140kph (87mph, officer...) on my Daytona when a large-ish parrot flew across the road in front of me. She nailed me fair and square in the forehead region of my lid, just above the visor.
Snapped my head back a bit, and it was definitely a significant impact - I'd seen it coming, dodged two of Polly Parrot's mates and braced just before Polly herself hit me. (Polly may have argued that I hit her, but Polly is dead.)
Those following say the unfortunate bird shot straight up from my lid an amazing distance - they were claiming 10 metres - then plopped down stone dead.
I kept moving. I was half expecting a sore neck, but I was fine. No damage to my lid, either.
Shame about the parrot ... but I was completely unscathed. A neck/body hit? Wouldn't have been pretty, but I'd have been fine.
O.B
Joined
·
618 Posts
I was hit by a flying fairing off a POS 748 Ducati on the race track once.. bout 180kph down Winton straight.. got me in the chest and neck, bruised a bit but that's all. Seriously doubt a little bug would do a damn thing. p.s the bastard didn't even say sorry.
Joined
·
11,896 Posts
I understand the difference in the force. I'm talking about 35lbs of weight and I highly doubt any bug would generate that much even a giant rhinoceros beetle. I do believe it has to be lbs/in^2 which would mean much less then the 35lb estimate in real total force.
Joined
·
601 Posts
Well, FWIW, many years ago, riding a Kwaka GT750, headed across the Hay Plains, I collected what I think was a Christmas Beetle, direct hit on the knee.
The speedo was indicating well in excess of 220 kph, so lets say I was possibly close to 200 real kph.
I was wearing leathers, with reinforced knee pads.
I still had a swollen and bruised knee when I got to Adelaide.
BTW, sorry to sound like a Texan, but, here in Oz we have some seriously big insects!:nod:
regards,CrazyCam
The speedo was indicating well in excess of 220 kph, so lets say I was possibly close to 200 real kph.
I was wearing leathers, with reinforced knee pads.
I still had a swollen and bruised knee when I got to Adelaide.
BTW, sorry to sound like a Texan, but, here in Oz we have some seriously big insects!:nod:
regards,CrazyCam
Joined
·
48 Posts
LOL you hit a parrot? I mean, feel bad for the parrot...but it's kinda funny to hear at the same time. That can't be common even where they are indigenous I'd imagine?
The first time I rode my first bike home from work, I took a crow to the chest at around 60mph. Felt like getting hit with a baseball...left a pretty nasty bruise on my chest too even through my jacket.
The first time I rode my first bike home from work, I took a crow to the chest at around 60mph. Felt like getting hit with a baseball...left a pretty nasty bruise on my chest too even through my jacket.
Joined
·
288 Posts
I've hit a bird before too. I was riding my old CBR954RR at roughly 115mph and a small bird (at least I think to be small) crossed my path and smacked me square in the visor. My head got knocked back pretty good. I'm surprised that there was no damage to my helmet and it didn't come through my visor. My buddy behind me said the same thing happened to the bird, OB. Flew high up in the air and landed dead. That incident scared the shit out of me.
Joined
·
8,110 Posts
Been nailed by lots of large bugs at speed, including having an owl attack me. A brief sting, but nothing dramatic. Mythbusters is about as valid as the Man Show - just TV trash.
Joined
·
450 Posts
The impact of this one didn't hurt much at all, but riding around downtown Seattle one summer day with my visor up, a bee happened to wedge itself in between my helmet and my temple....
Joined
·
3,511 Posts
small bird hit my visor at about 70mph once.... hardly noticed it.
Joined
·
249 Posts
Just one more reason to keep her chest covered with your hands when ever possible..."Sorry sweetie, it's for your protection.".....
No need to apologize :laugh:
1 - 20 of 46 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!