Honda 2.3 air-cooled

M

mick

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 Aug 2001
Messages
933
Location
Clyde
Visit site
Thinking of getting one of these. At present, I unhook the outboard from the dinghy and pass it up to Mrs. Mick, who lifts it on to the outboard pad. My soft little hands go on the skeg and halfway up the shaft. Would the air-cooledness burn these same hands?

Edit: Or Mrs. Mick’s hands?
 
Last edited:
TQA said:
But before you buy have a trial run out with one. They are NOISY little suckers.
Click to expand...
All tiny outboards are quite noisy - the Honda also massages your hand through the twist grip but as people don’t buy 2 HP outboards to travel long distances should be bearable

And what’s alternative - I was warned off Suzuki by a dealer because of number of warranty claims and Mariner and Yamaha weigh over 17kg
 
mick said:
Thinking of getting one of these. At present, I unhook the outboard from the dinghy and pass it up to Mrs. Mick, who lifts it on to the outboard pad. My soft little hands go on the skeg and halfway up the shaft. Would the air-cooledness burn these same hands?

Edit: Or Mrs. Mick’s hands?
Click to expand...

Good little engine but not the lightest!
 
I’m aware they’re noisy but that doesn’t bother me. The Honda is the same weight as the Suzuki 2.5 I’ve had for six years that has been nothing but trouble. I’m a bit concerned about comments elsewhere about the auto clutch only operating above 2700 rpm.
 
mick said:
I’m aware they’re noisy but that doesn’t bother me. The Honda is the same weight as the Suzuki 2.5 I’ve had for six years that has been nothing but trouble. I’m a bit concerned about comments elsewhere about the auto clutch only operating above 2700 rpm.
Click to expand...
You will be bothered by the noise given time, says man with hearing issues. I was able to borrow one for a few months and went back to the Suzuki 2.5.

I had no issues with the auto clutch at all just how hot the engine got, not deal on a swing mooring when you wanted to put it on the pushpit.
 
Best small outboard on the market by far. You will never be worried about overheating and checking tell tales. Can start it out of water. Is about the lightest 4 stroke out there. In one of the magazine tests of 2.5hp outboards, I remember that the db noise was no more than the water cooled ones. It just sounds different - much more like a lawn mower. You just get used to it. The leg doesn't get hot.
 
Sandy said:
You will be bothered by the noise given time, says man with hearing issues. I was able to borrow one for a few months and went back to the Suzuki 2.5.

I had no issues with the auto clutch at all just how hot the engine got, not deal on a swing mooring when you wanted to put it on the pushpit.
Click to expand...

Exactly my concern. I never leave the outboard on the dinghy on passage and I always remove it overnight ; was taught a hard lesson in a big squall in Plockton. Would the engine be unmanageably hot for a76 year old Mrs. Mick?
 
mick said:
Would the engine be unmanageably hot for a76 year old Mrs. Mick?
Click to expand...
It was unmanageable for for a 55 year old Sandy!

On the one I borrowed it was get to the boat, unload the dingy, climb onboard, make a pot of tea, prep the boat for sea, climb in the dingy, lift the outboard onto the boat, climb back on the boat.
 
The Honda and Suzuki are fairly similar, so it is a matter of which disadvantages you can live with.


I believe, and I suggest you check on this, that there is a difference in how they should be laid down if forced to do so. Again, I believe that the Honda should be laid handle-up, whereas the Suzuki, which I own, should be handle-down.
 
dartmoor said:
Best small outboard on the market by far.
Click to expand...

Worst small outboard on the market by far. Nasty penny pinched design in every respect. Rusts in every direction because they've saved a few Yen using mild steel parts and not stainless.

Yamaha - proper fuel cap stainless chain, Honda - nasty plastic whiskers with no strength at all, and the whole fuel cap is cheap and insubstantial.
Yamaha - proper cowl clips, Honda - awful fiddly rubber flap and lugs that are always trouble to get in place and never seem to fit properly
Yamaha - stainless bolts everywhere, Honda - mild steel
Yamaha - die cast float chamber, Honda pressed mild steel that rusts from the inside out
Yamaha - metal prop, Honda cheapo plastic prop that goes ragged at the edge when inevitably touching a sandy bottom
Yamaha - cowl comes right off, Honda - cowl dangles by the starter cord
Other Honda rusty bits - exhaust pipe, exhaust heat guard, springs and nuts on tilt selector rod...it goes on and on.

The Yamaha might be more expensive and heavier, but there's a reason for that - it's properly made for a marine environment.
 
5 years with the Honda, without any trouble. On occasion mine's done 10 hours a day propelling a Folkboat around the North of Scotland without hassle. It's a similar weight to anything else, it's not too noisy and it is reliable, as are others. I've not S/S'ed the screws on mine, and they've not corroded, but I WD40 the engine every winter. It always starts provided the carb has been emptied.
 
John 32i said:
Good little engine but not the lightest!
Click to expand...

Well actually, along with the Suzuki 2.5 it is the lightest 4 stroke. Only way to get lighter is to find a second hand Yamaha/mariner 2HP 2 Stroke which is 10kg.

Of course the Yamaha is better made but there is a price for that in both £ and weight; as its never economic to get these egg whisks serviced I treat them as a semi disposable item. You should be able to get a decent used Honda for around £300-350
 
Sandy said:
It was unmanageable for for a 55 year old Sandy!

On the one I borrowed it was get to the boat, unload the dingy, climb onboard, make a pot of tea, prep the boat for sea, climb in the dingy, lift the outboard onto the boat, climb back on the boat.
Click to expand...

That’s reassuring, and not at all cynical.
 
AngusMcDoon said:
Worst small outboard on the market by far. Nasty penny pinched design in every respect. Rusts in every direction because they've saved a few Yen using mild steel parts and not stainless.

Yamaha - proper fuel cap stainless chain, Honda - nasty plastic whiskers with no strength at all, and the whole fuel cap is cheap and insubstantial.
Yamaha - proper cowl clips, Honda - awful fiddly rubber flap and lugs that are always trouble to get in place and never seem to fit properly
Yamaha - stainless bolts everywhere, Honda - mild steel
Yamaha - die cast float chamber, Honda pressed mild steel that rusts from the inside out
Yamaha - metal prop, Honda cheapo plastic prop that goes ragged at the edge when inevitably touching a sandy bottom
Yamaha - cowl comes right off, Honda - cowl dangles by the starter cord
Other Honda rusty bits - exhaust pipe, exhaust heat guard, springs and nuts on tilt selector rod...it goes on and on.

The Yamaha might be more expensive and heavier, but there's a reason for that - it's properly made for a marine environment.
Click to expand...
Hi, the exhaust heat guard is stainless , all of the tilt mechanism is stainless, will agree with you regarding the bolts but they can easily be replaced with stainless and upgraded alloy props are available
 
eddystone said:
Well actually, along with the Suzuki 2.5 it is the lightest 4 stroke. Only way to get lighter is to find a second hand Yamaha/mariner 2HP 2 Stroke which is 10kg.

Of course the Yamaha is better made but there is a price for that in both £ and weight; as its never economic to get these egg whisks serviced I treat them as a semi disposable item. You should be able to get a decent used Honda for around £300-350
Click to expand...

It is economical if you take them to the right person!!!!, I have a few in stock, all serviced with warranty, stainless bolts fitted, new carbs fitted and with complimentary first service for £300
 
The Honda 2.3 has to be the most divisive outboard ever made! Truly a ‘love it or hate it’ piece of machinery. I’m all for them!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top