Buffalo really are dangerous, yeah really

[Mayhem]

Lamonster's thread about coming to Sturgis reminded be that I need to caution all bikers in general about these critters. There are areas in Custer State Park where they congregate and getting past them is life threatening. Ask me how I know this. Well last May, the wife and I were doing an evening ride on the wildlife loop and came up on a group. There were two young ones on the left and a herd bull on the right. The herd bull was turned away and grazing at about 20'. As the two on the left started to move off I cracked the throttle and started to pass. The herd bull spun around and charged. He was on us instantly raising and then lowering his head for a head butt right into and below the windshield. Of course the Spyder stopped and we didn't. My wife landed on all fours to the left of the bike, My left leg caught the handlebars putting me in a vertical position and I landed on my chin. Fortunately the Buffalo had enough of us, he kicked up his heels and caught both front fenders, then moved away to celebrate with his buddies.Fortunately my wife's injuries were minor. I came away with some broken ribs, muscle damage to my leg and a hole in my chin causing me to miss a couple of weeks work.
The Spyder didn't fair too well and the insurance company totalled it. Well as soon as my insurance check came in I went and a really good deal on a 2011 RSS. I am almost completely healed up and back to ryding a lot. I have been back to the State Park several times since and have passed buffalo at a distance but I haven't been on the loop and refuse to drive past them when they are standing on the road. The tourist have a habit of getting out of their cars and seeing how close they can get for a picture which just pisses off the buffalo and then add a loud exhaust pipe and you have recipe for trouble.

 

[JCSMOKE]

:yikes: Glad it wasn't worse!

 

[dliszews]

Glad that you are ok.

This applies to most animals. They are totally unpredictable. Added a spyder to the corral
when a deer totaled my cruiser in May. I'll be tossing some bison ribeye on the grill later
in your honor

 

[Bob Denman]

You need a really good Buffalo-stopper!

 

[ARtraveler]

Glad you came out okay. I have been around the buffalos in both Custer State Park and Teddy Roosevelt Park--in North Dakota. Fortunately, they did not make charging tactics. In cages both time though. Were I on the :spyder2: I would stay with the cars, if possible, to get by the buffalo.

 

[FutureRyder]

If I read it right, it sounds like you tried going between the bull and some calves.

Never a good idea, with most animals.

 

[donec]

Glad it was not worse and that you are doing better, but I got to say I think there has to be a better way to get a new Spyder.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

:yikes::yikes:

 

[Mayhem]

If I read it right, it sounds like you tried going between the bull and some calves.

Never a good idea, with most animals.

Nope, these weren't calves, just not full grown 2000 lb. herd bulls with Spyder squishing on their minds. I've been riding through the park for 30 years and although I've been mock charged before, this time our number was up. I do think the hindle had a lot to do with it.

 

[FutureRyder]

Nope, these weren't calves, just not full grown 2000 lb. herd bulls with Spyder squishing on their minds. I've been riding through the park for 30 years and although I've been mock charged before, this time our number was up. I do think the hindle had a lot to do with it.

Ahh, good to hear, as others have said, that it wasn't worse.

New Spyder have a Hindle?

 

[Ron2andia]

Glad you guys a better. What an experience!:yikes::yikes:

 

[Mayhem]

Ahh, good to hear, as others have said, that it wasn't worse.

New Spyder have a Hindle?

Yes, we feel very fortunate to have gotten away as lightly as we did. If he had hit us from the side and hooked us with his horns it could have been very bad indeed.

Of course the new Spyder has a hindle, I will just endeavor to stay away from the buffalo from here on out. One day we came upon some on the road, we turned around and went back the way we came.

It was a rough way to get a new Spyder. My wife knew I was anxious to ride again and told me to do what I thought was right as far as getting a replacement, and that is why we have been married 35 years:bowdown:

 

[WackyDan]

When I've gone snowmobiling up in Wyoming they always told us to stay on the sleds and leave them running as the bison don't like it and will stay their distance. Told us that if we shut down the sled or stepped off that we were fair game.

 

[Bob Denman]

I've heard it said that Buffalo, "Taste just like chicken!"

Is there any truth to that rumor??

 

[Farmboy]

I am glad my cows think my spyder is sexy:roflblack:

 

[Bob Denman]

And your tractor??

 

[spyderrock]

Yes, we feel very fortunate to have gotten away as lightly as we did. If he had hit us from the side and hooked us with his horns it could have been very bad indeed.

Of course the new Spyder has a hindle, I will just endeavor to stay away from the buffalo from here on out. One day we came upon some on the road, we turned around and went back the way we came.

It was a rough way to get a new Spyder. My wife knew I was anxious to ride again and told me to do what I thought was right as far as getting a replacement, and that is why we have been married 35 years:bowdown:

Hi Mayhem...your name suits this crazy situation. I live right next to Elk Island National Park, we have 2 species of Bison...Wood Bison and Plains Bison. We have shipped hundreds of these beasts down to you guys in the states they ended up in Wyoming. At the park here you see tourists all the time getting out of their car to take pictures, there is a very tall game fence around the park that is made out of heavy page wire. the tourist get right up to the fence sticking their hands and camera through the fence to take photos, this is a bad idea these animals can run pretty fast for their weight. I have seen many times the bulls ram the fence and people go flying it is a crazy thing to see. I ride my spyder through the north park where the Wood Bison are and their are huge signs warning people..STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE IF YOU SEE A BISON...well on the spyder your open game :yikes::yikes: you really have to keep your eyes open when riding through there. Glad you are getting better maybe on your new Spyder get a Angry Bison wrap on the front it maybe this will work to scare them away lol

 

[bruiser]

I've heard it said that Buffalo, "Taste just like chicken!"

Is there any truth to that rumor??

Nay, tastes like buffalo, unless it's chicken fried buffalo :roflblack:

 

[Firefly]

Lamonster's thread about coming to Sturgis reminded be that I need to caution all bikers in general about these critters. There are areas in Custer State Park where they congregate and getting past them is life threatening. Ask me how I know this. Well last May, the wife and I were doing an evening ride on the wildlife loop and came up on a group. There were two young ones on the left and a herd bull on the right. The herd bull was turned away and grazing at about 20'. As the two on the left started to move off I cracked the throttle and started to pass. The herd bull spun around and charged. He was on us instantly raising and then lowering his head for a head butt right into and below the windshield. Of course the Spyder stopped and we didn't. My wife landed on all fours to the left of the bike, My left leg caught the handlebars putting me in a vertical position and I landed on my chin. Fortunately the Buffalo had enough of us, he kicked up his heels and caught both front fenders, then moved away to celebrate with his buddies.Fortunately my wife's injuries were minor. I came away with some broken ribs, muscle damage to my leg and a hole in my chin causing me to miss a couple of weeks work.
The Spyder didn't fair too well and the insurance company totalled it. Well as soon as my insurance check came in I went and a really good deal on a 2011 RSS. I am almost completely healed up and back to ryding a lot. I have been back to the State Park several times since and have passed buffalo at a distance but I haven't been on the loop and refuse to drive past them when they are standing on the road. The tourist have a habit of getting out of their cars and seeing how close they can get for a picture which just pisses off the buffalo and then add a loud exhaust pipe and you have recipe for trouble.

Glad you both were okay!!

We ran into a herd of them in Custer Park too--- on that same loop. Fortunately there was a park ranger with his pickup truck shooing them off the road.... just kind of drives towards them and bumps them with the truck......

Some idiot woman in front of us got off the back of her husbands HD to walk around and take pics.... IDIOT!

The basically didn't seem too interested in us... but the Spyder is pretty sexy...maybe what you had happen was just the beginning of a mating ritual.....:roflblack:

 

[Tierhog]

Thats a freakin crazy story there! I have just the rifle for that bull lol. I like buffalo meat though.
Imagine explaining that experience to an adjuster lol. I hope you two are doing better!