2005 HRC ?'s

[HemiSize]

Anyone have one of the new HRC's. They're suposed to be better than last years model. I"m thinking of getting one this year to replace an old JOhn Deere. My dealer had one of last years commerial two speed gear drive and it was about $850. Thats $200 cheaper than the new Hydro static. I know that Hydro static's usually are more trouble free than the gear drive but is it worth $200 dollars? Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[hobbes]

Honda HRC 216 Hydrostatic

Hi,

I bought one of these and have used it twice so far this year. Nice mower. I think the main difference this year was the Xenoay wheels. Last years I think had metal wheels.

Please bear in mind that I really have nothing to compare this to. The last time I use a mower before my current one was 20 years ago and that was in the U.K. Back then I used a Hayter, Flymo, ATCO and Xenah (RedMax over here I think).

So far so good. Warmest regards, Mike.

[HemiSize]

Mike,

Have you been mulching or bagging your lawns? I'll be bagging, so i was just wondering how it went? Did you spring for the expanded bag? It was the aluminum one that holds like 3.5 bushels?

[hobbes]

I have not been baging so I do not know. I only have the standard bag and was not aware of the large one. Thanks for the info!

Warmest regards, Mike.

[Jack D.]

These units are much lighter than the previous HRC and use a deeper deck w/twin blades for improved mulching. They still, however, fail to mulch or maneuver as well as a Proline/Metro 21" w/6hp Kaw..

[Gomez]

These units are much lighter than the previous HRC and use a deeper deck w/twin blades for improved mulching. They still, however, fail to mulch or maneuver as well as a Proline/Metro 21" w/6hp Kaw..

Check the deck pitch, nose must be higher than tail and remove inner velocity baffle and the Honda should kick butt on the Toro.

[HemiSize]

Hey JAck D,
I'm not familier with the proline/ metro 21" know a site I can check it out?

[hobbes]

Proline

Hi,

I think the Metro is made by the eXMark Company. And the ProLine by the Toro Company.

The Honda I think is different in the respect that is has a Hydrostatic Drive. The Proline and Metro have 3 speed gears. If you want Hydro from Toro or ExMark you can always I suppose go to one of their larger mowers that have this feature.

I like the Hydrostatic feature because I have a hilly sort of lawn. So it is nice to be able to control the speeds on-the-move. Fixed gears I have no not tried so do not know how to compare. I use my dads old fixed gear mowers before and found that a good bit of clutch control was sometimes required. The Hydro so far has made things very easy.

Warmest regards, Mike.

[buster57]

I do not know about this year 216 HRC, I have a 2004 model. It is superior to the John Deere I had in every respect.
Get the Hydo model. You will wish you had.
The only complaint I have is that the Hydro does not go fast enough. My guys may have a different opinion...

[HemiSize]

I just spoke to my dealer and he's puttin a mower together for me to pick up on Sat. The new 216 HRC's are supposedly faster than the 2004's. Did you know that the gear driven mower is faster than the hydro. 2005 hydro's supposed to be faster than both last years models.