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

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

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

I have always used Toro until this mower. The Honda is hands down, the best walk behind mower I've ever used.

The mower works great out of the box and the set up was easy. Quite engine and easy to pull start, self propelled function makes cutting my lawn easy. Why didn't I buy this sooner. The bad is it is sent with a bottle of oil to fill when you set up. My bottle was punctured and I had an oil covered mower out of the box. Took considerable time to clean up. I wasn't expecting this from and premium brand mower company. I notified Mowers Direct if this situation and they promptly sent me another bottle of Honda oil but told me another department would contact me about not so new out of the box mower debacle. I'm still waiting for a fair resolution.

The mower works great out of the box and the set up was easy. Quite engine and easy to pull start, self propelled function makes cutting my lawn easy. Why didn't I buy this sooner. The bad is it is sent with a bottle of oil to fill when you set up. My bottle was punctured and I had an oil covered mower out of the box. Took considerable time to clean up. I wasn't expecting this from and premium brand mower company. I notified Mowers Direct if this situation and they promptly sent me another... more

There's an abundance of choices when is comes to a self propelled mower but Honda stands above all. If your looking for a cheap mower don't bother looking at these but if you want a great value and longevity this is your mower.
I wanted the Blade Brake as a safety and convenience feature as I am turning over the lawn care to my 12year old son. Instead of having to restart the mower every time you have to stop or empty the bag this feature is an nice upgrade. When a 12 Year old can easily pull start and handle the mower you've got a winner. The self propelled feature is incredible, we can't turn the speed past 1/3 or we'd be running.

There's an abundance of choices when is comes to a self propelled mower but Honda stands above all. If your looking for a cheap mower don't bother looking at these but if you want a great value and longevity this is your mower.
I wanted the Blade Brake as a safety and convenience feature as I am turning over the lawn care to my 12year old son. Instead of having to restart the mower every time you have to stop or empty the bag this feature is an nice upgrade. When a 12 Year old can easily pull... more

The driver dropped it off in my garage. Opened the carton and there were instructions on how to unpack on all four flaps. I don't know why they want two people to unload it as I did it myself without straining my back the way that they want you to do it. I lifted the mower by the handles like a wheelbarrow. Placed those back wheels over the lid of the box. Went around to the other end, tilted the box (lifted up) and the mower rolled out. Very easy.

Wasn't much to the assembly and to be realistic if you find it difficult then you shouldn't be operating this mower. It required adding the oil that was supplied, installing the bag, unfolding the handle, adding fuel and adjusting the wheels for the height that you need. All within the normal requirements for operating.

Read the manual before starting up. Checked that all nuts and bolts were tight. Made sure that the blade was installed tight. Everything checked out. Added the fuel, turned the fuel valve to the open position, put the throttle lever to the fastest position and then pulled on the starting rope. Started up on first pull.

The blade brake is a two part system. You have to press the engagement "button" on the right side of the handle and then pull back on the metal bar that spans the handle. Releasing the handle stops the blade but the engine keeps running. You have to repeat the same procedure each time you stop the blade.

The driving system is an easy operation. You set the speed about where you want it and then engage using your thumbs. Best to turn the dial to the speed you may want so you can press the thumb paddles all the way into the handle. Hard to explain but you will understand when using. Start out in a slow speed and then gradually increase as you get use to it.

The mower is fairly quiet, not as loud as the old one.

This mower replaced a 18 year old Lawnboy mulching mower. This mower is light years better. It sucks up the tire tracks and doesn't leave those long blades of grass that were rolled down by the tires. I have used this mower twice since I received it and the cut lawn looks a lot better than with that old mower. I have only used it in the mulch mode. The back chute does get some accumulation of grass in it so you may have to check it when done. The larger wheels also helps when the ground has many holes, divots and etc. and not smooth. Don't know how it operates on a incline as my lawn is fairly level with no embankments, or ditches.

The designer or owner of Honda must be a buckeye fan judging from the color of the mower, red ( scarlet ) and grey. I choose this model because of the deck material and happy that I did. It is very shiny and the colors make the mower look nice and classy. The grass doesn't accumulate to it like it did on my old mower and any dust was blown off by my leaf blower. After two uses it still looks like new. From what I read this deck material is also supposed to cut down on vibration. Don't know if it is due to the engine quality or the deck but there isn't much engine vibration.

Bought this mower from PED. They had the best price and free delivery.

The driver dropped it off in my garage. Opened the carton and there were instructions on how to unpack on all four flaps. I don't know why they want two people to unload it as I did it myself without straining my back the way that they want you to do it. I lifted the mower by the handles like a wheelbarrow. Placed those back wheels over the lid of the box. Went around to the other end, tilted the box (lifted up) and the mower rolled out. Very easy.

Wasn't much to the assembly and to... 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

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.

Very nice mower. The engine doesn't stop every time you stop, which I like very much. Excellent mower but pricey.

Purchased to replace a similar Honda mower that was 28 years old and slowly dying (frame broke, wheels falling apart, etc.) Functions are very similar to the old one. Engaging the blade is now a two-step process. The blade engagement is a bit touchy in that if one doesn't hold tight it releases - undoubtedly a "safety" improvement but a bit annoying. The new variable drive speed control is also somewhat touchy and one needs to press down more (like a car accelerator) if there is any uphill grade.

Purchased to replace a similar Honda mower that was 28 years old and slowly dying (frame broke, wheels falling apart, etc.) Functions are very similar to the old one. Engaging the blade is now a two-step process. The blade engagement is a bit touchy in that if one doesn't hold tight it releases - undoubtedly a "safety" improvement but a bit annoying. The new variable drive speed control is also somewhat touchy and one needs to press down more (like a car accelerator) if there is... more