Honda introduced their 4-stroke outboards to the U.S. more
than 40 years ago. We've been representing them for over a dozen
years. Honda is the largest engine manufacturer in the world and has
built their reputation on quality and reliability. We find that they
still offer some of the quietest and most economical engines available.
Now they're offered with a 5-year factory warranty (the 2-year extended
warranty period is not administered by a third party as are most other
offerings).
We find they work particularly well with the types of boat
we represent here in the Pacific Northwest such as the Rosborough and Arima
line where the emphasis is more on mid-range power and torque, quietness and
fuel economy, rather than raw top speed.
Model Descriptions
Honda BF2 - This is a great dinghy
motor; lightweight (~28 #), fuel efficient, air-cooled (no water in the
power head), and robust. The BF2 also features a centrifugal clutch so
there's no shifting; simply twist the throttle to idle and the prop stops
spinning. Spin the engine around, flip the tiller handle over and
maneuvering in reverse is simple.
Honda BF8A - This is the BF8
Classic motor. It's based on the BF75 and BF100 from the 80's (of
course materials have been updated) and it's still a workhorse. It's
very light at only 78 pounds and it's quite smooth with it's 2-clylinder
powerhead. It's still a great choice as a kicker motor and/or where
weight is a prime consideration. We service many BF75s and BF100s that
are now over 20 years old and many are still going strong. This is a
motor you can pass down in the family rather than replacing it every few
years.
In the early 2000s Honda decided to add a 20-hp 2-cylinder
engine to the lineup. The most logical way to do this was to design
one powerhead for a 15/20 hp engine and another smaller powerhead for a
8/9.9 hp engine. That lead to the creation of the BF8D listed below
and it was supposed to be a replacement for the BF8A which had been in the
lineup for so long. Dealers and customers rebelled and the BF8A was
continued; thus there are two 8-hp engine in the Honda line.
Honda BF8D / BF9.9D
(now referred to as the BF10D...it's the same engine)
This engine comes in a wide range of models from short shaft, to long
shaft, to extra long shaft and in regular and power thrust versions.
There were a host a features incorporated into the BF8/9.9D models including
PGM Ignition, Auto Start Enrichment (electric start models), 12-amp
alternators (6-amps on manual start motors), longer tiller handle, upfront
shifter, steering friction lever, shallow water drive positions, and Power
Tilt (as an option). The weight varies from about 92 pounds to 120
pounds depending on shaft length, manual or electric start, and manual or
power tilt. The 222cc engine is larger than the 198cc block on the
BF8A so there is a bit more torque available; in a lot of cases the BF8A is
a less expensive and lighter alternative to the BF8A (except in California
where the BF8A can't be sold now). For 9.9 hp buyers the BF9.9D is a
good choice.
Honda BF15 / BF20
- Basically the same engine as the BF8/9.9D model above. Honda
increased the stoke on the engine to take to displacement to 350cc.
The BF15D is best for a kicker motor (as is the BF9.9D). The BF20
makes all of it's additional horsepower at the top end so it's best used in
planing applications where the power can be used. Otherwise the
BF8/9.9D and the BF15/20 share the same features. The BF15/20 weighs
about 10 pounds more than the like model BF8/9.9 and the physical dimensions
with the exception of the hood being an inch longer are almost identical.
Honda BF25 / BF30
- This is a 3-cylinder powerhead of 550cc with a 10-amp alternator (6-amp
manual start versions). It's available with a tiller or set up for
wheel steering, it's available in manual and electric start versions, and in
short and long shaft. It's a nice smooth quiet engine and is really a
miniature version of the BF40/50. The BF30 makes it's horsepower at
higher rpm so it's best used on faster hulls.
Honda BF40D / BF50D
- This is the newest EFI (electronic fuel injection) engine based on the
original BF40/50 which was a real workhorse for Honda over many, many years
(about 15 years actually). It was Honda's first foray in to larger
outboards (as opposed to the "kicker" motors they had been producing) and
was first introduced as the BF35/45. This is a smooth running and
quiet 800cc engine with very light weight (214 pounds) and a good sized
17-amp alternator. New technologies introduced with this engine
include BLAST which senses the rate at which the throttle is advanced and
adjusts the timing of the engine accordingly to five better response to
pulling skiers, getting a bass boat moving or such (not really relevant to
the types of boats we represent). Honda has also included Lean Burn
Control for better cruising economy.
Honda BF75D / BF90D
- This the the new EFI model 4-cylinder 1500cc engine based on the Honda Fit
engine and completely replaces the older BF75A and BF90A . The new
model is smaller, lighter, more fuel efficient, and has a better alternator
(35-amps versus 16-amps) than the "A" model. Honda lists this motor at
359 pounds which is quite light.
Honda BF135 / BF150
- This is a fuel injected 4-cylinder engine based on the Honda Accord 2.3
liter engine. This is a sweetheart engine, it's smooth, it's powerful,
it's fuel efficient and it's been very, very reliable. The BF135 and
BF150 are virtually the same operationally until just over 4000 rpm.
The difference doesn't become readily apparent until over 4500 rpm when the
V-TEC (variable valve timing) that the BF150 has (and the BF135 doesn't)
kicks in; once the cam followers shift to the high duration, high lift cam
the BF150 makes horsepower all the way to redline at 6000 rpm (where it's
making 160 hp). The choice between the BF135 and BF150 should be based
on whether or not the boat would benefit from operation over 400o to 4500
rpm. The BF135/150 also has a 40-amp alternator to keep even fairly
large batteries well charged.
Honda BF200 / BF225
- This is Honda's largest engine to date (09/2008). It's based on the
6-cylinder Accord engine of 3.4 liters and sports a 60-amp (usable)
alternator; it also has Electronic Fuel Injection. The primary
difference between the BF200 and the BF225 is the V-TEC (variable valve
timing) on the the BF225.
