I'm thinking about a walk-behind mower and might be able to buy a
Honda Harmony from a firend who owes me. Anyway, I think he paid
around $500 for it and it's less than a year old. Chance are it'll be
a trade/barter deal.

Value aside, I'm more concerned with how users who have owned Hondas
feel about their performance and maintenance. Are they relatively
easy to service at home for the normal gear head? Or do they have
hidden compartments and gadgets that make normal maintenance a 2-day
chore? Do all Hondas use the same motors?

With regard to cutting, it's a mulcher type, and I wondered how good a
Honda is? Is their system a farce? Will I need to bag normally?

I haven't seen this mower and don't know the model, but I have to
assume that it's a middle-to-top line homeowner (not commercial)
model. I think it has the plastic deck and is self-propelled, but
don't know much more.

Opinions?

Mike

Own a Harmony (the original Harmony, not the cheapened-down Harmony II
series). I recommend it with no reservations.

To take your questions in order:

Are they relatively
easy to service at home for the normal gear head?

Not sure what you're looking for -- All I've ever done is change the oil and
sharpen the blades-- and this is as straighforward as any other mower I've
seen.

Do all Hondas use the same motors?

No idea, but I doubt it.

With regard to cutting, it's a mulcher type, and I wondered how good a
Honda is? Is their system a farce? Will I need to bag normally?

I wholeheartedly buy into the mulching concept -- it's great for your lawn
(nutrients stay put rather than being hauled to the dump) and much cheaper
and easier for you. And as mulching walk-behind's go-- nobody beats Honda
Harmony. This mower is designed for mulching from the ground-up-- a
specially designed deck and two stacked blades (at least on my model) make
for excellent results. Most other mulchers are baggers or side-discharge
mowers with a plug, no other modifications.

The only caveat-- you have to mow reasonably often -- if you like to see
your grass get up to 5" before you mow it back down to 2", then mulching is
not for you

I think it has the plastic deck and is self-propelled, but
don't know much more.

The plastic deck also is a great feature -- the dealer I bought it from hit
a sample hard with a dead-blow hammer and it just made a thud-- no damage at
all.

If you can pick this up at a sweet deal, definitely go for it. I paid
almost $700 for mine about 3 years ago. I hardly ever use it anymore since
we moved and I picked up a ZTR Deere tractor. But I can't part with my
Honda because I know nobody'd pay me what I"d want for it...

-Tim

I second those opinions. I have one too and it's a super machine. I
got a great deal on it at Home Depot about 3 years ago. I'm a pretty
critical guy and I can't find a thing I don't like about it.




"Tim Fischer" wrote in message news:ZTDTa.130429$Ph3.16053@sccrnsc04...
Own a Harmony (the original Harmony, not the cheapened-down Harmony II
series). I recommend it with no reservations.

To take your questions in order:

Are they relatively
easy to service at home for the normal gear head?

Not sure what you're looking for -- All I've ever done is change the oil and
sharpen the blades-- and this is as straighforward as any other mower I've
seen.

Do all Hondas use the same motors?

No idea, but I doubt it.

With regard to cutting, it's a mulcher type, and I wondered how good a
Honda is? Is their system a farce? Will I need to bag normally?

I wholeheartedly buy into the mulching concept -- it's great for your lawn
(nutrients stay put rather than being hauled to the dump) and much cheaper
and easier for you. And as mulching walk-behind's go-- nobody beats Honda
Harmony. This mower is designed for mulching from the ground-up-- a
specially designed deck and two stacked blades (at least on my model) make
for excellent results. Most other mulchers are baggers or side-discharge
mowers with a plug, no other modifications.

The only caveat-- you have to mow reasonably often -- if you like to see
your grass get up to 5" before you mow it back down to 2", then mulching is
not for you

I think it has the plastic deck and is self-propelled, but
don't know much more.

The plastic deck also is a great feature -- the dealer I bought it from hit
a sample hard with a dead-blow hammer and it just made a thud-- no damage at
all.

If you can pick this up at a sweet deal, definitely go for it. I paid
almost $700 for mine about 3 years ago. I hardly ever use it anymore since
we moved and I picked up a ZTR Deere tractor. But I can't part with my
Honda because I know nobody'd pay me what I"d want for it...

-Tim

"Third" the same opinions. Own an original . . 20+ years old .. .
still running like new. Only repair was the replacement of a stressed out
handle hinge pin .. . with a generic 13mm fine threaded stovebolt. $.79
Go with air blasting the filter inside/out (Honda's recommendation) and the
use of synthetic oil (easier starting in the fall). I've only the 2-bladed
"garden" variety .. . mulches, bails and bags with ease. Blades easily
sharpened with a metal file and/or drill stone. With garden gloves, pull
the spark plug wire, shut off the carb and turn the mower on its side. You
can sharpen the blades each and every time you mow (easier on the mower and
the grass) . .. which you can't do with a riding mower.

"Chet Hayes" wrote in message
om...
I second those opinions. I have one too and it's a super machine. I
got a great deal on it at Home Depot about 3 years ago. I'm a pretty
critical guy and I can't find a thing I don't like about it.




"Tim Fischer" wrote in message
news:ZTDTa.130429$Ph3.16053@sccrnsc04...
Own a Harmony (the original Harmony, not the cheapened-down Harmony II
series). I recommend it with no reservations.

To take your questions in order:

Are they relatively
easy to service at home for the normal gear head?

Not sure what you're looking for -- All I've ever done is change the oil
and
sharpen the blades-- and this is as straighforward as any other mower
I've
seen.

Do all Hondas use the same motors?

No idea, but I doubt it.

With regard to cutting, it's a mulcher type, and I wondered how good a
Honda is? Is their system a farce? Will I need to bag normally?

I wholeheartedly buy into the mulching concept -- it's great for your
lawn
(nutrients stay put rather than being hauled to the dump) and much
cheaper
and easier for you. And as mulching walk-behind's go-- nobody beats
Honda
Harmony. This mower is designed for mulching from the ground-up-- a
specially designed deck and two stacked blades (at least on my model)
make
for excellent results. Most other mulchers are baggers or
side-discharge
mowers with a plug, no other modifications.

The only caveat-- you have to mow reasonably often -- if you like to
see
your grass get up to 5" before you mow it back down to 2", then mulching
is
not for you

I think it has the plastic deck and is self-propelled, but
don't know much more.

The plastic deck also is a great feature -- the dealer I bought it from
hit
a sample hard with a dead-blow hammer and it just made a thud-- no
damage at
all.

If you can pick this up at a sweet deal, definitely go for it. I paid
almost $700 for mine about 3 years ago. I hardly ever use it anymore
since
we moved and I picked up a ZTR Deere tractor. But I can't part with my
Honda because I know nobody'd pay me what I"d want for it...

-Tim

American made mowers are junk compared to a Honda. Where have you
been. Honda is the largest small engine mfr in the world, no won else
i s close. The Honda lawnmowers are the least poluting and longest
lasting mowers ever built. Even the low end models that they now
offer are still much better than their competition.



On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 22:10:40 GMT, wrote:

I'm thinking about a walk-behind mower and might be able to buy a
Honda Harmony from a firend who owes me. Anyway, I think he paid
around $500 for it and it's less than a year old. Chance are it'll be
a trade/barter deal.

Value aside, I'm more concerned with how users who have owned Hondas
feel about their performance and maintenance. Are they relatively
easy to service at home for the normal gear head? Or do they have
hidden compartments and gadgets that make normal maintenance a 2-day
chore? Do all Hondas use the same motors?

With regard to cutting, it's a mulcher type, and I wondered how good a
Honda is? Is their system a farce? Will I need to bag normally?

I haven't seen this mower and don't know the model, but I have to
assume that it's a middle-to-top line homeowner (not commercial)
model. I think it has the plastic deck and is self-propelled, but
don't know much more.

Opinions?

Mike

Haven't made the plunge yet, but I'm also looking at a Cub Cadet that
has a Kawasaki engine, and caster front wheels. I appreciate Honda
equipment, as I have owned a few Honda motorcycles, but also a few
Kawasakis too. I also checked ePinions and the reviews on the Cub
Cadet SRC621 were pretty positive. I tried out a friends Deere with
casters too this weekend, and that was OK.

I also see where other lawnmower manufacturers have offered Honda and
Kawasaki engines in addition to the B&S intech and robin engines. I
have an intek on my power washer and it's really a super little
engine.

A relative of the guy might get first dibs on the Honda, so if I have
to go full retail, it might come down to price.

Mike


On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 22:10:40 GMT, wrote:

I'm thinking about a walk-behind mower and might be able to buy a
Honda Harmony from a firend who owes me. Anyway, I think he paid
around $500 for it and it's less than a year old. Chance are it'll be
a trade/barter deal.

Value aside, I'm more concerned with how users who have owned Hondas
feel about their performance and maintenance. Are they relatively
easy to service at home for the normal gear head? Or do they have
hidden compartments and gadgets that make normal maintenance a 2-day
chore? Do all Hondas use the same motors?

With regard to cutting, it's a mulcher type, and I wondered how good a
Honda is? Is their system a farce? Will I need to bag normally?

I haven't seen this mower and don't know the model, but I have to
assume that it's a middle-to-top line homeowner (not commercial)
model. I think it has the plastic deck and is self-propelled, but
don't know much more.

Opinions?

Mike

Well, I took the plunge and bought a Honda, got the 216 with the
caster front wheels because I really liked that feature when I tried
out my friend's John Deere.

Mowed the first time yesterday. Took me about 1 hour and my property
is a half acre with house and shrub beds. The Honda is quieter than a
B&S I think, but I could be wrong. Thank God I got the 3-speed
because the single speeder is way too fast (same as 3rd I was told).
Bag empties reasonably quick, it's easy to start, no priming at all.

I almost bought a floor sample Deere, the one with casters, because
the salesperson at HD marked it down to $399 during our discussion to
see if I'd bite. But then I figured the extra $100 would be worth it
to get the Honda, fresh out of the box.

Just one cut, but I like it and the lawn looks better than when my
_former_ landscaper cut it with his Scags. I fired him last week
after yearly price increases and sloppier work drove me to it. I
don't mind price increases, but I had to call him back several times
to cut spots that they had entirely missed, and the detail work (like
picking up clippings on walk, others) were no longer being done.

Last time I cut his lawn I had my BobCat Commercial walk behind, and
it always looked good. Now that I have more time on my hands, the
lawn will get more attention again.

Mike