Comparison Trying to decide: HRX217VKA or HRR216VKA

Hello.

I have about 8000 sqft of lawn and a 5 year old troybilt that is falling apart. The first 3 years with it were fine, but the last 2 were filled with repairs and frustration as the drive system failed. I am convinced that either of the Honda's I'm looking at will be superior to my ailing troybilt, but am having a hard time deciding if the extra $170 for the HRX is worth it.

I prefer to mulch because when I side discharged it tended to pile up and cause more trouble the next time I mowed, specifically the engine would bog down going over the now taller grass and the leftovers from the previous mow. This was my number one complaint about the troybilt, I always mulched, and it would get bogged down in the tall grass.

The other variable is that I travel for work, and have to mow when I'm home, even if the lawn is wet and/or tall.

The question: Will I be happy with the less expensive HRR216vka (160 cc motor), or should I pay the extra for the HRX217vka (190 cc motor, plus versa-mow)

I know that the HRX would have the best chance of actually performing as I hope it will, but am now thinking that he HRR may be enough, especially with the rear discharge to use for the times when I have to mow tall wet grass. Does the HRR leave large piles of grass behind when rear discharged?

Can the HRX mulch tall wet grass well?

Any opinions or real-world experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The latest HRR models now have a Clip Director, although it is an "on-off" version, compared to the HRX's variable position control. Pay attention when shopping and be sure you are looking at the most current model.


Side-by-side in heavy, tall, wet grass, it would seem the more powerful 190cc engine in the HRX will outperform the 160cc engine in the HRR. Both have the same warranty, but the mower decks vary; the HRR has a painted, stamped steel deck.The HRX's NeXite deck is a molded-color polymer material (much like a car bumper or football helmet) and won't rust or dent like steel. There is a lifetime warranty on the HRX's deck (original retail customer only).

At the risk of making the decision even more difficult, you might consider the HRR216VYA. The Roto-Stop (blade clutch) is a tremendous feature, even if you mulch 100% of the time. While the Honda engine is generally a breeze to start, being able to "let go" of the handlebars and just the blades stop [engine keeps running] is awfully nice. Here's a video (Roto-Stop @ 2:01):
Honda HRR216VYA Mower Operation

Most Honda dealers participate in a little-known program called The Honda Commitment. The short version is, buy a Honda mower, use it for < 30 days, and if not happy, dealer will apply full purchase price toward any other Honda mower of equal or higher price. So, if you buy an HRR, but it does not "cut it," you can trade up to the HRX and not lose a penny of your purchase price.

Before spring hits, you might want to shop for a gently used Honda for maximum value. A used HRX, some with electric start, may be found for even less than the price of a new HRR. Any warranty that might be remaining on a used Honda stays with the mower. Most have a 3-year warranty, some even have 5 years if the original owner participated in the warranty extension promotion. With the serial number off the back of the mower deck, I can check the database and let you know if there is any warranty left. The serial number is on a sticker on the back right of the mower deck:

Robert already hit a lot of my points, but I will contribute some more. I would DEFINITELY go with the HRX217VKA. It has the stronger engine for the thick grass, the NeXite deck (which repels some of the grass from sticking) and a lot more awesome features! Also, the Clip Director is better on the HRX because you can do any combination of mulching or bagging. I have used mine commercially since July 2012 (when I bought it) and the only thing I have had to do was oil the one wheel once, since I push it everywhere and if it was like a car it would have a lot of "miles on the road". I would strongly recommend a Honda HRX model. See the first picture below. It is not the exact model you are looking at (the VKA has the Smart Drive controls), but I think it proves even more that an HRX model is the right choice! Let us know what you decide! :smile:

Thanks for the responses. After lurking on the forums for a few months, and pushing a few mowers at the local stores, I decided on the HRR216. The HRX217 just seemed to be much more mower than I really needed.

The first cutting was today and I am happy with it. Starts a lot easier than my previous b&s engine. The grass was pretty tall in some spots and it was getting bogged down while mulching. I switched to rear discharge and was able to go full speed even through the tall stuff.

ayeaux said:

Thanks for the responses. After lurking on the forums for a few months, and pushing a few mowers at the local stores, I decided on the HRR216. The HRX217 just seemed to be much more mower than I really needed.

The first cutting was today and I am happy with it. Starts a lot easier than my previous b&s engine. The grass was pretty tall in some spots and it was getting bogged down while mulching. I switched to rear discharge and was able to go full speed even through the tall stuff.

Click to expand...

The GCV190 engine on Honda HRX's would help with that problem, but I'm glad you're fairly satisfied with your choice! :smile:

ayeaux said:

Thanks for the responses. After lurking on the forums for a few months, and pushing a few mowers at the local stores, I decided on the HRR216. The HRX217 just seemed to be much more mower than I really needed.

The first cutting was today and I am happy with it. Starts a lot easier than my previous b&s engine. The grass was pretty tall in some spots and it was getting bogged down while mulching. I switched to rear discharge and was able to go full speed even through the tall stuff.

Click to expand...

The HRX will not bog down when you mulch. 200cc compared to the HRR with 160cc.

I love my HRX so far. Built like a tank. No issues bogging down when mulching, even during a light rain. Only issue so far are the rear wheel height adjusters. They are a nightmare to adjust. This seems to be a common issue on these mowers, though. I honestly felt like the metal adjuster arm was going to bend and snap off. And that's with me holding the mower up to take the weight off the wheel.

trekgod3 said:

I love my HRX so far. Built like a tank. No issues bogging down when mulching, even during a light rain. Only issue so far are the rear wheel height adjusters. They are a nightmare to adjust. This seems to be a common issue on these mowers, though. I honestly felt like the metal adjuster arm was going to bend and snap off. And that's with me holding the mower up to take the weight off the wheel.

Click to expand...

True, they are a pain to adjust unless you lift up each wheel to make the adjustment. Thank god , once I have mine wheels adjusted, I have them set at notch 4 (2 1/2 in. cut), I should not have to reset them for the rest of the mowers life. I do wish though that the back wheel notches were mark in white like the front wheels. This would make it much easier to adjust the back wheels to the proper notch. Other than that this is one hell of a lawnmower!!