Honda Power Equipment is introducing Honda HRX(™ mowers, a completely new lawnmower line pioneering the unique Versamow(™ System that, for the first time on any mower, easily enables simultaneous distribution of grass clippings to both the bag and the ground.
The two new HRX models will replace the Honda HRB Harmony Series mowers. While the HRB mowers have received continuous improvements since their introduction in 1992, the HRX Series represents the first time that Honda mowers have been redesigned from the ground up. The HRX will be available nationwide through Honda Power Equipment Dealers and The Home Depot in early 2004 without a price increase over the outgoing HRB models.
"The HRX is the culmination of years of research by Honda R&D, and nobody else in the industry is doing anything like it," said Wade Terry, Honda Power Equipment vice president. "Versamow will fundamentally change the way people mow their lawns."
The Honda Versamow System has been designed to be a complete four-in-one mowing system delivering the ultimate in flexibility. A Clip Director lever located behind the engine cowling operates a sliding door between the mower deck and the grass bag allowing the operator to easily:
- Mulch 100 percent of clippings
- Bag 100 percent of clippings
- Rear discharge
- Simultaneously mulch and bag or rear discharge in varying degrees through 10 separate settings.
The system also offers a setting for leaf shredding where leaves are recirculated until they are small enough to pass through the Versamow opening and into the bag. All this can take place without a conventional mulch plug and labor-intensive conversion associated with most mowers.
Targeting best-in-industry bagging performance, HRX is able to mow 40 percent further before the bag is full, requiring the operator to empty the bag 40 percent less often. This is accomplished through the use of a 2.5 bushel grass bag, and Honda's new Microcut™ offset twin-blade cutting system that results in finer clippings that pack the bag more efficiently.
Powering the HRX will be Honda's recently introduced GCV190 overhead cam (OHC) engine that delivers 6.5 horsepower, and putting this power to the wheels is a choice of either a three-speed transmission, or Honda's exclusive Cruise Control Hydrostatic transmission that enables the user to infinitely vary the ground speed and gradually phase in the power for smoother operation. Maximum ground speed has been increased from 3.2 to 3.5 mph for the three-speed model, and from 3.5 to 4.0 mph for the Cruise Control version.
Also available is a Roto-Stop® blade brake clutch that allows for the engagement and disengagement of the blades without stopping the motor, which is useful for safely transporting the mower using the drive wheels over driveways, beds, or rocky surfaces.
The all-new HRX deck is constructed of advanced and extremely durable Xenoy® material that does not dent, rust, or corrode over time. Developed for Honda, Xenoy now is used in everything from car bumpers to football helmets. The deck has been lengthened for better balance when the bag is full, and is 28 percent more rigid for enhanced maneuverability and tighter blade/deck tolerances for more efficient cutting.
Other HRX features include seven cutting heights up to a maximum of four inches, new nine inch wheels with deeper tread depth for increased traction and smoother ride, one inch commercial-grade handlebar tubing, and a recoil rope starter handle that has been relocated to the handle bars so the mower can be started from the operator position.
Honda is the world's preeminent engine maker, selling more than 15 million engines annually throughout the world. Honda mowers are characterized by the same clean, quiet, fuel-efficient technology that is behind its reputation for unparalleled durability, quality, and reliability. All Honda mowers meet or exceed California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards.
Editor's Note:
Honda Power Equipment, a division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., manufactures and markets a complete range of outdoor power equipment, including outboard marine engines, general purpose engines, generators, lawnmowers, pumps, snowblowers, tillers and trimmers for commercial, rental and residential applications. Its comprehensive product line is powered exclusively by environmentally advanced 4-stroke engines.
Information for media regarding Honda products is available at www.hondanews.com.
Consumer information regarding Honda products is available at www.honda.com.
