Self Propelled Mowers

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Originally Posted by dakota99
I have a Honda HRX217 and it's honestly the best mower i've ever owned. The twin blades and nexite deck are definitely worth spending money on. It mulches perfectly but what I really love is the fact that the underside of the deck is totally clean after mowing, even wet grass.


I'll second the HRX217. I bought a HRX217HYA to replace a Honda self-propelled that was handed down to me from my parents. It lasted 25 years before it finally lost compression. I'm confident that if I change the oil and the air filter every season that this mower will also run for 25 years.
 
I like front wheel drive as at the end of your pass, you tilt up the front wheels off the ground (just slightly), flip it 180 degrees and do the next pass. Or thats what I do. I liked my Ariens 22" with Kohler Courage engine until I got my Toro Timemaster. Now there is no comparison in the machines. Of course The Toro Timemaster (30") is over $1000.
 
My Toro Personal Pace rear wheel drive has been a great mower for 11 years now. My son mows ours and 3 of the neighbors lawns with it and it's held up awesome with just basic maintenance. It has the Briggs engine
 
I finally got into the self propelled game this year after many years of "I'm not paying for extras." Helps that I've been buying 'junk' mowers around the neighborhood.

1st mower over the winter was a Honda HRR216 with the thumb paddle control. Wasn't a fan of the controls, altho 2 cutting blades was nice. Sold it for a profit and picked up an older Toro 20332 with the Briggs. I'm now sold on the Personal Pace system. Just easier and more "normal" to use. Only downfall with the 20332 is the plastic drive gears in the wheels, but they are easily remedied or upgradable to metal gears.

Been hunting for a Toro Super Recycler now. 2nd hand folks here know what they are and snipe them off the used market pretty fast, then pop back up a week later with an extra $100 tacked on.
 
Front wheel drive self-propelled mowers don't work well (if at all) on hills, in wet grass, in tall/heavy grass, or in a rear bagger configuration. I'm not a fan. Cheaper price is about the only advantage IMO. For anyone still interested in buying one I have some advice, don't buy one that has the bigger rear wheels (aka "big wheel" mower). This is a BAD design! The laws of physics (weight distribution and leverage) make this type of mower difficult to operate/maneuver, and handles/handle mounts tent to bend/break easily. Cheap big wheel mowers are a bad design in general, push or self propelled, they were designed and marketed to emulate the look of the heavy duty and excellent (but expensive) Yazoo and Sarlo type big wheel mowers.
 
Another vote for personal pace. Makes the mower feel almost weightless. (Unless you're lifting it or backing up)
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I will highly suggest to see if there is a Honda Powersports dealer near you that sells mowers as your first choice if you buy a Honda. They should match the Home Depot price if needed.


I think I am going to splurge and buy a Honda HRX217 over at the local John deere/Honda dealer down the road.
Buy once cry once I guess, will see if Honda is better. Will fix my Ariens but wont have to worry about the lawn with 2 mowers, have had to throw some parts over the years into it and sometimes it prevents me from mowing while waiting for a part to come in.
 
Originally Posted by VNTS
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I will highly suggest to see if there is a Honda Powersports dealer near you that sells mowers as your first choice if you buy a Honda. They should match the Home Depot price if needed.


I think I am going to splurge and buy a Honda HRX217 over at the local John deere/Honda dealer down the road.
Buy once cry once I guess, will see if Honda is better. Will fix my Ariens but wont have to worry about the lawn with 2 mowers, have had to throw some parts over the years into it and sometimes it prevents me from mowing while waiting for a part to come in.



It says it's 4-1 (mulching, bagging, rear discharge, or leaf shredding) but I don't get how it discharges from the rear with out the bag. Every once in a while I need the side discharge on my Toro.

https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/hrx-series-lawn-mowers
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by VNTS
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I will highly suggest to see if there is a Honda Powersports dealer near you that sells mowers as your first choice if you buy a Honda. They should match the Home Depot price if needed.


I think I am going to splurge and buy a Honda HRX217 over at the local John deere/Honda dealer down the road.
Buy once cry once I guess, will see if Honda is better. Will fix my Ariens but wont have to worry about the lawn with 2 mowers, have had to throw some parts over the years into it and sometimes it prevents me from mowing while waiting for a part to come in.



Just a suggestion, consider getting one of models with a blade brake clutch (X, Y, or Z models). It's so much more convenient to be able to step away from the mower without it shutting off.
 
Originally Posted by Duffyjr
Originally Posted by VNTS
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I will highly suggest to see if there is a Honda Powersports dealer near you that sells mowers as your first choice if you buy a Honda. They should match the Home Depot price if needed.


I think I am going to splurge and buy a Honda HRX217 over at the local John deere/Honda dealer down the road.
Buy once cry once I guess, will see if Honda is better. Will fix my Ariens but wont have to worry about the lawn with 2 mowers, have had to throw some parts over the years into it and sometimes it prevents me from mowing while waiting for a part to come in.



It says it's 4-1 (mulching, bagging, rear discharge, or leaf shredding) but I don't get how it discharges from the rear with out the bag. Every once in a while I need the side discharge on my Toro.

https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/hrx-series-lawn-mowers


It has a cover on the back of the mower. The clippings are rear discharged into the cover and then dropped straight down.
 
The HRX has the BBC and all the goodies, their top of the line with the bigger engine 201CC and hydrostatic transmission, BB wheels and whatnot.
 
Originally Posted by VNTS
The HRX has the BBC and all the goodies, their top of the line with the bigger engine 201CC and hydrostatic transmission, BB wheels and whatnot.


Honda makes 5 versions of the HRX217. Only 2 of them have hydrostatic transmission, and only 3 have BBC. Be careful which one you're looking at.
 
Originally Posted by glock19
Originally Posted by VNTS
The HRX has the BBC and all the goodies, their top of the line with the bigger engine 201CC and hydrostatic transmission, BB wheels and whatnot.


Honda makes 5 versions of the HRX217. Only 2 of them have hydrostatic transmission, and only 3 have BBC. Be careful which one you're looking at.


It is the HRX217HZA, has all the features
 
Originally Posted by VNTS
Originally Posted by glock19
Originally Posted by VNTS
The HRX has the BBC and all the goodies, their top of the line with the bigger engine 201CC and hydrostatic transmission, BB wheels and whatnot.


Honda makes 5 versions of the HRX217. Only 2 of them have hydrostatic transmission, and only 3 have BBC. Be careful which one you're looking at.


It is the HRX217HZA, has all the features


Wow that thing is a beast at 108 lbs, hope your don't have to pull it backwards a lot. That's a young man's mower
smile.gif


https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217hza
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Duffyjr
Originally Posted by VNTS
Originally Posted by glock19
Originally Posted by VNTS
The HRX has the BBC and all the goodies, their top of the line with the bigger engine 201CC and hydrostatic transmission, BB wheels and whatnot.


Honda makes 5 versions of the HRX217. Only 2 of them have hydrostatic transmission, and only 3 have BBC. Be careful which one you're looking at.


It is the HRX217HZA, has all the features


Wow that thing is a beast at 108 lbs, hope your don't have to pull it backwards a lot. That's a young man's mower
smile.gif


https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrx217hza


Self propelled, who cares? My ariens weighs 112 lbs. important thing is if it can cut wet grass and the SP can do hills.
never had any issue with my ariens per manouvering, yard is relatively flat. Had FWD Craftsman mower and that was worse pulling backward, but in big picture not really an issue.
 
Originally Posted by wag123
don't buy one that has the bigger rear wheels (aka "big wheel" mower). This is a BAD design! The laws of physics (weight distribution and leverage) make this type of mower difficult to operate/maneuver, and handles/handle mounts tent to bend/break easily.

I disagree, except for probably the easier to break part since manhandling the mower in tough turns can put more stress on things. But maneuvering it around is easier to do. Until last year, I had one with ridiculously big rear wheels. I think they were 14" tall. For a non-propelled, it was nice. It was like mowing your lawn with a monster truck.
 
FWD vs. RWD.

I swap between FWD and RWD depending on mood. FWD is sort of like a FWD sporty car, while RWD is sort of like a RWD touring car. Even on imperfect but flat ground, FWD will need more help staying on a straight line. It's not terrible, but it does twitch around more and is more annoying than RWD. RWD basically goes straight wherever you point it.

At first, I didn't like turning with RWD after having used FWD for years and tilting the handle down to make tight turns. But if you cut with less than 90-degree turns, (70-degree turns?), you can keep the power on and slide the back end out in the turn like a RWD car. So now I prefer RWD for that. And for tighter turns, it's doesn't take long to get used to engaging and disengaging the propel handle.

I'd say the main thing RWD loses on is when cutting around an object and you're doing a lot of walking backwards then forwards then small turn then repeat. FWD lets you keep the power on while tilting the wheels up when walking backwards, and then lower the front and it will propel forward for the short distance. RWD in that situation is more annoying whether I use the propel or not.

FWD can be ok on hills, but RWD is for the most part simply better. On ditches or flat-ish but rutty ground, I have to push the FWD more to help it. Sometimes a lot more. The problem with RWD on that surface is making sure my feet have enough traction on the hilly areas to keep up with the RWD plowing right through it.
 
Originally Posted by VNTS
How good are the newer Honda mowers, looking at the HRR216VLA

It is self propelled rear drive with the battery start, 470$ at Home Depot

Currenty have a 10 yr old Ariens LS21 with discomatic drive, traction cable gave up the ghost, so replacement is like 40$.
So will fix it but probably get another new mower and have one as a spare.

Anyhow how is the long term durability of the Hondas?

I would buy another Ariens but they switched the design.


I think your best bet is a Toro super recycler with the personal pace drive system. I like Hondas and have a 20yr/old one that still works, aside from the drive engagement.

I've got an 8yr/old Snapper Ninja commercial series 21" with the disc drive system. It's a nice mower, but heavy. I also don't care for the wheel drive engagement lever that's on the right side. I'd prefer a bail that goes all the way across. I see Snapper has cheapened this model even more. It's got plastic wheels now, less bracing on the lower handlebars and no spin-on oil filter on the Briggs engine.
 
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