I am sure most of us riders have had insect encounters while riding! My latest was a honeybee flew up my right nostril and of course stung me way up in my sinus cavity. It took many "farmers blows" to dislodge it. Of course it brought a tear to my right eye (but not both) Ha Ha. Another time while on the interstate I had a wasp fly up my left sleeve of my T shirt and by the time I got stopped it stung me six times! Wasp can sting multiple times, honeybees only once thank God.
One memory I won't forget was a locust that went over the shield and hit me square in the nose. I was on a busy freeway on the overpass. Blessed for sure 'cause I didn't wreck. Found the locust dead between my legs when I stopped.
Mine is a little lame, but on my previous bike, something hit me in the chest area. Didn't think much of it. Went to a coffee shop near home, took a bathroom break, and when I took my jacket off, a momma bumble bee dropped to the floor. Never stung me, but it had to die. Mainly because I was scared shitless...no pun intended, considering I was in a men's room.
“Gibraltar” 2016 white deluxe has been sold.
Hit by the usual Bees and bugs. But only once by a bird in the face shield of full helmet. Kinda freaked me out but Killed the bird.
Swarms of honey bees, locust and suicidal quail are the reason I always were a full face helmet and jacket.
NMRed
IBA# 63255
I was coming back from Vermont one summer, just cruising down I89 at about 85 and wearing my 1/2 helmet. You know how your speed, your eyes and the trajectory of the bug is so matched up that you can see the bug clear as a bell, hovering right in front of your eyes. Just at that moment the damn thing hit my cheek and ended up in the leather ear flaps of the helmet. It didn't die and I couldn't get the helmet off fast enough. That bug was crawling around, I could feel it ever so gently crawling up my ear lope to find a home in my ear. The bug died a swift and glorious death soon there after. Still gives me the shivers every time I think about it.
2014 F6B Deluxe
Iron Butt Association #23995
SSgt USMC 1967-1974
University of Vietnam 68/69
Nailed a Bumblebee with my Adams Apple at 80 MPH. Felt like a rock hit me.
I've had two occasions when a bee got lodged in my helmet while riding. Unfortunately I'm allergic to yellow jackets. luckily I was not stung. I always carry epi-pens and benedryl with me when I ride. The one time I did get stung on the arm, I pulled over and talked with a sheriff's deputy that was parked nearby until I verified that I was not having an allergic reaction. My doc says that if I get stung from a yellow jacket I need to inject myself, take benedryl and get to the nearest ER. A little scary, but I'm not going to give up riding due to a damn bug.
I've had a bee get inside my helmet and sting me. But the worst I've heard of was at Sturgis around 2010. That year there were a lot of these really hard beetle-like bugs flying around. They sounded like rocks hitting your windshield or face shield. I read in the local paper that one rider, apparently wearing little or no eye protection, had one hit him in the eye. He was travelling fast enough that it actually entered his brain and killed him.
We get June bugs here the size of small birds (not quite, but feel like it when they hit you), they have given me cut lips, black eyes and once had to pull a leg out of my cheek.
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