You are over analyzing. Either engine will serve you very well with reasonable care which is outlined in the owner's manual. Most manufacturers do not publish horse power figures because they are largely meaningless.Will 6.75 hp vs 6.5 hp really affect mowing performance and quality of life? I doubt if you would notice any appreciable difference. The things to watch out for are comfortable handle height, ease of operation and quality of cut. Do you plan to perform regular maintenance and keep a mower that gives a superior cut for many years ? If so, step up to a higher end unit such as Toro's SR or Honda HRX. If budget is more of a concern, the C/C will serve you well. Just stay away from the Chinese engines, service is a joke.

Well, just to update everyone on my decision and purchase... (Note: I tried to do this last week, but GardenWeb had a server problem which didn't allow me to Log In). After much research, visiting and "test driving" the Honda HRX217HZA and the Toro 20384 SuperRecycler (with Personal Pace) at our local mower shop, and talking with friends who own both brands, I purchased the Honda HRX217HXA, Given the excellent experience I've had with my 2003 Toro 20033 SuperRecycler, I was leaning very hard toward Toro. But, after testing both in my "real world environment" which includes quite a bit of mowing forward and backward due to all of the obstructions in the yard, the Personal Pace drive system was a bit awkward to use. Setting the Honda's "Cruise Control" of the HydroStatic drive at a convenient speed, and then just dropping the clutch bail when I need to reverse my tracks was much easier to use than the Toro's Personal Pace system. If I was just buying this mower for my use, and not also my wife's, I would have likely bought the Toro SR 20380 with the Variable Speed drive, instead of the Honda. At first, the Honda HRX was a bit intimidating with the two bails and two control levers, but after one mowing it's all very intuitive. Since this is my first walk-behind mower with the self-propelled feature, I must say it does make the job of mowing the lawn much easier. I do have one rather steep slope near our driveway that is more difficult with the Honda, and that's primarily due to the weight differential (Honda 102 lbs. vs. my old Toro 69 lbs.). The Honda wants to slide sideways down the slope when I'm mowing across the slope. The electric start is a very nice feature, and a God-send for my wife. The overall cut and mulching quality of the Honda appears to be on par with my old Toro with the SR deck design. One strange thing that I've noticed is that with the Honda it's a bit difficult to see the "track of the cut line or path" while mowing, whereas that was never a problem with the Toro. Why this is so, I really don't know, but I've found myself re-cutting paths that I've already cut with the Honda. Overall, I'm very happy with the Honda HRX, but check back with me in 10 years for a long-term comparison with my still like-new Toro 20033 SR push mower! ;) Thanks again for all of the input from everyone! saxman1... BTW, I have decided to restore the old Lawn-Boy Model 5274 2-stroke... I have found a person willing to rebuild and restore the D601 engine, so I will have a 19" easy-to-push trim mower here soon as well.

I have a HRX217HXA mower. The transmission cable broke and was replaced under warranty a year ago (with original type cable). It broke again and they replaced it with the new cable/kit. Now the mower self propelled speed is very slow. Tried adjusting the cable per the owner's manual and still slow. Trying to advance the cable to gain speed and then the rear wheels lock when you try to pull the mower backwards (drive disengaged of course). Took it back to the dealer ( A Harley/Honda dealer where I bought it) and they called and told me there is nothing wrong. Any Suggestions? Will a slipping belt cause a loss of speed? How important is the two control cable bands? ( I made sure they were at the right places when I adjusted it, and then as the mechanic had told me after the cable change that they sometimes hurt more than helped I removed them, but still same slow speed) When I go get it tomorrow (a 70 mile round trip) I will try it out and if still slow show your previous suggestions (for other models) to them. Thanks, Cliff

An HRB216TDA still running? Wow. I had one which was a pretty good mower but sold it because the cutting height only went to 3". I was only using it in the spring and fall, using a Lawn-Boy 10550 in the summer when I needed 3.5". I eventually got rid of that one too and now have two boringly dependable LB 4-cycle mowers that can cut up to 4". I sold that Honda to a guy starting a lawn care business. Come to think of it, mine was starting to drag on the pull-back too. The 3-speed shifter was poor, not having a good detent at each speed setting. I eventually gave up and just left it in 2. 3 was good for finishing up with a thunderstorm coming - it was almost a run - definitely a fast walk. Other than that, it leaked oil constantly when running around the governor shaft - enough so that the wood floor in my shed still has a big oil stain from it. Well, it also has another one from where the LB 10550 float stuck and drained the gas tank after I parked it. Most Honda OHC engines leak around the governor shaft but it's just a nuisance that you wash off twice a year. Look underneath the mower and inside the belt tunnel to make sure all old clippings are cleaned from the drive mechanisms. You might also let some light lube drip down into the cable housing and lube the wire bail ends. Cleaning and lubing the ratchets/clutches will fix the pull-back as already posted.