Buying Advice Review of my Honda HRX217HYA

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As almost all of you know, I have a Honda HRX217HYA mower that I absolutely love. I bought it in July 2012. It is the K3 version of the mower. I am going to give you a detailed review of this mower so when I recommend this mower in the future I can just put a link to this thread.
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
 
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LawnDawg84

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We got a couple Honda Push Mowers, nothin as new and impressive as that one, but I will agree they make quality machines.
 

robert@honda

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Just a few days left to get an extra one-year added to the factory warranty...applies to HRR and HRX models:

oneyearextendedwarrantygraphic_zps8a6234e3.jpg
 

Drewdle

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Just a few days left to get an extra one-year added to the factory warranty...applies to HRR and HRX models:

oneyearextendedwarrantygraphic_zps8a6234e3.jpg

Hey Robert, does that include Canada? I purchased my HRR on the 21st. Just curious.
 

Drewdle

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As almost all of you know, I have a Honda HRX217HYA mower that I absolutely love. I bought it in July 2012. It is the K3 version of the mower. I am going to give you a detailed review of this mower so when I recommend this mower in the future I can just put a link to this thread.
View attachment 14460 View attachment 14468

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 14463

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 14465

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 14461 View attachment 14467

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 14464 View attachment 14462 View attachment 14466

I was looking at one of these, and settled on an HRR. In retrospect, the VersaMow variable bagging may have made my life a bit easier. Out of curiosity, what kind of grass and how high did it have to be in order for you to bog down the GCV160? I was worried about not having "enough" power getting my machine, but I just mowed a 2-3ft mix of everything on the outer edges of a client's property, and aside from having to empty the bag every couple of minutes, I had no issues. :)
 
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I was looking at one of these, and settled on an HRR. In retrospect, the VersaMow variable bagging may have made my life a bit easier. Out of curiosity, what kind of grass and how high did it have to be in order for you to bog down the GCV160? I was worried about not having "enough" power getting my machine, but I just mowed a 2-3ft mix of everything on the outer edges of a client's property, and aside from having to empty the bag every couple of minutes, I had no issues. :)

My HRR would bog down in grass shorter than 2-3 feet, but I was mulching, not bagging. And it was spring so the grass was thick and lush. :rolleyes:
 

Ragnrok23

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For anyone looking to buy one, I just bought one at Home Depot for $499 (minus 10% coupon). It's $699 online, but my store didn't have any so I went to order one (in order to use Lowes coupon) and it came up as $499 on the system, so YMMV- but good luck!

Can't wait to pick mine up next week :licking:
 
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For anyone looking to buy one, I just bought one at Home Depot for $499 (minus 10% coupon). It's $699 online, but my store didn't have any so I went to order one (in order to use Lowes coupon) and it came up as $499 on the system, so YMMV- but good luck!

Can't wait to pick mine up next week :licking:

Nice! Let us know how you like it! :thumbsup:
 

Sp1nn3rman

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I bought a HRX217VKA in spring of 2011. It has the composite deck also. I was a little wary that it may crack or be damaged by gas spills, but it has proven to be very tough. It has a life time warranty if something does damage it but I believe it will outlast a steel or aluminum deck. I like that grass does not stick to the deck also. The one pull starting is not just a come on, it rarely takes two pulls to start it. All in all it is a great mower.
 
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