Honda BF 2 and 2.3 - a few observations from a long term owner

[ostra4]

I too made the mistake of buying one of these on reputation alone , I lasted a season with the thing and mercifully it was stolen .Noisey doesn't cover it,that one engine is responsible for more ruined peaceful anchorages then any I know ,always hear them comming from half a mile away ,never agin.Replaced with Yamaha 6 hp two stroke ,quiet and at least as fuel efficient even though far more powerful ,a quality product I should have bought in first place.Im a Honda fan having one of their excellent cars ,don't know what happened to their outboard department but they need to speak to car department.-

 

[prv]

Any thoughts on what to coat the bolts in to stop the corrosion? a bit of hammerite? Or some grease? Or zinc paint?

Is there anything special about those particular bolts? I'm sure they're a standard metric thread, so why not just replace them with stainless ones? Have a minor grumble at Honda while you're doing it, because you shouldn't need to, but it would save a lot of bother.

Pete

 

[prv]

when I go upstream in katie L the canals and rivers are often very weedy

choke a water-cooled outboard before you can blink

I don't have that problem, but of course I do need to keep a dustbin full of water by my back door which I run the Suzuki 2-stroke through after each cruise, to keep it in good nick as long as possible. It hadn't occurred to me before, but air-cooled to remove this chore would be handy. Within reason, I can't say that noise is a high priority for me.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

This Honda engine has a reputation for being incredibly noisy, and rusting bits quicker than one can say ' Joan Rivers ' ! ( well I'm sure she'd have smiled ).

As for the kill-chord, personally I think they should only be fitted on engines above say 4hp, but anyway would it really cost Honda that much to fit a proper stainless push-pull kill chord job running through a bush or at least grommets.

As is well known, red plastic ( and grp ) is the most susceptible to U/V...

This lot might have been brilliant at transistor radios, but remember they were the genuises who sought out America as an opponent in WWII...

 

[steve66]

Yes, it does smack of complacency by Honda - due to lack of a competitor doing an air cooled small light outboard, and the fact that people still buy them in numbers. Only hope is that the Chinese continue to improve year on year on quality and in a few years time come up with something marketable, very good, and at a cheaper price. That would provide the much need wake up call to the Japanese suppliers!

I have a Parsun in at the moment, im very very impressed

 

[steve66]

Is there anything special about those particular bolts? I'm sure they're a standard metric thread, so why not just replace them with stainless ones? Have a minor grumble at Honda while you're doing it, because you shouldn't need to, but it would save a lot of bother.

Pete

Hi Pete,
I have said the same thing loads of times. Stainless are great...... but make sure you reassemble with lots of grease around the thread. Rusty mild steel bolts are easy to remove on Hondas. A siezed stainless thread is the difference between an easily repairable outboard and a scrap one.

 

[dartmoor]

Yep, of the Chinese ones, Parsun seem well made. I have a Parsun 2HP two stroke, brand new (shhhhh - don't ask me how I got it :smug - almost perfect copy of the Yamaha 2b. No problems or issues with it all.

 

[steve66]

This Honda engine has a reputation for being incredibly noisy, and rusting bits quicker than one can say ' Joan Rivers ' ! ( well I'm sure she'd have smiled ).

As for the kill-chord, personally I think they should only be fitted on engines above say 4hp, but anyway would it really cost Honda that much to fit a proper stainless push-pull kill chord job running through a bush or at least grommets.

As is well known, red plastic ( and grp ) is the most susceptible to U/V...

This lot might have been brilliant at transistor radios, but remember they were the genuises who sought out America as an opponent in WWII...

Hi,
Have to completely disagree with you there. Any outboard no matter what the hp is including electric should have a kill cord. What you gonna do when you fall out of your 2.7m inflatable with your 2 hp outboard on if it aint got a kill cord. I dont care if your Michael Phelps you aint gonna be able to catch an unladened boat.
By the way Honda kill cords have stainless internals and haven't yet known one to have been affected by U/V

 

[steve66]

I have the 2.6 four stroke. Hate to say it but as well made as a Yamaha and paint corrosion wise better than Yamaha.

Yep, of the Chinese ones, Parsun seem well made. I have a Parsun 2HP two stroke, brand new (shhhhh - don't ask me how I got it :smug - almost perfect copy of the Yamaha 2b. No problems or issues with it all.

 

[woozy-UK]

hate hate hate my honda bf5

also my motorbike was a honda and the valves went on that,

really put off honda now. spares are a rip off too

 

[michael_w]

I used to own one of those POS outboards. Noisy, miniscule fuel tank, kicked on the compression so hard it ricked my elbow, All the bolts seem to have been tightened by a sumo wrestler...

Best bit about my Honda outboard was selling it to an unsuspecting Frenchman.

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

Loathsome overpriced practical joke from the people who gave us the 750/4 motorcycle !

Now on 2nd carburettor after the first one decided to rust away from the float chamber upwards, over £150.
Second carb captured in mid dissolving mode and new float chamber fitted ( Only £39.00 )

Oil leak started that was a real Bugg3r to find, it transpired that the rocker cover was made out of recycled Lancia Beta floorpans or something and had also dissolved. A snip at £50.00 including a cheap gasket made out of an old Daily Mirror.

Then we can talk about the long and oddly sized bolts that notionally hold the whole thing together and seem to be made of some kind of papier mache'.

All in all the most disappointing product I have bought in years. It now lives in the shed covered in WD40 while I use a mid '70s Tomos air cooled 3hp that seems unburstable.

Sorry Honda, your product is ****

 

[steve66]

£50 for a rocker cover.... no wonder your a grumpy old git!!!. I hope that included labour

Loathsome overpriced practical joke from the people who gave us the 750/4 motorcycle !

Now on 2nd carburettor after the first one decided to rust away from the float chamber upwards, over £150.
Second carb captured in mid dissolving mode and new float chamber fitted ( Only £39.00 )

Oil leak started that was a real Bugg3r to find, it transpired that the rocker cover was made out of recycled Lancia Beta floorpans or something and had also dissolved. A snip at £50.00 including a cheap gasket made out of an old Daily Mirror.

Then we can talk about the long and oddly sized bolts that notionally hold the whole thing together and seem to be made of some kind of papier mache'.

All in all the most disappointing product I have bought in years. It now lives in the shed covered in WD40 while I use a mid '70s Tomos air cooled 3hp that seems unburstable.

Sorry Honda, your product is ****

 

[Tintin]

This Honda engine has a reputation for being incredibly noisy, and rusting bits quicker than one can say ' Joan Rivers ' ! ( well I'm sure she'd have smiled ).

As for the kill-chord, personally I think they should only be fitted on engines above say 4hp, but anyway would it really cost Honda that much to fit a proper stainless push-pull kill chord job running through a bush or at least grommets.

As is well known, red plastic ( and grp ) is the most susceptible to U/V...

This lot might have been brilliant at transistor radios, but remember they were the genuises who sought out America as an opponent in WWII...

I have to disagree with you re: noise - it is quieter than my old 2-stroke Yammy 2b, and I now don't have the inconvenience of impellers / cooling channels clogging, having to flush it out etc...

I have only had 3 or 4 months but it has started every time and hasn't drunk a lot of fuel.

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

£50 for a rocker cover.... no wonder your a grumpy old git!!!. I hope that included labour

Labour be buggered, had to fit myself !

 

[steve66]

Im gonna have to put my prices up!!!. i supply and fit new ex honda rocker covers with new bolts for what you paid and with a 12m guarantee!!!.

Labour be buggered, had to fit myself !

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I have only had 3 or 4 months but it has started every time and hasn't drunk a lot of fuel.

You wait until you've had it 3 years and it has dissolved itself into a furball of rust and you are on your 3rd carburettor. I'd rather change an impellor twice a decade on a Yamaha than constantly fighting to keep one of these POS from rapidly reverting to metal ore.

 

[BlueChip]

Made me feel quite sick watching that video the way it lurched about, why don't you use a tripod?

 

[Grumpybear]

On my second BF2D. The first one suffered from chronic fuel blockages so acquired a little used second hand one of the same age for the price of two dealer services. It lives on the pushpit all year round and works fine if the fuel system gets an annual clean out and the head is covered when not in use.

I can understand the negative thoughts, but speak as I find. It works and I have learned to deal with it. I hope.

 

[Arcady]

I'm amazed at all the negativity. As with Grumpybear, my personal experience has been very positive. I have a BF2, now 14 years old. It lives on the pushpit (under cover) and always starts easily. The carb is fine - but I run it dry when finished. It can be noisy if worked flat out, but throttle back a bit and it's quieter than many. I've even grown to like the centrifugal clutch - with a little practice it can offer very fine control. Compared to a Merc 3hp 2 stroke I had before which died of internal corrosion after 10 years, the Honda is much easier to maintain. I'd happily buy another.