25 Years Ago April 1987

25 YEARS AGO APRIL 1987

ROUNDUP

"A sportbike for the rest of us,” proclaimed the cover blurb, hinting at Cycle World’s assessment of the new Honda Hurricane 1000. While the Suzuki GSX-R1100 and Yamaha’s FZR1000 vied for race-track glory and the hearts of hardcore sportbike enthusiasts, the editors touted the Hurricane’s sensible, well-rounded nature, calling it “good news for riders who aren’t intent on stacking the fireplace mantel with club-roadracing trophies, who are instead looking for a sportbike built for the long run rather than the short spurt.”

•“Extra!! Cycle World Sets New Records,” screamed the headline of a faux newspaper clipping dated April 1. The story covered a ground-breaking air drop of a Honda S90 from a helicopter hovering 600 feet above El Mirage Dry Lake. “We hoped that Honda’s new Hurricane 1000 would be able to break 160,” explained Technical Editor Steve Anderson, “which would have made it the fastest production bike ever, but it could only manage a rather boring 156.” Actual terminal velocity of the free-falling Honda wasn’t recorded, but “eyewitnesses reported that the S90 was going ‘real damn fast.’”

•A historical feature about the fabled Moto Guzzi V-Eight GP racer was accompanied by a rare treat: a sidebar penned by racing great John Surtees. Three decades prior, Surtees had raced against the factory Guzzi and seemed delighted at the opportunity to lap Italy’s Misano circuit aboard a restored example of that rare racer.

Don Canet