Lawnmowerforum helped me when i was researching :confused2: so i thought i'd contribute now that i've purchased the honda hrx217. I've used it about 6 hours now, and i like it more each time i take it out. For me there is usually a short honeymoon after a major purchase, and then flaws surface for any product - but not so this time. My favorite feature is how quickly and easily the handle folds down to exactly the length of the mower deck, which was such a pain on every other mower i've had that i would rearrange the garage to fit the mower with the handle in place. The most impressive engineering (besides the motor) is the drive control, which for me is brilliantly ergonomic.
Here's some things i didn't get until i'd done a bunch of research online, i hope it helps someone:
a. Motor: Most makes of mowers have upper end models with honda engines. These overhead cam engines have a reputation for being smooth and quiet. I read on a forum that they have an oil pump for pressure feed vs oil splash from a sump in other engines, which sounds valuable but i don't know if it is fact. I can say that it is easy to start, hard to stall, and works well across a steep hillside. I also read that engine makers lie about horsepower, but i found the truth is just hidden. The rated HP on an engine is true, but it is a peak at some high engine speed. Husqvarna offers up the info we really need ... the measured power at the engine speed a mower runs. Husqi tells us KW not HP, perhaps to avoid the half truth stickered to the mower engine, but this is a simple conversion. Check out the Husq site, you'll see that at 3000RPM the honda 160cc has slightly more power than the 190cc Briggs&S, the 190cc honda has a lot more power. I don't think you need that much power if your lawn is level, but mowing on sloping lawn really sucks up engine power.
b. Cost: At first i budgeted $150-$250. But my lawn is large and hilly, and as i got hooked on self-propelled the budget grew to $250-$350, and i was very interested in the 4WD Husqvarna at $300-$400. The low end of honda is $400, so my upper end was 4WD Husq 800 vs Honda HRR216. I calculated that i'd spend more than an hour a week half of each year, for four to eight years behind my mower; so if a mower i like is worth $1/hr more than an annoying mower, that is $100-$200 for my mower budget. Similar for repair, if a better mower has one less repair over an 8 year life, that is $100-$200 i may as well spend up front. OK then, I've talked myself into the upper end of my budget.
c. Warranty: I saw that NorthernTool.com had an extended warranty (private, not manufacturer) for $95/year. I've found that many products break a few years after warranty, as manufacturers have a good idea how long their products last. But i read many bad stories about private extended warranty, so how about from the manufacturers? Husqvarna may have a limited extended warranty, but with conditions attached and pricey. But hey, the upper grade honda HRX has a 5 year warranty - versus 3 year on the Honda HRR or Husqvarna, vs 2 year on some cheaper mowers. An extra 2 years for $200? Not worth $200 to me, but that is a real bonus.
d. Honda vs Honda: HRR vs HRX has more to it, of course. HRX has bigger wheels, bearings on four wheels (HRR has bushings on front), and 190cc vs 160cc. A rust-proof plastic mower deck, which didn't thrill me until the first time i washed off the underside (nothing sticks!). A better mulch/bag gate mechanism and a bunch of small differences. Plus an extra two years warranty. I'm tempted. Whoa, how did my budget get to $600?
e. Honda vs Husqvarna: The Husqvarna line has honda engines at significantly cheaper prices than the Honda mowers (e.g. 190cc on the Husq800 for $400). The 4WD on the Husq800 is very attractive because my lawn is hilly and the moles make it bumpy, but i'm concerned about the complexity of it regarding repairs and robustness. Two differentials on one long belt, hmm. The Husq800 is only a little heavier than the Hondas despite the 4WD. I am also concerned about forum posts on bad engineering in other things on the (new) Husq800 such as grass clogging around the driveshafts and in the mower deck exit chute. My concerns about design sold me on Honda when I saw how you fold the handle down, spinning loose big bolts until press-fit handle pieces come loose, and then it pinches the cable - really a small thing but this is the high end of their line.
f. Drive control: I also didn't like the Husq drive control, which you squeeze toward the handle with the fingers. This should have been the deciding factor for me, altho i had already made up my mind based on "overall engineering". But now i know, that drive control would have been torture compared to the Honda. There are currently two controls on Honda models. The smart drive is pressed down by the palms or thumbs, the select drive is pressed forward into the handle. Both are natural positions for low fatigue and good control. But pulling back to go faster seems difficult, because as the mower speeds ahead briefly (it happens) it will pull the control towards more speed unless you actively compensate.
OK, i didn't get to test drive so i'm just supposing. But with the Honda SelectDrive (like the Toro 'personal pace' drive) when i walk towards the mower it speeds up, when the mower gets ahead of me it slows down. Beyond this, the ergonomics is impressive; responsive but not jumpy, and easy to hold in place at the selected drive speed (hence the name). The Honda smartdrive control is more like driving the mower, i expect it is easier to get just the right boost during turns and when walking next to the mower due to a tree or bush. For other reasons the selectdrive may be better for tall people (due to handle shape) or for short people (due to adjustable top speed), while the smartdrive may be better for average 5'10" man with a brisk walk.
Hope this helps!
Here's some things i didn't get until i'd done a bunch of research online, i hope it helps someone:
a. Motor: Most makes of mowers have upper end models with honda engines. These overhead cam engines have a reputation for being smooth and quiet. I read on a forum that they have an oil pump for pressure feed vs oil splash from a sump in other engines, which sounds valuable but i don't know if it is fact. I can say that it is easy to start, hard to stall, and works well across a steep hillside. I also read that engine makers lie about horsepower, but i found the truth is just hidden. The rated HP on an engine is true, but it is a peak at some high engine speed. Husqvarna offers up the info we really need ... the measured power at the engine speed a mower runs. Husqi tells us KW not HP, perhaps to avoid the half truth stickered to the mower engine, but this is a simple conversion. Check out the Husq site, you'll see that at 3000RPM the honda 160cc has slightly more power than the 190cc Briggs&S, the 190cc honda has a lot more power. I don't think you need that much power if your lawn is level, but mowing on sloping lawn really sucks up engine power.
b. Cost: At first i budgeted $150-$250. But my lawn is large and hilly, and as i got hooked on self-propelled the budget grew to $250-$350, and i was very interested in the 4WD Husqvarna at $300-$400. The low end of honda is $400, so my upper end was 4WD Husq 800 vs Honda HRR216. I calculated that i'd spend more than an hour a week half of each year, for four to eight years behind my mower; so if a mower i like is worth $1/hr more than an annoying mower, that is $100-$200 for my mower budget. Similar for repair, if a better mower has one less repair over an 8 year life, that is $100-$200 i may as well spend up front. OK then, I've talked myself into the upper end of my budget.
c. Warranty: I saw that NorthernTool.com had an extended warranty (private, not manufacturer) for $95/year. I've found that many products break a few years after warranty, as manufacturers have a good idea how long their products last. But i read many bad stories about private extended warranty, so how about from the manufacturers? Husqvarna may have a limited extended warranty, but with conditions attached and pricey. But hey, the upper grade honda HRX has a 5 year warranty - versus 3 year on the Honda HRR or Husqvarna, vs 2 year on some cheaper mowers. An extra 2 years for $200? Not worth $200 to me, but that is a real bonus.
d. Honda vs Honda: HRR vs HRX has more to it, of course. HRX has bigger wheels, bearings on four wheels (HRR has bushings on front), and 190cc vs 160cc. A rust-proof plastic mower deck, which didn't thrill me until the first time i washed off the underside (nothing sticks!). A better mulch/bag gate mechanism and a bunch of small differences. Plus an extra two years warranty. I'm tempted. Whoa, how did my budget get to $600?
e. Honda vs Husqvarna: The Husqvarna line has honda engines at significantly cheaper prices than the Honda mowers (e.g. 190cc on the Husq800 for $400). The 4WD on the Husq800 is very attractive because my lawn is hilly and the moles make it bumpy, but i'm concerned about the complexity of it regarding repairs and robustness. Two differentials on one long belt, hmm. The Husq800 is only a little heavier than the Hondas despite the 4WD. I am also concerned about forum posts on bad engineering in other things on the (new) Husq800 such as grass clogging around the driveshafts and in the mower deck exit chute. My concerns about design sold me on Honda when I saw how you fold the handle down, spinning loose big bolts until press-fit handle pieces come loose, and then it pinches the cable - really a small thing but this is the high end of their line.
f. Drive control: I also didn't like the Husq drive control, which you squeeze toward the handle with the fingers. This should have been the deciding factor for me, altho i had already made up my mind based on "overall engineering". But now i know, that drive control would have been torture compared to the Honda. There are currently two controls on Honda models. The smart drive is pressed down by the palms or thumbs, the select drive is pressed forward into the handle. Both are natural positions for low fatigue and good control. But pulling back to go faster seems difficult, because as the mower speeds ahead briefly (it happens) it will pull the control towards more speed unless you actively compensate.
OK, i didn't get to test drive so i'm just supposing. But with the Honda SelectDrive (like the Toro 'personal pace' drive) when i walk towards the mower it speeds up, when the mower gets ahead of me it slows down. Beyond this, the ergonomics is impressive; responsive but not jumpy, and easy to hold in place at the selected drive speed (hence the name). The Honda smartdrive control is more like driving the mower, i expect it is easier to get just the right boost during turns and when walking next to the mower due to a tree or bush. For other reasons the selectdrive may be better for tall people (due to handle shape) or for short people (due to adjustable top speed), while the smartdrive may be better for average 5'10" man with a brisk walk.
Hope this helps!
