Honda HRX217HYA Mower

Zimco

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Jun 21, 2010
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The last time I bought a self propelled mower I bought a Huskvarna and I have spent every cutting day cursing it. I always thought the most important feature of a self propelled mower was being self propelled. Well turns out that is only part of it you have to pull it back manually. It is supposed to release the drive wheels so you can do this but when it comes to the Huskvarna don't count on it . It may or it may not.
Anyway I am getting much too old to wrestle with this so I am once again looking for a decent self propelled (reversible) walk behind mower. I have read a little about the Honda HRX217HYA mower with a hydrostatic drive and was wondering if anyone has one or has used one and could ease my mind about how well it works including backing up.

Thanks a lot.
 
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I have that mower and LOVE it!
HRX217HYA.jpg 2.jpg
Let's start out with the engine on this mower. It has the GCV190 engine (190cc's). This engine is super powerful, and is the only mower by Honda with this engine! I own an HRR mower with the 160cc engine and it is no match for the more powerful engine. This mower can power through tall grass, while the HRR would bog down and die. This mower is surprisingly quite, too, which is a relief in residential neighborhoods. It also is very fuel-efficient.
GCV190 engine.jpg
Now...the mower deck. It is made from NeXite, a composite material used in car bumpers. It is super durable, and grass tends not to stick to it. And if it does, it won't make the mower bog down just because there is grass under the deck.
twin blade.jpg
This mower has the VersaMow System with an adjustable Clip Director. This takes the place of a mulch plug. You can move the lever from bagging to mulching or anywhere in between, whatever fits the grass condition. With this mower you can mulch, bag, rear-discharge, or shred leaves. I think the Clip Director is a great feature to the mower. Sometimes after you finish mowing you look and there is some grass behind the Clip Director even if it is in the full mulch position, but you just brush it out...it takes like two seconds.
Clip Director 2.jpg versamow.gif
Now some of the other features of this mower. The controls of this mower are great. It has the Roto-Stop blade-break clutch, which really comes in handy, especially if you bag.
Roto-Stop.jpg cruise control.jpg twin blade 2.jpg

And the best part....you can release the drive to back it up! Hurray! :laughing:
 

Zimco

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Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Threads
4
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I have that mower and LOVE it!
View attachment 15239 View attachment 15238
Let's start out with the engine on this mower. It has the GCV190 engine (190cc's). This engine is super powerful, and is the only mower by Honda with this engine! I own an HRR mower with the 160cc engine and it is no match for the more powerful engine. This mower can power through tall grass, while the HRR would bog down and die. This mower is surprisingly quite, too, which is a relief in residential neighborhoods. It also is very fuel-efficient.
View attachment 15231
Now...the mower deck. It is made from NeXite, a composite material used in car bumpers. It is super durable, and grass tends not to stick to it. And if it does, it won't make the mower bog down just because there is grass under the deck.
View attachment 15232
This mower has the VersaMow System with an adjustable Clip Director. This takes the place of a mulch plug. You can move the lever from bagging to mulching or anywhere in between, whatever fits the grass condition. With this mower you can mulch, bag, rear-discharge, or shred leaves. I think the Clip Director is a great feature to the mower. Sometimes after you finish mowing you look and there is some grass behind the Clip Director even if it is in the full mulch position, but you just brush it out...it takes like two seconds.
View attachment 15233 View attachment 15234
Now some of the other features of this mower. The controls of this mower are great. It has the Roto-Stop blade-break clutch, which really comes in handy, especially if you bag.
View attachment 15235 View attachment 15236 View attachment 15237

And the best part....you can release the drive to back it up! Hurray! :laughing:

Thanks for the reply. My Huskvarna had that engine also. It certainly is not part of my complaint. I wonder how the drive mechanism disengages to move backward or does it not need to because of the hydraulic drive. This really sounds like a mower to buy for the last one in my lifetime.
 

NHFree1

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Jan 27, 2014
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I just bought a HRX217HYA earlier in the month (extended warranty promotion expires the end of may). I just did my first mowing with it last night and I love it. Nice and quiet, powers through the grass, and I like the blade clutch.

I have found that as long as you release the drive handle all the way, you can free-wheel it both forwards AND backwards with very little effort. It also pushes forward with the same effort as a non-propelled mower so if you are doing intricate cutting around obstacles and just want to push it, it is easy. You can also set the self-propelled speed to a virtual crawl if you prefer to have it still drive while going slowly forward.

My suggestion, buy it, you'll like it.
 

djdicetn

Lawn Addict
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Sep 3, 2012
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I just bought a HRX217HYA earlier in the month (extended warranty promotion expires the end of may). I just did my first mowing with it last night and I love it. Nice and quiet, powers through the grass, and I like the blade clutch.

I have found that as long as you release the drive handle all the way, you can free-wheel it both forwards AND backwards with very little effort. It also pushes forward with the same effort as a non-propelled mower so if you are doing intricate cutting around obstacles and just want to push it, it is easy. You can also set the self-propelled speed to a virtual crawl if you prefer to have it still drive while going slowly forward.

My suggestion, buy it, you'll like it.
If I were shopping for a push-type mower, the Honda HRX would be at the top of my list. And, if I'm not mistaken, Consumer Reports has rated it #1 for the last 3 years running!!
 
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