killed my first deer last month...

Discussion in 'Introductions' started by fieldsanitation, Mar 20, 2012.

  1. fieldsanitation

    fieldsanitation New Member

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    Let me start by saying that I've been drooling over the VFR since the 80's. which dates me a little bit, but I don't care. I've been riding since 1990 and if I had the money when I was in the Marine Corps, I would have had a beautiful red VFR. But I didn't, so I settled for an 81 Nighthawk and made do. My most recent ride was a 2011 Yamaha FZ8. LOVE the naked bikes. Comfortable, great for twisties, can take some luggage and just go. I put over 7300 miles on that thing. bike was awesome....

    I am currently recovering from T-boning a deer at 55 mph back in February. I was riding about 50 feet behind my buddy on his cruiser with really loud pipes, and I think he scared the deer. He never saw it... and I saw it right before it broke across the road and had enough time to let up on the gas and start to say "oh sh..." she must have been going 40 mph because she got around in front of me from out of nowhere, and I LOOK for deer down here in Texas.

    ATGATT

    I flipped/twisted/flew through the air and landed on my head and shoulders. Love my Shoei, love my leathers, love my life. I had scrapes on my forearms and knees. I had bruises EVERYWHERE, legs, butt, shoulders, ribs, hips, arms... spent over $1100 for a ride in an ambulance, and over $800 for an ER visit that included x-rays and a doc that spent less than 10 minutes in the room with me and wrote me a script for vicodin... THANK GOD I had $25,000 in medical coverage.... and I limped out of the ER with cracked/bruised ribs just after dark about 2 hours later. I will always always always wear leathers and a helmet and gloves.

    So now I'm looking to finally bring home my own VFR, and could use some advice and anyones spare 2 cents. I LOVE the look of the 5th gen headlights and body... not quite sold on the 6th gen and will NEVER own a 1200... so I'm thinking 1998 to 2007 probably... and I've picked out a few that I'm going to go visit here in the next month. Looking forward to learning what you all have to share and modding my bike out just enough to make me happy, but keep my wife from freaking out on me.
     
  2. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    Sorry about your third encounter with Bambee. I lived in North NJ and used to go out on night rides, there was always a chance you would have a collision with one!

    I knocked out a deer with my left knee, stayed up on two wheels, tured around to see a big old Marmah-dook hobbling in the middle of the road with blood coming out of its arse. If I coulda put it out of its misery, I would of. When I returned home, the fairing stay that held on my national cycle windscreen was broken. My Aerostich suit didnt have any damage, but the Chase Harper saddle bags had deer hair stuck in em :evil: :grin: Amazing how the old brain works, havent thought about that in years, it was on a 93 Nighthawk, year musta been 1995...Glad the brain cells arent totally fried out yet.

    At least your OK, I been flown out on a Whirly Bird once and it was a $5000 bill but the county had funds to pay for it me guesses. Health insurance is important...Mend fast, get a Gen 5 or 6 and you will be a happy camper...
     
  3. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    Sounds like you need a 5.5gen with a cattle guard on the front

    thanks for sharing your story - glad to hear you are on the mend!
     
  4. Deadsmiley

    Deadsmiley Member

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    Sorry about your deer mishap. Glad you are OK!

    The 5th gen is a nice bike. I have a 1998. The advantage of the 5th gen is the bulletproof gear driven cams.

    The 6th gen is nice too. I like the looks better and the suspension is a bit better. The only real down side to the 6th gen is the valve checks are more involved due to the Vtec and therefore expensive. Some say that the chain drive for the cams is a down side as well, but most bikes theses days have chain driven cams. <shrug>

    Both bikes have electrical gremlins. The R/R (regulator/rectifier) is weak and will most likely fail. The wiring harness is a weak spot too. Many purchase a VFRness from wiremybike.com to fix that issue.

    Other than electrical problems you really can't kill these bikes as long as you maintain it. You will probably wear out before it does.

    :welcome:
     
  5. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    :welcome:Welcom to the madness, hope you get well soon. Good luck with your search. I love all the bike soooooooooo as long as the price is right I will get whatever available.
     
  6. reg71

    reg71 Poser Staff Member

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    welcome to the site. did you at least eat the little bastard? as far as 5th gen goes, someone was just posting up yesterday that they wanted to sell a yellow one with hard bags for a pretty good price. he's a member and would prefer to sell to someone who loves VFRs. Anyone remember who it was?
     
  7. Metallican525

    Metallican525 New Member

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    :welcome: Heal fast, I prefer to encounter bambi at the dinner table myself, been lucky enough to just have a few spook the crap outta me so far, cars on the other hand, seem to have a similar effect when they "run" out in front of you!!

    I own a 6th gen and have ridden a friends 5th gen. They both have a unique character to their own but are quite similar at the same time. Flip a coin and get one that's been taken care of, you can't go wrong. Good luck with your search.
     
  8. fieldsanitation

    fieldsanitation New Member

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    Thanks for the responses. Since its 5 hours away, I'm having a friend take a look at it for me this week, take some pictures and tell me whether or not to come up and see it. :) if it IS worth at least a look, then I will be heading up there this weekend or something for some serious grins and maybe a rental truck. :)
     
  9. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    Glad you are OK. Hit one with a police car years ago and many near misses with police suburbans but none with the bike. I have nailed a few possum and a skunk. Possum are very stupid and skunks....well you know.

    Some things about Public Health Care are not so bad......but understand, contrary to belief, it is not free. Everyone pays for it through premiums and taxes.
     
  10. fieldsanitation

    fieldsanitation New Member

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    So I have been looking for about ... oh... since I could operate a computer through the vicodin haze... and I spotted a '99 with 20k on it on Monday or Sunday or something this week... and I'm getting that itch. that paranoid itch that someone else has seen it also... I'm pulling back my jacket and releasing the snap on the holster and getting into my combat stance...

    <queue Clint Eastwood/Justified/A-Team/Magnum PI music>

    * * * * *

    spidey sense paid off. Called the guy found out there was one other suitor. turned my dogs loose to check out the bike today, may have to blow off work tomorrow to go drop some money on a bike. :)

    PRESCREEN INSPECTION COMPLETE.

    Trigger Pulled.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2012
  11. fieldsanitation

    fieldsanitation New Member

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    and I think I got it for such a deal because the rectifier went out and was eating up batteries... oooooooh totally stock at 20k??? can't wait to get it in the garage.
     
  12. Deadsmiley

    Deadsmiley Member

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    While you have it in the garage do a valve check. I just did mine at 29k. I am sure the valve covers have never been off. Had to replace shims of six of the intake valves, all the rest were in spec. The valve check is due at 16k.
     
  13. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    She looks the business. I highly recommend changing out the tail light with a pulsed, LED version. It looks nice, but most important is that it gets people's attention. Also put on some bar risers and petal rotors on the front with EBC pads. If you are really feeling it, I also LOVE having a high pipe on mine.

    Welcome to the fold, young man. Heal up quick and enjoy your new ride.

    Semper Fi.

    Jose
     
  14. Metallican525

    Metallican525 New Member

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    :thumbsup: NICE, now ride the TIRES offa that girl!!
     
  15. fieldsanitation

    fieldsanitation New Member

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    .......AND

    I played hooky today and brought her home...

    [​IMG]


    can I get an OOHRAH!!???
     
  16. ZEN biker

    ZEN biker New Member

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    shes a beauty, now ride that bike like a $2 whore!

    while shes in the garage set your sag and compression rate on your rear shock, this will take lots of testing :) but with a static setup you'll be close and after a few twisties make adjustments in small amounts until she hugs the road like shes glued there.

    you'll love your ride!
     
  17. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    OOH-RAH!!!!

    Jose
     
  18. PorscheBob

    PorscheBob New Member

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    Well done. You got the best of the best ('98/'99). I think about the only thing you

    need to worry about is the one major problem with these bikes and that is the regulator gremlins.

    Type in "regulator" in the Advance Search box in the upper right hand corner of this page and

    explore the information. Oh, one item I have used for years on my '98 is a pair of deer whistles.

    Not sure if they really work but haven't collided with a deer yet, but I did have one fly very

    close over me from a nearby cliff. So close that I could smell him/her. :frown:

    Semper Fi
     
  19. stoops

    stoops New Member

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    Deer are always a concern for me, scary how they come out of nowhere sometimes

    Congrats on the purchase, you'll enjoy every mile
     
  20. Scubalong

    Scubalong Official Greeter?

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    I can see her from the back ground...........she is nice.
    Here is your OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHRAH
    Semper Fi
     
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