Hondas, Hondas Everywhere!
My Second Obsession
You probably know that I have a passion for Toyotas. I call my collection the ‘yard of misfit toys’. Don’t ask how many there are… I’m not willing to admit it. What I haven’t mentioned is that I also love Hondas. Like Toyota, Honda uses the same Japanese principles in their manufacturing and are known for their reliability. In my eyes, Honda is the obvious choice for small engines.
My History With Hondas
My mum still has the Honda riding lawnmower we used when I was growing up on the farm. When I grew tall enough to reach the pedal, mowing the acre of yard became my job. That poor machine… like a first car, it put up with a LOT of abuse. I’ll never forget one stretch of sloped yard that always had me on the edge of my seat. I never did roll it and in hindsight, it was probably never even close.
My first dirt bike was a Honda minibike my Dad got for me when I was around 8 years old. We took it to the track often, doing laps and hitting corners as fast as I could. At one point I dropped the minibike on my leg, resulting in a burn from the exhaust. I officially had the mark of someone who rides bikes - a scar that I have to this day.
Kai Zen
Kaizen is a Japanese principle of continuous improvement which Toyota is known for using in their processes. Naturally, Honda uses it too! I believe that the application of Kaizen is a huge contributor to what makes Hondas great machines. They keep their small engines simple, use good materials and make maintenance straightforward which contributes to their excellent reputation.
Hondas on the Mountain
The first thing I bought for the mountain was an old Honda bike. Much like Shibby, it is made of mismatched parts. A frame from a 100cc, with a 125cc engine put into it. I love riding it around the mountain roads. Also like the Toyotas, it’s made friends! The yard of misfit toys now houses a few old Honda bikes awaiting fixing.
A friend offered us a Honda snowblower and I’m so glad we took him up on it. Watching Curt use it for the first time was hilarious, he walked it around the yard grinning like the Cheshire Cat. It’s self-driven on tracks and a game changer for clearing walking paths. How we’ve made it this far without it, I have no clue!
A Strong Opinion
I enjoy having differing opinions and views from other people, it’s what makes life interesting! Some people don’t like Toyota’s, weird people - but they’re entitled to their opinion.
While I was blowing snow, a thought struck me.
Hondas are different. I think so highly of Hondas, anyone who doesn’t like them is supremely strange in my books. I try to keep an open mind but, I have a hard time seeing anyone’s side that doesn’t like a Honda.
Japanese manufacturing was far more superior than North American. I say was, because everything has gone down in quality. The old Toyotas and Hondas were far better than the new ones.
I recall an interview a long time ago with one of Toyota's representatives and they said they designed their vehicles to last a minimum of 10 years in the harshest conditions. Since many of us to subject our vehicles to those, it's no wonder they last 30, 40 or more years.
Unlike the domestic counterparts that start breaking down before warranty is even over.
I have a very old, smaller Honda generator that has not had an easy life. It's been neglected and abused. I bought it used for $100. Still fires up and runs well. There are very few brands out there that will rival that kind of build quality.
This is also another reason why I rebuild old machinery as opposed to buying new. They were built better back then.
Nice collection ;)
On my second Honda. First was a Fit 2007, then bought a new 2015 am thinking of new one. The only one problem in all the years was a walnut stashed in the engine by an evil 🐿️.