Honda copy motors

[Rossluck]

Hello

Has anyone had much experience with Honda-copy or Chinese-Honda (Chonda) four stroke engines? I've experienced both and still think that the genuine Hondas are substantially better. But every time I go to buy one I feel that attraction to the quarter-of-the-Honda price of the Chondas. Is this false economy? Are the Chondas getting better? The 5.5 HP Chonda I had ran very well, and did everything as a Honda would do, but died a sudden death in it's late thirties.

[Auld Bassoon]

Hi Ross,

I've had a few Honda things (not a car), and have found their engineering, choice of materials and quality control to be very superior indeed to most other manufacturers.

If I wanted something to perform reliably and be durable, then a Honda would be a very good choice. As for "Chonda's", I've no personal experience, but if an item is, say, 1/4 the price and lasts accordingly, then, well, ok I guess. However, if it was something that I needed to depend on, then no choice - Honda would be the go...

[ozwinner]

Not related but, I used to fit motors to machinery in a previous life.
The motors were either Briggs & Stratton or Honda.

The Briggs were dogs to start, took ages, filled the shed with smoke when they finaly fired, some times it took half an hour to get them to fire.
When they did run, they ran like dogs.

The Hondas ALWAYS fired first time.
They ran like silk from the first fireing.

I know which one I would get.

Al

[Clinton1]

A mate bought one because it's stored in a shed on a farm that isn't lived on. He figures if its knicked it won't hurt as much.
That was his logic, and the engine hasn't done too bad. At the price its a bit of a throw away.

[ozwinner]

A mate bought one because it's stored in a shed on a farm that isn't lived on. He figures if its knicked it won't hurt as much.
That was his logic, and the engine hasn't done too bad. At the price its a bit of a throw away.

Whats his address?

Al

[Clinton1]

I'll PM you when I know he's going to be there.
Al the brickie vs Darek the mad Pole.

Go armed with vodka and you might be able to do a trade.

[boban]

Given China's strict views on intellectual property violations you can be assured of one thing, the Chonda will have a fantastic design to begin with.

[ozwinner]

I'll PM you when I know he's going to be there.
Al the brickie vs Darek the mad Pole.

Go armed with vodka and you might be able to do a trade.

Maaaate.
No one gets past the Swishing Blade of Al.

Al

[Blocklayer]

Depends where they're made. In Asia you can buy Honda motorcycles, in order of quality, made in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and copies from China. I bought a Vietnam made Honda (Wave), which isn't to bad. I reckon, as a general rule the Japanese made Hondas last at least twice as long as the Chinese copies. But hey, the Chinese copies are cheap. And if you want to talk about real quality, even worse than Briggs & Stratton, go buy a Russian Minsk. I bought one brand new in 96. You can swap all the parts from a 1970 model, and lucky to because they break down once a week. The only thing wrong with Honda motors on mixers, that I've found, is brickies laourers always break the starter rope before they bother to look and see that they're out of petrol.

[ozwinner]

that I've found, is brickies laourers always break the starter rope before they bother to look and see that they're out of petrol.

Same here.
Huh!!, its got an off switch!!:eek: ( that they switched off 10 minutes ago.)

Al

[boban]

Same here.
Huh!!, its got an off switch!!:eek: ( that they switched off 10 minutes ago.)

Al

BIL a renderer came to my place to render the front posts. When I came home from work he was fuming because my mixer wouldn't start.

I've never had a problem with the Robin(subaru) powered Lightburn mixer. So I switched the petrol on and started it without any dramas.

The look on his face after 4 larry mixes: priceless.

[davey1000]

Depends where they're made. In Asia you can buy Honda motorcycles, in order of quality, made in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and copies from China. I bought a Vietnam made Honda (Wave), which isn't to bad. I reckon, as a general rule the Japanese made Hondas last at least twice as long as the Chinese copies. But hey, the Chinese copies are cheap. And if you want to talk about real quality, even worse than Briggs & Stratton, go buy a Russian Minsk. I bought one brand new in 96. You can swap all the parts from a 1970 model, and lucky to because they break down once a week. The only thing wrong with Honda motors on mixers, that I've found, is brickies laourers always break the starter rope before they bother to look and see that they're out of petrol.

Yeah but you ought to compare like with like as the modern Briggs & Strattons are greatly improved. (Briggs & Strattons from the 1950s had tungsten steel magnets that used to lose their magnetism and the points used to oxidise during the winter). As to the brickies labourers you forgot to mention that after they bust the recoil mechanism they take off the tin snail so they can get to the emergency starting sheave. They then put petrol in, start it up and run it with no forced cooling! I repaired a Honda GX100 that had been abused this way and it needed a replacement conrod, piston, and block (luckily a fire damaged engine was available as a donor) I think I swapped the crank as well although the old one was not too bad. Another way of ruining petrol Belle mixers is to leave them running whilst tipped. (The lubrication comes from a dipper on the conrod) Up to 10 seconds is usually OK but some oafs seem to think they will run all day like this. (the electric ones will of course!)
Whilst on the subject of points I bought a 4HP Evinrude outboard motor that had not been run for 23 years. Apart from the hardened grease in the rewind mechanism it was perfect and it fired up after just a few pulls! (one for the Guiness book of records perhaps!) The points must be made of exceptionally good metal - no need for CDi but probably CDi is now cheaper than platinum or tunsten points.

Best regards from Davey.