Back in 1986 the rumour mill in the motorcycle was grinding that Honda was bringing out a replacement for the VFR500. Spy photos came out of Japan of a fully enclosed on the test track. I was hooked.
I had scratched and saved and dreamed of owning this new Hurricane. It wasn't until late in the riding season that I was able to purchase it. I picked up at the loading dock behind the dealership with 0km on the clock. It was the white with red stripes version.
I barely got any riding in when winter struck.
Fast forward to spring...I spent the winter gawking at my new bike, hardly able to believe that I actually owned my dream machine. It was painful waiting for spring. I remember listening to the radio when the weather forecaster said "it's a beautiful spring day, above average temps. It's going to be a beautiful day!"
I set out for the first ride of the season, heading from Banff toward Calgary. That was when the "surprise" snow storm struck. I went from dry road to intense snow and a couple inches of slush on the road around a corner. Needless to say, the bike objected to the winter riding conditions. I managed to get the bike slowed down to about 40mph before I low-sided. The bike slid down the road mostly on top of the slush and the struck the guard rail. The rear rim and axel were destroyed. I lost a footpeg, bar end, tweaked the clip on and damaged the left side fairing.
I was devastated. I had saved enough money to buy new riding gear. Instead I bought the parts to repair the bike.
I rode the bike for 10 years and eventually wanted more power. My wife inherited the Hurricane and I bought a bigger bike. We moved across the country to the Maritimes. Times got difficult and the Hurricane was almost sacrificed to pay the bills. I could barely afford to maintain the old bike. I had to leave to get work and the hurricane was pushed into the garage. I had the plastic off sitting on top of a stack of old windows. I flew back out west to make some money.
It was a difficult winter. Lots of snow. Lots of freezing rain. The snow and ice built up on the roof of the garage until it couldn't take it. The building collapsed with all my bikes inside. The plastic from the bike was crushed into hundreds of pieces. One of the rafters crashed through the side cover,bashed in the fuel tank, and ripped the seat. The bikes beside it supported the roof.
I made enough money to move my family back out west with me. I brought a couple of my battered bikes back with me. My Hurricane was in rough shape. It was lined up beside my other bikes on the driveway. Thieves stole the other two and left it behind.
I got a phone call from one of my friends at a dealership in town. There was a guy trying to trade off a Hurricane. It had a cracked frame and he was not interested. Was I?
I bought it. There was a tank, seat, and other parts I could use to fix mine up.
My bike started its recovery.
Fast forward a couple of years... My wife stopped into a bike shop and there sat a bike identical model as mine. I had to have it. I agreed to buy it if the frame was not cracked. It was. I bought it anyways at a big discount. The plastic and fuel tank were in great shape. I stripped it and the recovery continued.
This year I bought another one as a basket case. I have parts to keep my original running indefinitely.
This year it is 25 years old. We have been through a lot together.

 

Any other original owners out there?

 

No, I bought my '88 new, put 30,000 miles on it after trading it for an ATV and then repurchasing it (still the only owner) and then did some stupid stuff and had to sell it. Bought my '87 three years ago in a fit of nostalgia and still love it.