Honda 4 stroke opinions

[Shorelunch]

Does anyone have any thoughts on Honda outboards?

Looking at a boat with a '05 225 and an 8hp kicker. I'm just not that familiar with them. The 225 has about 200 hours.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I've never had any first-hand experience with Honda outboards, but I have never been disappointed in any other Hondas I have owned/currently own. I would not hesitate to purchase one.

From what I remember, they are fairly heavy compared to their competitors, though.

[marine_man]

In the late 90's early 2000's Honda 4 strokes were very heavy compared to the competition. I can't remember when they improved that... or how that compares to the 2005 you're looking for.

Other than weight, I don't think I've ever really heard of issues with Honda 4-Strokes from the 2000 era. Mechanically they're pretty sound.

marine_man

[superbee]

They are excellent outboars. I own a few of them and am looking to buy a few more this season. I have not had any issues with them. I really only have experience with the smaller ones up to 115hp. I would think you would be happy with the motors.

[Outfitter17]

Shorelunch,

I have owned numerous 40's and 50's, (1) 130, (1) 225 honda. The midrange hondas are great and I will continue to run/buy them as long as I am in the resort business. The 130 was great for trolling, but I thing I would have been just as good off with a 115 etec or 135 etec for fuel and quietness. That being said I had a 225 honda in 2004 and it was terrible. The fuel economy was terrible compared to the Merc and evinrude 225hps that I have owned. The big honda was heavy, slow, (12-14 MPH slower that the other brands on the same boat), very slow out of the hole, again the fuel economy was terrible. It is the only 225 I have ever owned for just 1 year.

Again, the midrange are great - my exp. with the big one was terrible.

[APCfishing]

Ive owned my early 90's 45hp honda for 2 yrs and love everything about it! sips on gas,super quiet and tops out at 32-33mph with a light load and calm water.

[jjz]

Own a 90 for 11 years, 20 5 years, 5 5 years and had 15 for a few years. Zero problems with all. Generally Honda has never had the fastest outboards (however my 20 hauls the mail 27mph on a 14 foot boat). Where Honda has always smoked everyone else is durability. You can usually expect double to triple the life of other brands. (especially two strokes) Honda has been making four stroke outboards since the 60's, everybody else started much later. In addition most of their bigger outboards are based on their proven automotive engies and generally speaking are considered to build the best gasoline engines period. With my 90 I get about 36 mph with a 18 foot crestliner which I feel is pretty good. Another good thing for Honda is they seem to hold their value better than most too.

[Ufatz]

Okay, this one is easy: Honda has been making small engines since the 1920's. They have been making and selling FOUR stroke outboards since the late 1960's. They are about as good as you can get. Not as fast out of the hole? So what...you'll be doing hole shots five seasons after the other's have blown apart! Solid, dependable, beautifully engineered and soundly constructed. I've owned them since the first little 5hp 4-stroke in 1970 and all the way up. I had a 25 4-stroke that I could actually sit my coffee mug on top of cruising down the lake and the mug just sat there!!

Buy it.

[Back2Dakota]

Four strokes since the 1960's-have they changed the technology since then? Just wondering..never hear much about them.I never see any early model Hondas but tons and tons of all the others. Where people against buying so called "foreign" motor back then?

[delcecchi]

Not many dealers and a premium price was why they didn't sell mass quantities. Now days they are fuel injected instead of the carbs back in the day.

[Shorelunch]

Here's a link showing the 225hp weight from 2005 along with displacement. Looks like the Honda is pretty close in weight to the other 4-strokes. Thoughts?

[53orbigger]

No problems here. I have owned a 115hp for 5 years with zero problems. We have a 130hp and a 25hp in the family and have not had any problems with either of them. As others have mentioned Honda has been building 4-stroke engines for a long time and they seem to know what they are doing. My next motor will be another Honda.

53orbigger