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Honda Izy HRG536SDEC6

Started by Swissqp, October 24, 2020, 08:48:59 PM

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Swissqp

Evening all and greeting from a Brit in Switzerland. I do a fair amount of restoration and selling mainly of used Honda mowers. Scanning FB Marketplace I came across a 2012 Izy 21"/53cm mower which from the photo looked in fair nick. So I fired in and paid GBP100 equivalent. As usual, the autochoke mechanism was problematic, but only because the springs and linkage was full of crap. A quick clean and that was sorted. So a new blade, air filter, NGK BPR5ES spark and fresh oil and I managed to sell it for GBP250 in 24hours.

Now about this mower. Frankly a lot of folks rate the Izy. I don't and its not for the reason you may think. Normally after some use, the 536 front wheels bow out a la John Wayne after too long in the saddle. The drive is slower than an Inland Revenue tax rebate. The decks usually rot unless they are kept meticulously clean and then we have the daft autochoke.

Me thinks Honda are trading on past glories with the Izy range. Give me a HR194 any day. These and the HR21/194/214/215 are the epitome of Honda quality. That there are so many knocking around today (albeit smokey) is testament to how they were designed. The Izy is a goood mower. But it absolutely should not command premium prices that Honda charge.     

Mick

Hi Tim, and welcome to TGMF.

Now as you know I've been following your restoration projects on facebook, must say I'm impressed with what you've achieved.  The machines you restored all look fab, all painted up and looking like they came out of the showroom. :tup:   

Re: The Honda IZY range, yes the 21 is a pile of (s)crap in my opinion, the fixed speed one in particular, the drive is unbearably slow, so slow in fact I'm surprised Honda released it like that.  Tin decks, yes they usually rot quite badly, and as you said the front wheels tend splay out after a while.  I hate individual HOC levers on each wheel too. 

The so called "Smart Drive" version is much better speed wise, but that's about the only improvement on the 21"

The 16" and 18" models are not as bad, having front and rear axles straddling the entire front and rear of the machine, thus only having two HOC levers. 

The thing that bugs me with the smaller models is the way the handle are "mounted" to the deck of the machine, you have to constantly bend them back to shape to get them to locate properly, they have been like this right from the first IZY's to current, and can't see them changing that any time soon.

Then there's the drive belts, you'd think a company like Honda, especially with all the years of experience in the lawnmower industry would be able to keep the belt on the pulleys.  They have changed the pulleys on the new models to combat this, but alas they still come off.  And don't get me started on the wheel bearings. ;) 
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Kevin

Hi Tim & Mick,

I agree with all of your comments. Honda are just trading on their name with the entire Izy range. Certainly I have seen a lot of these mowers where the deck has rotted through in no time at all.

I use to have an 16" and 18" Izy's but I sold them both and I have bought a Husqvarna self-drive 3 speed machine with a poly-carbonate deck, much easier to keep clean and no chance of any rot. The only drawback is the autochoke system which tends to make initial running a little lumpy.

Cheers

Kevin

Mick

Quote from: kevinthelawnmowerman on October 31, 2020, 02:14:22 PMHi Tim & Mick,

I agree with all of your comments. Honda are just trading on their name with the entire Izy range. Certainly I have seen a lot of these mowers where the deck has rotted through in no time at all.

I use to have an 16" and 18" Izy's but I sold them both and I have bought a Husqvarna self-drive 3 speed machine with a poly-carbonate deck, much easier to keep clean and no chance of any rot. The only drawback is the autochoke system which tends to make initial running a little lumpy.

Cheers

Kevin

The older blue coloured IZY's you could almost say without doubt after 10 yrs the whole front end would fall off. Not sure if they improved the this on the later ones.  We still see 20-30yr old cheap tin deck machines with very little or no rot on them.  That said, we see some that are so bad you can't actually believe the customer is asking for it to be serviced, lol... 

Kevin, what engine does that Husky have on it?
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Kevin

Hi Mick,

I'm sorry I have only just noticed your question.

The Husky has a Briggs engine but I don't remember which one, as you can imagine I see a lot of engines !!

Cheers

Kevin

Mick

@Tim Colehan  Well Tim, what's next on the agenda?
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Swissqp

Well Mick, there's a smokey GCV160 that needs new piston rings, a HR1950 which starts and dies....will post a few more learnings...

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