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• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd April 20, 2010 at 8:31pm

  I have my Honda 21" Pro for 5 years and I prefer it to my two Hayter Pro's.
  
  The pick up is far superior full stop and copes quite well in the wet (where my Hayters are useless despite fitting hi-lift blades).
  
  The PTO drive has been reliable so far and apart from basic maintenance (oil changes etc) has not been much trouble. The Air filters are quite expensive though but much higher quality than the ones fitted to B&S engines.
  
  The vibrations are lower than my Hayters but the machine is also heavy at around 60kg
  
  If you ask me which machine I would choose if I needed to buy again it would be Honda over Hayter I'm afraid!
  
  -Nick
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  Andy Thorne April 21, 2010 at 12:42am

  Agreed Nick.
  I have The HRH Hondas 21" roller model - Not sure what the QX21 bit is(?). It's now 2 years old. In season it gets hammered, had a few small problems but nothing like the problems I had with Hayter Harrier Pros, which I used for many years.
  The Honda build quality and finish of the lawns is top. It is heavy (more metal, less plastic!) but makes better stripes!
  I mow in the wet, I never, ever stop, even in torrential thunderstorms :o
  It is a joy to use and I would highly recommend them.
  Picking up wet is fine. Normal caveats - Don't try cutting really long grass and expect to collect it. Most of my jobs are fortnightly - it's no bother to collect these clippings.
  
  Andy
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  Gary Hedges April 21, 2010 at 5:22pm

  I use one for my mowing jobs, expensive, yes, but touch wood no problems so far, works well in the wet and good build quality.
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  Steven Whitaker April 21, 2010 at 6:27pm

  I just upgraded to the Honda from a Hayter 56 - No comparison! The Honda picks up long grass in the wet were as the Hayter "sicked up" anything with the slightest bit of dew on it. The Honda is smoother, less vibration, quieter. The only drawback I have found is that manouverability is more difficult, the roller is split, but does not work like a "split differential" like the Hayter did, also the rear roller is smooth instead of ridged which means if you are pushing over stone or concrete and hit a stone; it comes to an abrupt stop! Overall though I love the honda!
• 

  Gary Hedges April 21, 2010 at 6:40pm

  Steven Whitaker said:

  I just upgraded to the Honda from a Hayter 56 - No comparison! The Honda picks up long grass in the wet were as the Hayter "sicked up" anything with the slightest bit of dew on it. The Honda is smoother, less vibration, quieter. The only drawback I have found is that manouverability is more difficult, the roller is split, but does not work like a "split differential" like the Hayter did, also the rear roller is smooth instead of ridged which means if you are pushing over stone or concrete and hit a stone; it comes to an abrupt stop! Overall though I love the honda!

  
  Yes i agree it took me a while to get used to the manouverability. As someone else mentioned it's not designed to cut really long grass, if I have to I strim first and then go over again with the Honda,
  Hayters I have used in the past have never lasted long.
• PRO

  Tony Goodridge March 8, 2012 at 7:56pm

  Without a doubt they are superb! mine is 12 years old now and is still perfect!!! agreed with all said above too!!highly recommend if you can afford them!
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  Jonathan Brewster March 9, 2012 at 7:57am

  We have one as said above with the roller another point is that it is hard to work on slopes, keeps you fit though. Look at your terrain when choosing as this is not the mower for a hilly area but on the flat it is probably the best on the market.

  Previously we used the lawnflite pro equivalant although worked constantly for 4 years problems aplenty - drive cable snapping, drive splines, drive bearings etc all expensive fixes; the Honda's bearings and drive is beefed up on comparison.
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  Gary Hedges March 9, 2012 at 4:02pm

  Nearly two years after my last post on this topic and the mower is still going and cutting well.
  Agree that lawnflite and other Honda derivatives are poor in comparison.