Honda 2hp 4 Stroke - Any good and can you store lying flat?

[arto]

I have one.

Noisy. Not as easy to start as the 2HP 2-stroke Mercury I had before, but no real problem.

*Light*. Compare weights. I wanted something that was as easy to get into and out of the dinghy as possible.

The air cooling clearly makes the engine simpler and noisier - but should also make it less prone to corrosion than those which are seawater cooled. At least that's what I'm hoping.

 

[Goldie]

Brilliant! No gear selection or clutch, starts easily and light to boot. My only criticism was lack of a carrying handle but that might have changed on later models. Metal prop too.

 

[Goldie]

if it's an earlyish one, the throttle cable corrosion was a known problem and fixed on a recall along with one or two other things. A non return valve in the exhaust was one thing I think and a new cowling another. If the engine hasn't been modified, you could always ask.... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Csail]

Don't buy one, they are rubbish...nothing but trouble and ours has only done about 10 hrs. Oil leaks, seized, bad starting, noisy, crap clutch etc. Get a Tohatsu.

 

[sailorman]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1451575/an/0/page/0/gonew/1#UNREAD

 

[fireball]

Can't understand what all the fuss is about ... actually - looking around the marinas we visit there are quite a few on the back of the resident vessels ...

 

[Danny Jo]

[ QUOTE ]
Range - Goes forever on half throttle, no point in using more

[/ QUOTE ] Yes, I have one, and was impressed by the low fuel consumption. And no messing with 2-stroke oil.

[ QUOTE ]
nothing but trouble and ours has only done about 10 hrs. Oil leaks, seized, bad starting, noisy, crap clutch etc.

[/ QUOTE ] I got less than ten hours out of mine before the centrifugal clutch got to me, I overcompensated, revved the engine with full starboard lock, ripped the engine off the transom and dumped it in the drink at full revs. Result: seized engine, bent valves, broken con rod. Repair cost: 85% of cost of engine. I still think it's a nice motor, but then I was brought up on early Seagulls.

 

[alec]

One thing not mentioned - abuse.........

My poor thing has been dunked twice and even spent a whole night underwater trapped under a pontoon. Earlier recovery was not possible due to the midnight hour and Guinness overload.

Now three years later and still going strong. Agree low throttle equals VERY little noise and you still get there without rowing, and very low carbon footprint, guilt etc.

 

[wiggy]

Love my honda, 4 years old, never serviced always starts and even my seven year old has worked the cluth out (closely supervised).

 

[whisper]

Isn't it interesting that some rate these engines highly and others think they are rubbish.
I've got one and like it, but for :-
1) When you start it from cold the throttle has to be open to a degree that means you are in forward gear - so no better than a small 2strk that has no Neutral. No such problem when starting from warm.
2) The exhaust noise is slightly noisier than the small 2 strks but is also of a much harsher tone.
3) The fact you can only lay it down on one side.

I've also just bought a Mariner/Merc/Tohatsu 3.5hp 4strk which is noticeably quieter, has F/N gears but is noticeably heavier. It also can only be laid down on one side.

 

[Gin]

Never had a modern two-stroke ( only seagull) so can only say that my BF2 doesn't seem noisy to me.
Starts quite easily and low(ish) revs uses a tankful of fuel about every hour, which requires some care at that point to refilling on the go!
I lay mine flat in the car for transporting (careful as to which side to lay it down) and it sits on a bracket on the pushpit when we go aboard
My 1995 engine has a permanently engaged gearbox which even on the tickover start point of the throttle sees you off and away immediately, so a little bit of thought to ensure you are pointing in the right direction is a good idea- it is something you soon get used to.

This seems a better arrangement than the later centrifugal clutch which seems to be widely disliked.

I like it because I don't have to worry about water cooling nor flushing after use, nor mixing the oil/ fuel ratio.

Doesn't have as much thrust as modern two- strokes but gets me, two teenagers and kit plus 60kg tender out to our mooring without fuss, albeit slowly.

Would I buy another? Possibly but not one with a centrifugal clutch so it would be quite old therefore- more likely in view of the very good recent PBO review and forumites favourable comments might well be tempted to change tactics altogether and go for a Tohatsu 3.5 two-stroke

 

[Anonymous]

Hi, welcome to the forum /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif We spoke some time ago about Free Lady and we bought another N42 available at the time. I have the Suzuki 6hp delivered Easter 2005 and I am very disappointed. I get hesitation which is typical of an engine modified for new emission regs (which this one had been) and I have also had bad corrosion problems. I've had it serviced professionally twice to overcome the hesitation but no joy. The best thing about it is a 'half way down' position for the shaft when beaching, so we can motor right up to the point when the RIB is grounded.