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Hello,

I just purchased a brand new Honda mower... the cheapest model ($419.00 US at Home Depot). Yesterday I purchased it. I have to admit... it's nice... has some nice features... I bought it because (A) it's a Honda and I've always wanted a Honda lawn mower and (B) It was time for a unit that I didn't have to push... I'm 49 now and it's getting a little old pushing the 15 year old Yard Machines Home Depot special around...

Again... the unit is nice... nice features... etc...

But I have to be honest. I'm less than thrilled with the cut quality. If I am being 100% honest, my 15 year old Yard Machines single blade beast has a better resulting cut at the end of the mow than this Honda. Color me SLIGHTLY disappointed. Granted... it's not BAD... but it's 100% FOR SURE not as clean of a cut as my old Yard Machines.

I am starting to consider a return to be honest. I'm just right on the fence.... but I figure I will certainly give this machine another couple mows before I make any decision. Will all newer models of mower produce a worse cut than my old beast? I noticed that this engine runs at a noticeably lower RPM than my old mower. Is this a new "standard" that lawn mower manufacturers have to meet or is that a Honda thing? Is this the reason for the worse cut? If so, is there a way to adjust the RPM on this model? I have not purchased a mower in 15 years... my old one still works but I'm tired of pushing... but I don't want to spend $450 (with tax) on a machine that can't even match the end result of my current mower (I'm sure you can understand).

I am just trying to determine what potential fixes might be out there before I decide to suck it up and "accept the lower quality cut" or take this unit back.

Thanks

The condition of the blade and the RPM of the blade probably make the most difference in cut quality, as long as you are comparing equal setups between the 2 mowers. By that I mean, you weren't running the Honda in "mulch mode" while the Yard Machine was running "side chute" mode, where you ??

The RPM is set by the governor, which IS adjustable. The catch is Home Depot isn't going to have anyone that is qualified or has the equipment to make that adjustment. The best you can do at HD is go back and listen to 4 identical units. Taking it to a pro shop that doesn't know you at this time of year is going to be 8 weeks and $100.

I don't see a really good option here, except to return it and buy a mower from a pro shop. There are numerous brands with Honda engines.

Apples to apples...

Brand New Honda 2-blade ... in bag mode ... vs what I have been using for years ... a single blade Yard Machines (Briggs & Stratton engine) also in bag mode...

The Honda runs at a very noticeable lower RPM than the Yard Machines... hence my concern that it's not running fast enough to produce the quality of cut I am used to. '

Can I not adjust the governor myself?

Get a $10 tachometer - wraps around plug wire and see #. I had an older GXV-140 and that max rec RPM was 3250.
Get your engine model and check youtube for governor adjustment.
BUT will doing so make mower non-returnable or void warranty?

Born2Mow said:

The condition of the blade and the RPM of the blade probably make the most difference in cut quality, as long as you are comparing equal setups between the 2 mowers. By that I mean, you weren't running the Honda in "mulch mode" while the Yard Machine was running "side chute" mode, where you ??

The RPM is set by the governor, which IS adjustable. The catch is Home Depot isn't going to have anyone that is qualified or has the equipment to make that adjustment. The best you can do at HD is go back and listen to 4 identical units. Taking it to a pro shop that doesn't know you at this time of year is going to be 8 weeks and $100.

I don't see a really good option here, except to return it and buy a mower from a pro shop. There are numerous brands with Honda engines.

Click to expand...

But keep in mind that the maximum recommended rpm is going to be based on blade length. the longer the cutting blade the slower the engine needs to run.

I suspect that part of the issue is due to a different style blade. the old mower most likely is a side discharge blade and the new Honda is a hybrid side discharge, bagging, mulching blade which doesn't really do any of the three very well.

Not sure about the blade, but the mower is not a side-discharge mower. It's a back bag mower...

It just sucks that I am as underwhelmed by this mower as I am. I was expecting more (to be honest) from Honda.

Honda recommends a counter-clockwise direction for mulching. My previous mower was clockwise.
Made a difference but my HRN series cut better than the previous mower (not Honda) either way.

FrizzleFried said:

Not sure about the blade, but the mower is not a side-discharge mower. It's a back bag mower...

It just sucks that I am as underwhelmed by this mower as I am. I was expecting more (to be honest) from Honda.

Click to expand...

Honda’s are great machines, but you don’t purchase one if you want to side discharge. They are highly regarded for their mulching & bagging capabilities in the same manner Toro Recyclers are regarded as the best for mulching. Messing with the governor will void your warranty. If you‘re disappointed with its performance, return it and purchased a self propelled Troy-Bilt.

ILENGINE said:

But keep in mind that the maximum recommended rpm is going to be based on blade length. the longer the cutting blade the slower the engine needs to run.

I suspect that part of the issue is due to a different style blade. the old mower most likely is a side discharge blade and the new Honda is a hybrid side discharge, bagging, mulching blade which doesn't really do any of the three very well.

Click to expand...

How did you form that opinion?

Every Honda mower I've used from the low end to commercial jobs all run at low revs like 2600-2800rpm. This is how they make them quieter. Crank the revs up to 3600 and they will sing as loud as the rest of them. Also lower revs means less engine wear and fuel consumption. The deck design and blade equates to cutting quality. Summation from all my Honda experience is they are "good" mowers. Notice the word "good". They will last a good bit and most people don't recognize a poor cut. Are there better mowers out there than Honda, sure are. Two brands come to mind.

P.S.
Lastly, my main issue with Hondas is the lack of engine torque. If you have dense grass like my Zenith Zoysia or Tifway Bermuda, look elsewhere. You need a big Briggs 190cc at minimum on these grasses.

slomo said:

Every Honda mower I've used from the low end to commercial jobs all run at low revs like 2600-2800rpm. This is how they make them quieter. Crank the revs up to 3600 and they will sing as loud as the rest of them. Also lower revs means less engine wear and fuel consumption. The deck design and blade equates to cutting quality. Summation from all my Honda experience is they are "good" mowers. Notice the word "good". They will last a good bit and most people don't recognize a poor cut. Are there better mowers out there than Honda, sure are. Two brands come to mind.

P.S.
Lastly, my main issue with Hondas is the lack of engine torque. If you have dense grass like my Zenith Zoysia or Tifway Bermuda, look elsewhere. You need a big Briggs 190cc at minimum on these grasses.

Click to expand...

Poor cut? What brands are better than Honda?

Edit: If you need more than 4.4hp @ 3600 rpm & 6.9 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm to mow grass, then you have other issues than the engine.

Graeden said:

How did you form that opinion?

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Which opinion are you talking about. That engine rpm is based on a maximum safe blade tip speed of 19,000 fpm or that a blade used for multiple applications doesn't really do any of those applications to the best of their ability.

Graeden said:

Poor cut? What brands are better than Honda?

Click to expand...

OP said his 15 year old Yard Machine for one.

My 40+ year opinion of using and working on most everything, not everything like some of the guys on here, I still haven't found better pusher than Snapper HI-Vacs. No other mower even comes close,,,,, in bagging, to a Snapper. And that bagging specific deck still mulches as good as any other out there if not better. I haven't used their Ninja recycling deck yet, looking for one.

Toro's Super Recyclers are another mower that MULCH at the top of the list too. I don't know about the new black models. The older red aluminum decks are great mulchers. Bagging performance is rather lacking just like Honda.

Shoot, I've even had several Craftsman mowers that were pretty salty.

On your "4.4hp @ 3600 rpm & 6.9 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm to mow grass" comment, sounds like you've never cut Zoysia or Tifway Bermuda. If you lower the cut one mower notch, you can and will stall the engine. You have to sloooowly push the mower while doing this. Can't use normal self propel either. Even my Snapper 33" RER with a 14.5hp engine gets a tough workout on my grass. Got to keep a sharp blade.

slomo

ILENGINE said:

Which opinion are you talking about. That engine rpm is based on a maximum safe blade tip speed of 17,000 fpm or that a blade used for multiple applications doesn't really do any of those applications to the best of their ability.

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1) That Honda’s are only “good” mowers, & 2) that they only operate @ 2800 rpm.

slomo said:

OP said his 15 year old Yard Machine for one.

My 40+ year opinion of using and working on most everything, not everything like some of the guys on here, I still haven't found better pusher than Snapper HI-Vacs. No other mower even comes close,,,,, in bagging, to a Snapper. And that bagging specific deck still mulches as good as any other out there if not better. I haven't used their Ninja recycling deck yet, looking for one.

Toro's Super Recyclers are another mower that MULCH at the top of the list too. I don't know about the new black models. The older red aluminum decks are great mulchers. Bagging performance is rather lacking just like Honda.

Shoot, I've even had several Craftsman mowers that were pretty salty.

On your "4.4hp @ 3600 rpm & 6.9 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm to mow grass" comment, sounds like you've never cut Zoysia or Tifway Bermuda. If you lower the cut one mower notch, you can and will stall the engine. You have to sloooowly push the mower while doing this. Can't use normal self propel either. Even my Snapper 33" RER with a 14.5hp engine gets a tough workout on my grass. Got to keep a sharp blade.

slomo

Click to expand...

It sounds like you have not as well. The 200cc on a HRX does quite well, as does the 163cc on a Toro. Blade sharpness enhances any mowers cutting ability. Which makes me wonder, how low are you trying to cut? And from what length?

Graeden said:

1) That Honda’s are only “good” mowers, & 2) that they only operate @ 2800 rpm.

Click to expand...

And neither one of those was my opinion. I never said anything about Honda being the only good mower or mowers operate at 2800 rpm. I said rpm is based on blade length.

Graeden said:

1) That Honda’s are only “good” mowers, & 2) that they only operate @ 2800 rpm.

Click to expand...

With my money, I will never buy a Honda. Too many levers on the bar to hold down and twist. Entire mower won't back up (huge post on here about this). Engines are down on torque compared to the competition (do your own research). Poor bagging performance (won't even pick up maple tree helicopter seeds). Initial cost of the machine is quite high especially compared to a Yard Machine or Craftsman LOL.

Never said they "only" operate at 2800. When I have found them unmolested, they run under 3k rpm with a tach on the plug wire. It is well known that Honda from the factory runs their motors at low rpm. Anyone ever found one at 3400-3600rpm before from the factory?

slomo