BEAR-ly made it...

[NewValker]

So I took a scoot this afternoon, chased a couple of trains. Met a gentleman from France that photographs trains for a mag in France. He never saw a Valk before and asked if he could shoot it while we were waiting for the train. After he was done, he asked if he could hear it run. Should have seen the smile when she fired up! Anyhow train screams by, we got our pics and said our good-byes.
I ran south into CT. doing some favorite roads. I wanted to hop on I-84 east for 2 exits to get to another curvy road. The on ramp is a left turn, and goes right into a nice long S before hitting the highway.
I powered into the left part of it going from 2 to 3rd, as I transitioned toward the right turn part of it I nailed 4th and had intentions of matching the traffic speed before I merged.
Then I saw it...a bear moving left to right, (as I also was in the corner) I was going way to fast to swerve left around it, I nailed the Stebil, and went into hard braking. He cleared the guard rail in 1 bound! Not sure if it was the horn or the bike noise, but I missed him by inches. Serious pucker there...
I've never been impressed with our brakes, coming off an 1800 VTX with linked brakes, but they performed superb when needed. New respect!
Ride Safe,
Craig

[Jess from VA]

Nothing like browning your drawers in fast moving S turn.   

I cannot imagine the entertainment of hitting a bear and getting all tangled up with him under the same bike.  Dude your breath really stinks.  Nice teeth though.    

I love entrance ramps. Never seen a cop staking one out.  You get to lay the bike over hard with as much power and smoking high revs as you've a stomach for.  My problem is not reaching traffic speed, mine is entering traffic 30 over traffic speed.

It's a bird, it's a plane....... no it's a maniac (having more fun than someone his age aught to).     

[BobB]

Our Valks had some of the best brakes available in their time.  They probably do not measure up the more modern ABS systems.  I had a similar encounter with a deer back in 2012.  Three of them in the ditch on a blind right hand curve, one bolted across the road.  Maximum braking while still leaned over, missed that critter by inches...

[Hook#3287]

Holy Smokes Craig

You get all healed up, just to plow into a bear?

Glad you missed.

You probably scared the bear crap outta him

[baldo]

Glad you made it out unscathed....no bears here on the Cape.......down here on the Banana Belt we have to look out for Great Whites....

[Chrisj CMA]

Man, that could have been a gruesome headlr. Glad you made it!

[old2soon]

Much like a plane crash anyone that you can walk away from or talk about is considered a "good" one. Once I realized you are okey dokey I fer sure and fer certain had a good larf!  Seriously I'm cursed happy you ain't hurt boogered up or otherwise indisposed. NOT All the time but some of the time voices feelings premonitions have told me to slow down. They've NEVER been Wrong. Had small critter interactions with M/Cs and large critter interactions with my big trucks. Large critter interactions with M/Cs are to be avoided-BUT you already knew dat!  Least ways the outcome was O K. Again-Glad you weren't hurt. RIDE SAFE.

[NewValker]

[quote NOT All the time but some of the time voices feelings premonitions have told me to slow down. They've NEVER been Wrong.][/quote]

How right you are Dennis--When I turned onto the ramp, there was a pick up truck and a car stopped for no apparent reason on the road i was turning off of.  I thought maybe a fender-bender, but no debris on the road, and nobody outside the vehicles, something didn't seem right. But I had a cool S turn to tear up.... In retrospect, I bet they were watching the bear. And I ignored the "somethings wrong here" feeling.

.no bears here on the Cape..

Bob, ain't there bears in P-town?   

You get all healed up, just to plow into a bear?

Yeah Bill, that exact thought crossed my mind...

Craig

[baldo]

Bob, ain't there bears in P-town?   

Well, I wouldn't know about that.....anything you'd like to share?

[Hook#3287]

Bob, ain't there bears in P-town?   

Well, I wouldn't know about that.....anything you'd like to share?

ouch