Honda HRU196

Love all things Honda, bikes, generators, outboards etc, live in tropical north Qld where grass can grow an inch overnight. Lightweight to use as ADVERTISED by Honda, FALSE, VERY HEAVY, could not buy this model in Qld so on Hondas advertising as lightweight to use (Total Lies) purchased from interstate with an extra $300 au shipping charge added on. Are you a Roman Greco Wrestler???well you need to be to use this so called lightweight to use mower. Almost 40 kilos dry( Hondas true figures) and up to 48- 50 kilos to push with full catcher, trust...

I bought this Honda Commercial mower about 6 months ago as I wanted a quality mower that would last and get the job done. The mower has been great. It starts first time and gets through most tough grass, however the catcher (hard plastic Australian model) now will just fall off when you are in the middle of mowing and you almost fall over it when it drops off as there are only two small plastic bits that hold the catcher on. This is very very very frustrating when you are in the middle of mowing the lawn and have to stop continuously as the cat...

I find it harder to start than our last lawnmower, l can start it but need to position it so l don’t need to hold and pull at the same time.
I’m a small female don’t think men would have my problems.
But still needs more than one pull to start, l find it temperamental.

Very happy with its ability to catch the grass.
I made a thingy magigy to hold the bar up so it doesn’t turn the motor off every time l can’t hold it down.
Might be a safety feature but very annoying.
The large nut thing to stop the handle folding keeps coming undone.

Not sure if l would buy it again, it came recommend by the lawn mowing man an l trusted his judgment.

I purchased a new Honda Buffalo Pro push lawnmower with the Blade Brake Clutch system and the commercial GXV160 engine.It’s an amazing lawnmower and the commercial engine is rock solid, extremely well built for longevity and so quiet and powerful enough to do my lawns at home with ease.And it has a safety guard bolted over the carby linkages for extra protection and a lot of great features such as the larger surface area air filter and it’s a well built lawnmower!My main concerns are it’s enormous weight and I have to empty the plastic catcher...

Following my purchase 2 years ago I was initially disappointed with the small chute and associated clogging when mowing damp grass. I opted for the Honda as I wanted power to do just that. After working with the agent we fitted the Honda with the two standard mulch blades and two additional high lift blades which made a world of difference. We made a slight rpm increase also. Overall I'm very happy with how it performs and am enjoying my mowing. The weight creating significant tracks when mowing damp ground would be my only negative feedback. Largely a great engine and the blade break system does work well for me having to regularly negotiate obstacles.

I've been mowing commercially for the past 5 years with a HRU19 buck I bought new, it always started first pull and was a good piece of kit. Upgraded to the 196 and just got home from my first day's work with it out in the field across 4 different jobs. So how is it? Good, but heavy!

This thing's a little harder to push around, weighing in at 44kgs it's 10kgs up from my old buck. The mower is solid as all hell. I bought it for it's everlasting reputation

It's tough, trustworthy, looks cool and cuts well (thankful I don't have the small chute...

Good mower to be honest.
Mines been back under warranty a few times for the governor shaft leaking oil out around the shaft. Know out of warranty and it's still leaking and they don't want to know about it. Disappointed to be honest.
Other than that hasn't let me down..

The mower cuts well - handles wet grass ok. I use this commercially, and bought as I still own the original version since 1986 ( which I also used commercially and now continues to do home duty-still starts 1st time).
The original is still going, and still cuts the grass at home, the new one I use commercially in paddocks and out in the bush around public infrastructure when growth is too heavy for a brushcutter (35cc 4 stroke honda - which can really smash!).
Pros - Reliable robust frame material clears the chute ok - same frame as the orig...

We were about to sell our supposed great Honda top of the range mower cause it wouldn't pick up grass. Even dry grass. But I got new NON MULCH BLADES & yeah it now catches grass & even filled the catcher. Never has this happen before. Even from brand new. The dealer fitted new blades but they were mulching blades. Now fitted with low & high throw blades it works a treat. Finally a nice looking lawn

Mulching is amazing and cuts like a dream Whisper quite with punch. Compared to my old mower this makes me moist. I will have intimate dreams of this mower tonight. I'm going to file for divorce and marry my lawn mower. My heart lies deep with this one. XOXO gossip gorl
Update!! Height adjustment is flimsy and hard to manage. Poor design and enginge cut off is a pain i use a sttap to keep engine running. Other than that. Good machine

Sara what good is it reporting our problems,we are still stuck with a bad mower.i am glad i kept my old victa when grass is damp out it comes and does the job so easy,$1000 worth of mower stays in the shed Great ad for honda.Plus mower is way way to heavy.

Won't get that time back
What a waste I had to sell it for half the price
It might be an ok mower in the desert but I would highly advice not to purchase any Honda with the back shoot half closed up.why they still building that way.
It gets blocked even if the grass is the slightest bit moist.so you have to mulch but that still stalls
The mower after 15 steps.
It is well built great handles good wheels it just is no good for Sydney conditions
Very heavy

I wish I had done some research before buying this lawnmower. Where do I start.
1. I bought it because it was "commerical grade" thinking that would mean high quality. The engine seems underpowered to me but that is the least of it's problems. I cannot see how someone could use this mower if they had a mowing business.
2. The chute is too small. Way too small. It is also very poorly designed. I can see Honda have said there is no issue with it... but believe me there is. As an Engineer myself I can see straight that the design is e...

Honda know there's a problem with the small chute that is why they bought out a conversion kit for it I sold Honda mowers for many years and have spoken to the Honda rep and he informed me there was a kit made for this mower regarding this problem engine great design shocking

My mower is just over a year old, so relatively new. It constantly stops while i mow, this started a few months ago. I called the shop where i bought it, told them what happened. They told me to bring it in, i cannot as its too heavy. They told me it might be water in the fuel, so i removed all the fuel, bought new fuel from a different station, i changed the fuel a couple of times but same thing happens and still happening. Its so frustrating my old victa was so reliable but it fell apart, oh! How i miss it. I bought the Honda as i thought i was buying quality, but i feel ripped off. Did i buy a lemon? Does anybody else have this problem?