Honda HRX217VYA (21") 186cc Select Drive Self-Propelled Lawn Mower w/ Blade Brake Clutch

A bit disappointing with the 'improved' speed control. My previous Honda mower, once the speed was set, maintained the speed very well while going up slight incline or down. This one evidently controls the torque, and when trying to go up grade at low speed, just sits there, need to increase the speed but then when things get level it is too fast to walk.

I was hesitant about purchasing this model which features Roto-Stop technology, but was reassured that Honda had fixed the issues that has plagued the brake clutch feature. Turns out, they have not. I have used it once so far and the blade disengaged 4 times while mowing. Very frustrating and disappointing. It is also very troubling that I am most likely stuck with this model now that is has been used once. I should have bought the model without Roto-Stop, I just thought it would be a helpful feature. A $700+ mower should not be faulty right out of the box.

I was hesitant about purchasing this model which features Roto-Stop technology, but was reassured that Honda had fixed the issues that has plagued the brake clutch feature. Turns out, they have not. I have used it once so far and the blade disengaged 4 times while mowing. Very frustrating and disappointing. It is also very troubling that I am most likely stuck with this model now that is has been used once. I should have bought the model without Roto-Stop, I just thought it would be a... more

Love this mower. Seemed expensive because I haven't purchased a mower in yrs. After using, well worth the money.

Overall I am very pleased with this mower - It literally started (and continues to start) with the first pull right out of the box. Blade Brake is a game changer and also works perfectly. I live on a very heavily wooded area so there are so many sticks and twigs I'd continuously have to stop for to remove or pick up.. then having to restart my old mower every time.. Blade brake is a God send. Also - if you are into bagging like I am.. I swear this thing has a vacuum underneath it.. as soon as you engage the blade you can hear and feel the incredibly strong pull it has and it doesn't leave a single blade of grass behind.. Its bagging is flat out remarkable.

On the down side its extremely heavy.. almost 100 pounds so its not very nimble.. which may not come into play for most, but I have a lot of hills and inclines that I need to approach sideways and its a little tough with this mower. And for being so heavy you would think it has good traction, but it doesn't.. the traction is very sub par, but if you were simply mowing a flat yard i don't see this being a problem at all, its only on inclines when it slips a lot, or doesn't track at all. Lastly.. for a $700 push mower, there is waaay too much plastic involved in this thing. It boggles my mind that in the Honda line just about every single less expensive model they have has a metal deck. This deck is plastic.. My riding John Deere 110 was only $400 more than this push mower and you're telling me that at $650 they couldn't make this tiny deck out of metal?

To be fair, it has a lifetime warranty on the deck, but still.. as one of their 3 highest end push mowers I am a little disappointed its not metal.

All this being said, the double blade mulches and cuts like an allstar. And the bagging is second to none so im very pleased with this mower. I have had zero problems with it and I cant imagine getting a better quality mow from another push mower.

Overall I am very pleased with this mower - It literally started (and continues to start) with the first pull right out of the box. Blade Brake is a game changer and also works perfectly. I live on a very heavily wooded area so there are so many sticks and twigs I'd continuously have to stop for to remove or pick up.. then having to restart my old mower every time.. Blade brake is a God send. Also - if you are into bagging like I am.. I swear this thing has a vacuum underneath it.. as soon as... more

Lots of power to cut my thick lawn. cuts like a hot knife. The bag has lots of capacity. Since I bag, the blade brake clutch is great for not having to stop the engine. I also like the ability to throttle down the engine when emptying the bag. The adjustable mowing speed and control lever is intuitive and easy to use. The ball bearing wheels make it much easier to push and pull when mowing around obstacles. Starts on the first pull. I was surprised at how small the engine oil sump is - 12 oz or about 400ml. That's less than a quart for such a larger push mower engine. The plastic desk has been easy to clean. No complaints in the mower or Mowers Direct.

Lots of power to cut my thick lawn. cuts like a hot knife. The bag has lots of capacity. Since I bag, the blade brake clutch is great for not having to stop the engine. I also like the ability to throttle down the engine when emptying the bag. The adjustable mowing speed and control lever is intuitive and easy to use. The ball bearing wheels make it much easier to push and pull when mowing around obstacles. Starts on the first pull. I was surprised at how small the engine oil sump is - 12 oz... more

My cub cadet broke the first year I owned it I paid 450. Under-powered and unreliable drive system on Cub Cadet. Honda is the best mower I have ever owned. Powerful even when lawn is wet and the drive system is beautiful. It will never rust too! 190 cc engine is just right for any speed you want to cut. Doesn't bog down at all!

Finally saved enough money to purchase a Honda lawn mower. A neighbor told me his Honda lawn mower was the best purchase he ever made 18 year old and still starts first pull ever time for him. I've had my Honda lawn mower for about 2 month now. Straight out of the box, it started first pull. It has always started first pull. The composite deck material is great in that even wet grass doesn't stick to it long enough for it to build up like it will on metal decks. I haven't used the bagger or the rear discharge, just full mulch.

A few times my lawn got a little taller than I would have liked, tall enough that my previous mower would have died numerous times trying to cut it. My Honda mower had no problem at, didn't even hear it bog down when cutting the thickest, tallest areas of my lawn. The blade stop is nice and I haven't had any problems with it like people had said about it a few years ago. With the first pull start every time and how light of a pull it takes to start (light enough a 5 year old kid could start it) the blade stop probably isn't necessary.

Before purchasing, I read a review where the person complained about the thumb paddles causing strained muscles in their hands. This can be resolved by adjusting the speed dial correctly. Adjust the speed dial so that full stroke of the variable speed thumb paddles is at the speed you want to mow at or ever so slightly faster. I have the dial on mine set at about 1/4 of max speed. I tried cranking the dial to max, but then I could only press the thumb paddles part of the stroke to go the speed I needed. Having the constant pressure on the thumbs by not suing the full stroke caused soreness in in my hands. Set the speed dial so you go full stroke on the thumb paddles (so that the thumb paddle goes all the way to its stop) at normal mowing speed and you won't have a problem with the soreness or strained thumb muscles.

One nuisance that I have is that the throttle gets bumped back to slow rpm when mowing around one particular bush in my yard. It's not a major set back, just a nuisance and knowing that it might happen, I am paying attention to it at the only location it happens. Not big deal to me.

On top of all the positives about the quality of construction, the first pull start every time, and the reliability of this mower, the lawn looks more evenly cut than with my previous mower.

Only downfall is the price. You have to look at it as an investment. Instead of dealing with purchasing a new mower every 5 years and dealing with an old mower that is always giving you fits after the first few years, you have a mower that should be mostly trouble free for 10-15 years.

Finally saved enough money to purchase a Honda lawn mower. A neighbor told me his Honda lawn mower was the best purchase he ever made 18 year old and still starts first pull ever time for him. I've had my Honda lawn mower for about 2 month now. Straight out of the box, it started first pull. It has always started first pull. The composite deck material is great in that even wet grass doesn't stick to it long enough for it to build up like it will on metal decks. I haven't used the bagger or the... more

Easy starting, very maneuverable and does a great job in cutting the lawn.

I have mainly used a Sears lawn mower in the past. I decided to try this Honda mower.

My only concern was that the manual was written with everything necessary but not in the direct order that I needed. So I retyped the manual to be order that I clearly understood. I followed my manual, and the motor started on the first pull every time. I adjusted the motor speed and it cut the grass faster than any of my other lawn mowers. However, it was safe to operate if I concentrated on the mower and what I was doing.

I am thrilled with my new mower.

I have mainly used a Sears lawn mower in the past. I decided to try this Honda mower.

My only concern was that the manual was written with everything necessary but not in the direct order that I needed. So I retyped the manual to be order that I clearly understood. I followed my manual, and the motor started on the first pull every time. I adjusted the motor speed and it cut the grass faster than any of my other lawn mowers. However, it was safe to operate if I concentrated on the mower... more

I am a 68 year old lady and have pulled on a rope till I was purple, pushed on the little red gas feed button, fought with a flooded engine and wasted so much time and effort trying to start my older model mower, that I was about to stop mowing and bring in goats.

This mower was twice or more the cost of many other mowers, but worth every penny.

The ease of start is wonderful, no need to pay more for a key start because this mower starts on the very first or second easy pull. The body is not metal but a very well built, strong body that will not dent and scratch like a metal body. This mower is so easy to maneuver, and I find the controls very easy to manage.

I was almost scared off from purchasing this model because of some reviews about different controls. This machine is a dream and after a few tries, it is really much less work than any mower I have ever owned. I now mow my lawn in 1/3 the amount if time, no going over spots for the 2nd time, no globs of grass laying about, and boy do I love the fact that I do not have to stop the mower just to pick something up off the ground...

And the safety features to ensure no mishaps while the mower is idling are unsurpassed !

I am a 68 year old lady and have pulled on a rope till I was purple, pushed on the little red gas feed button, fought with a flooded engine and wasted so much time and effort trying to start my older model mower, that I was about to stop mowing and bring in goats.

This mower was twice or more the cost of many other mowers, but worth every penny.

The ease of start is wonderful, no need to pay more for a key start because this mower starts on the very first or second easy pull. The body... more

So I'm not the type to write long reviews, like other people here, so I'll keep it simple

1: Definitely did NOT start on first pull. Started on like the 20th pull, due to fuel not getting to motor (yes, I did EVERYTHING correctly), just had to keep pulling cord.

2: Definitely a great motor, the speed adjustment settings are beautiful and makes cutting grass look like a breeze.

3: Very light mower in the front. Front end will kick up if you go too fast, a minor inconvenience....

4: Unlike people complaining of thumb issues when using controls or how heavy mower is, I don't perceive any of those issues.

5: Wish it had a cleaning port to assist with getting to the undercarriage and bag chute. Would make cleaning unit a lot easier.

So I'm not the type to write long reviews, like other people here, so I'll keep it simple

1: Definitely did NOT start on first pull. Started on like the 20th pull, due to fuel not getting to motor (yes, I did EVERYTHING correctly), just had to keep pulling cord.

2: Definitely a great motor, the speed adjustment settings are beautiful and makes cutting grass look like a breeze.

3: Very light mower in the front. Front end will kick up if you go too fast, a minor inconvenience....

4:... more