Given proper care, the engine is probably the least of your worries, buy the mower that appears best made in other areas. A small "non-commercial" lawn mower will probably suffer a failure of some other component long before the engine gives trouble. I put the same "cheap" 3.5hp B/S on three decks (obtained when someone else failed to check oil etc.) before I finally quit using it. The little engine is now on a very old (1959) magnesium LB deck, 30 minutes of work would probably fire it right up again if need be.

On the other hand, even though all those engines will run and probably last, you have to consider your satisfaction with using the mower week in and week out over a period of ten years or so. A quiet, smooth -running engine makes a lot of difference in the long run. The Honda engines are the best in this regard. In fact, you must be considering a Honda HRX mower since that's the only one the 190cc OHC engine comes on. That is exactly the mower I would get. The combination of quiet engine and thick Xenoy deck to squelch blade noise makes for a very nice mowing experience. I had a similar set-up on a 2000 HRB216TDA.

saxman1

The on paper battle right now is between...
- Lawn-Boy Insight Platinum #10797 (5.5 HP Honda OHV)
- Toro SR4 Super Recyler #20056 (6.5 HP B&S LHV)
- Honda HRX217HA (6.5 HP Honda OHV)

One of the factors in my narrowing of the selection process... the engine. So many of the other factors are the same. So, determining if engine brand and OHV versus LHV makes a difference is helpful to me. I am not so worried about horsepower... as I think 5.5 HP is plenty for my fine blades of grass... motor stall isn't something I have had to contend with in my yard to date.

Being a short timer here on this forum... I gather you are a Lawn-Boy user and a Honda engine fan.

What would you choose...
- Honda HRX217HA (6.5 HP Honda OHV)
- Lawn-Boy Insight Platinum #10797 (5.5 HP Honda OHV)

The LB has my attention on one big difference with the Honda... the one handed bag change. I have a yard with a ton of leaves and pine needles. In the fall I have to dump the bag... close to 20 or 30 times every week... for a solid six weeks plus.

Also key to me because of the leaves/needles is the blade stop feature on the machines above... changing out the bag is made even more painful when you have to restart the mower. On my old mower and current one... I velcro the engine/blade bail down to keep from restarting the engine. Not the safest thing... especially when my son gets old enough to mow the lawn.

Beyond the leaf/needle bagging... I want to be able to mulch the grass clippings.

I want the mower to last... that is why the Platinum appeals to me over the Insight Gold (aluminum deck versus steel deck). Going down another step to the Insight line... Tecumseh engine.

Just trying to figure of the money difference between the models below is worth it.
- LB Insight #10687 $459 (2 yr wty, tecumseh, steel deck)
- LB Insight Gold #10697 $569 (3 yr wty, Honda, steel deck)
- LB Insight Plat #10797 $659 (5 yr wty, Honda, alum deck)
- Honda HRX217HA $799 (3 yr wty, Honda, xenoy deck - lifetime wty)

Some of things I am not sure are for me yet on the LB Insight line.
- Sens-a-Speed Self Propel
- Geared/Sealed Transmission

Not sure what the Toro and Honda have on them as far as drive system mechanics... I like the idea of a sealed transmission in some respects... over the spinning exposed friction discs on the Ariens. Although... keeping it simple is a good idea... after all we are talking lawn mowers here not space ships.

The Sensa Speed along with most others uses a sealed transmission, the variable speed comes from a spring loaded split pulley. The Ariens and Snapper friction disc systems work very well except in very moist conditions such as we get on the Wet Coast, they tend to slip.I am not sure why you do not like the Honda bag change, it is very easy.
I find a lot of customers tend to over analyze details that, in the long run, will not make a big difference. Go with the machine that you are most comfortable using.

Possibly with the Honda Versamow, you won't have to dump the bag as often??

Quote: "The Honda engines are the best in this regard. In fact, you must be considering a Honda HRX mower since that's the only one the 190cc OHC engine comes on"

I have a brand new MTD pro sitting in my garage with a GCV 190 bolted to a stainless deck.

The HRX is the only model Honda puts the GCV190 on.

oh, ok, you meant HONDA exclusively.

I'm curious about my MTD.

I can't find reference on the MTD website or anywhere else that makes reference or gives info on what I bought, namely the stainless deck and the larger engine.

Could MTD have had a "special" production run for Costco?

I'll have to put a vote in here for the Honda HRX. As a former owner of an older Toro Super Recycler (20475?), the HRX is hands down one of the better mulching mowers. The concept of twin blades isn't just marketing hype, they do work.

The versamow system works very well on leaves. If you set the gate parially closed it will grind the leaves up into very small pieces. The amount of times you have to dump the bag will be greatly reduced and the bag is easy to remove and install.

The GCV190 on the HRX with the Xenoy deck is the quietest lawnmower I've ever used. When it was first bought, I took it to the Honda dealer an told them it wasn't running fast enough. The Tech just smiled at me, as he put the tach on it and said it was running at the speed it was supposed to.

Oh well, enough rambling. This is just one guys opinion.

The GCV190 is available on a few Craftsmen models - so not surprised to see it on an MTD deck. It is not exclusive to Honda mowers - but you won't find it on any mowers I would buy except a Honda (LB, Toro, Ariens, John Deere, Snapper don't have a GCV190 on any of their models). I just don't trust any of the MTD or AYP (Craftsman) self propel models.

Jim

Here's another vote for the Honda HRX, without question the best mower I've ever owned. And I'm not sure about the bag changing...I don't know how it could get much easier.

FYI -

Lawn-Boy has announced a commercial mower late last year based on its latest aluminum deck and it will include Honda's GSV190.

The press release for the Model 22270 (MSRP: $800) is found in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lawn-Boy Commercial Series.

Like Easternupstate I'm also in the market and have looked at the Toro's LB's, MTD, Sears,other makes and Ariens. I just got back from Ariens today and they're carrying a new design lineup called Blade Runner along with their traditional looking deck models, all to add to the confusion. I've also got tons of leaves from 8 giant oak trees in the back yard along with all the associated twigs etc that fall off. The bags on the Arien LM21S are pretty easy to dump, on the new Blade Runners, not so easy because they have the attached bag cover, I think the LB's have the easiest with that fold away handle. Anyways, I'm still looking. Heck I'm spending more time deciding on a lawnmower than I would for a new car LOL

I really didn't know that they were selling the 190cc to all those brands. I thought only the 160cc was being sold. This is interesting, because I'm in the market for a LB 10795 with 160cc, but I think I'll wait and see what mowers will have the 190cc. I guess the 'Big Kahuna' would be the LB commercial '
Insight' 22270 with Honda 190cc OHC commercial engine, but it doesn't seem to be for sale yet.

pkguy:

If it is of any help... I have narrowed my list down to...
- Lawn-Boy Platinum #10797
- Honda HRX217HXA

The above are the only mowers that I have found in my local area that have...

- Blade brake/clutch... which is essential to me when it comes to leaves/needles in the fall. As re starting the engine 25+ times every time I bag leaves/needles in my yard is such a nuisance to me.

- Over head valve engine... I think this is the best bet since it is more efficient... which for me means I will get good performance out of it and it will be better for the environment pollution and fuel consumption wise. The two mowers above have Honda OHV engines... which I feel is a plus as well.

I took a look at the Toro SR4 today... nice mower, well built, rolls well with bushings in wheels, sold by knowledgeable dealer with good local reputation. The way the bag attaches and detaches is solid once on... two metal hooks that latch around a steel bar. The hooks weren't as easy to hook in as the way the Honda bag went on (see below). The personal pace thing... looks solid to me and for me isn't a real plus or minus either way.

But the engine on the Toro not being a side valve/lhv takes it off my list. You can get a Toro SR4 with a OHV... but it doesn't have a blade brake/clutch

I also took a look at the Honda HRX217HXA today. I really liked the versa-mow selector for mulch/bag. I thought it would be a plus for leaves/needles... as you could set the lever in between and mulch/bag. I also liked how the bag attached/detached... sturdy and easy to do by feel - meaning you wouldn't have to look down or work at attaching it. The bag attach/detach was better on the Honda then on the Toro. Granted the slots on the Honda were solid/solid plastic where on the Toro they were metal. The bag frame on both the Honda and Toro were metal.

The only things I am not sure of on the Honda after seeing it... the strength of the blade brake/clutch lever (seemed real plasticy in terms of the lever on the handle). The overall design of the deck... doesn't look like there is much room under it for the grass to circulate. Heard some comments from local dealers how Honda engines are solid but the mowers themselves aren't the best. The exterior of the transmission box looked pretty chincy... although it is inside of the box that counts. The wheels didn't roll or feel as solid as on the Honda as they did on the Toro.

I haven't gotten to look at the Lawn-Boy in person yet... the two dealers in my local area don't have their shipment in yet (we still have some snow on the ground). My hope is the Lawn-Boy will take what I like on the Toro and spruce it up a bit. Specifically, the pictures of the Lawn-Boy show how easily the bag attached and detaches. From the pictures it looks similar to the way the Honda bag attaches/detaches... except that you don't have to mess with the hinged plastic cover.

By the way... Ariens and Snapper don't have a blade brake/clutch. The Ariens SW21 is a solid piece of machinery in terms of how it is built... has a Kawasaki engine which is a plus to. The Ariens didn't have the blade brake/clutch feature... which takes it off my list. Besides... the Ariens dealer in my area is a Deere dealer... and his prices are full/full retail and their service rates are much higher then anyone else in the area (that's Deere for you).

Troy-Bilt did or does (not sure)... but it has lots of issues according to the service guys. Besides... Troy-Bil is part of MTD and most if not all of their consumer mowers are total junk... throw away type mowers sold only at big box stores (not all of them... but the vast majority).

The Toro blade brake/clutch is solid and performs well... as does the one on the Honda.

Anyways... more then you probably wanted to know. But figured the info might come in handy to someone.

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* Posted by pkguy (My Page) on
Mon, Apr 9, 07 at 17:09

Like Easternupstate I'm also in the market and have looked at the Toro's LB's, MTD, Sears,other makes and Ariens. I just got back from Ariens today and they're carrying a new design lineup called Blade Runner along with their traditional looking deck models, all to add to the confusion. I've also got tons of leaves from 8 giant oak trees in the back yard along with all the associated twigs etc that fall off. The bags on the Arien LM21S are pretty easy to dump, on the new Blade Runners, not so easy because they have the attached bag cover, I think the LB's have the easiest with that fold away handle. Anyways, I'm still looking. Heck I'm spending more time deciding on a lawnmower than I would for a new car LOL