New Honda Mower is a BEAST

Over the years I have probably used just about every brand of lawnmower. Toro, Lawnboy, Husqvarna, McCulloch..you name it I probably used it at some point other than battery mowers.

This new Honda HRX217VKA though is by far the best of them all. Very powerful, fast, large gas tank and beautiful cutting action. It wasn't cheap but the time it saves me...wow. It's so fast I can't keep up with it and I'm in very good shape. Just a ridiculous amount of speed. Really overkill to be honest but even at 1/4 of the dial turn I can cut 2X faster if not more. I just cut my grass cutting time in half which is a big deal having a large lawn.

One thing I always hated about self propel walk behind mowers was the lack of variable speed. They all were designed to work at some common leisure setting. Fine for most people but if you have a large yard, or say a kid has a lawn business it sucks your life away cutting at mall walking speed. I had an old Lawnboy that had this turtle/rabbit lever but it still was not fast enough.

I finally found the sport car of lawnmowers after searching for 20 years. Amazing effort on Honda.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

My dad had a small honda rider for 30 years and it was a great mower.
I had an mtd for 20 years and it was great too.
I'm not sure the price difference is worth it.


The one thing I will say about the Honda is that unless you do your own maintenance work on them you will have to go to a Honda dealer for repairs.
Only honda dealers can get parts.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Can't beat a petrol mower especially one with a Honda engine.


Looks cool , happy mowing.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Can it do this?

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Them Japs sure know how to build good motors and I too have a Honda mower.

Small but as reliable as a morning poo when the coffee kicks in.

Mine is an "easystart", and it is amazing. Better than a strimmer on flat land aswell.

I was offered it when my chinese one packed up. Had a few reservations at first but no regrets after all the work it has done and will see.

Happy mowing.

originally posted by: gortex
Can't beat a petrol mower especially one with a Honda engine.

The ethanol in our gas will get it ... unless you're really careful.

I told my neighbor, "Don't fill it up!" What do you think happened?

Hopefully, with all this oil parked off our shores ... we'll be able to get away from ethanol as an additive.

Sadly, I have moved onto Honda products for my transportation as well. I have a Accura ILX and a Honda Civic for my wife. We kept an old Pontiac Vibe for a spare car for the kids. That Vibe is a wonderful car, I think its 20 years old and still runs like a charm. I believe it has a Toyota engine.

Prior to this I have always bought Chevy, but my last experience with Chevy Equinox was the worse I have ever had with a car. It broke down 4 times before the warranty was up and then another time after the warranty was up for maybe 2 months and I had to argue with the dealership and Chevy to even cover 50% of the cost on an obvious lemon. After owning that car - at least since then - I have sworn off Chevy's forever.

My Honda's are a pleasure so far and seem to be cars that will last and last for a very long time.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Stupidsecrets
Can't beat a petrol mower especially one with a Honda engine.

I disagree...

I love love love my new EGO 56V electric...

Variable speed walk-behind and all. Battery charges in an hour or so, runs for almost two hours, a little shorter if using the self-propelled feature (which I only use a little, on the hills).

I can cut our entire lawn in about 30 minutes, so can actually mow the entire thing twice on a single charge - and since I mow weekly, and the battery holds the charge for at least a couple of weeks, I only have to charge every third week.

No more messing with gas.

Obviously wouldn't be the best choice for a larger property, but for small lots... nothing beats it.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: gortex
Can't beat a petrol mower especially one with a Honda engine.

The ethanol in our gas will get it ... unless you're really careful.

I told my neighbor, "Don't fill it up!" What do you think happened?

Hopefully, with all this oil parked off our shores ... we'll be able to get away from ethanol as an additive.

Ummm...all the new gas mowers and small engines are designed for ethanol based fuel...

My F150 pickup is flex fuel...and is designed to run on that crap ethanol fuel...matter of fact...if I use non-ethanol 91...it doesn’t run right...I can even use E-85 (85% ethanol to 15% gasoline) in the thing.

We have 91 non-ethanol available here because of the huge marine industry throughout the region...










YouSir

originally posted by: YouSir
Ummm...all the new gas mowers and small engines are designed for ethanol based fuel...

Are they really? I got me an electric mower when my power mower's carb bit it two years ago. I hate pulling an electric cord behind me. See what you did? I'm might have to go spend money now!!

It has a lot of nice features besides the strong engine. Variable mulching setting. Normally it's either mulch or bag. This one has a full spectrum of mix. Either mulch it all or just a little. The deck is strong plastic so no rust and easier to clean. Blades are dual, top one slightly cuts the top of the grass and the secondary one cut it lower. This creates finer mulch and less clumping. Wheels are larger and better quality. Electric are fine by me but I don't think one has all these features. My yard is too big for electric though. 2 hr battery is not going to work for me.

I just got one similar to yours....509$

It is amazing!!!! The extra price was because I got the one with the blade stop option, which is super awesome by the way.

Is there any way to protect it from the ethanol in gas? Like an additive I can put in it?

Awesome mower!

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

a reply to: neomaximus10

You can just buy ethanol free gas. I'd have to drive 30 miles out of my way to get it.

There are additives (supposedly). I tried Seafoam, but it didn't work as advertised. Might have made the carburetor worse in the long run ... but I don't know.

originally posted by: neomaximus10
I just got one similar to yours....509$

It is amazing!!!! The extra price was because I got the one with the blade stop option, which is super awesome by the way.

Is there any way to protect it from the ethanol in gas? Like an additive I can put in it?

Awesome mower!

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

Ummm...ethanol based fuel has a max shelf life of 90 days from the date of manufacture at the refinery...then it begins to phase separate as the H2O and alcohol sink to the bottom of the containment vessel...separating from the gasoline...

There are numerous additives on the market that claim to slow...not stop...the phase separation process...
some are a joke...and some actually do extend that the duration before separation...

It’s when the alcohol separates that the real problems occur to rubber grommets, seals, and aluminum parts that react with the alcohol and form acids that eat the aluminum...

New engines are designed to resist this corrosion...


Hope that helps...







YouSir

It does, usually at the end of mowing season, I change the oil, add fuel stabilizer, and run the mower till it dies (runs out of gas) and I usually dont have any issues


a reply to: YouSir

a reply to: Snarl

The ethanol in our gas will get it ... unless you're really careful.

Only engines with carburetors and gas/oil mixes. Go through a carb a year with my trimmer/saw.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I have a craftsman with a kohler engine approaching 20 years. Runs great. Starter is #d, so I have to bridge it, replaced a tire or two because of dry rot leakage, an ignition switch, axle, a gas tank, etc, but the engine itself...a tiger.

a reply to: Liquesence


Ummm...it’s probably just the starter solenoid...I just bought one for my rider...although...the damned thing just won’t plug and play itself...soooo...I’ll be doing that part change...possibly tomorrow...or the day after that...maybe on the weekend...

Nah...who the hell am I kidding...

Why do today what I can put off for...







YouSir

a reply to: YouSir

Yeah, it's the solenoid.

I actually think I have one in the basement, but it's so easy to bridge...