Honda Mean Mower: A 109-hp, 130-mph Lawn Tractor (honda superhawk )

 

honda superhawk

First drive assessment

You might not be amazed to research that there's an internationally identified velocity document for a trip-on garden mower. Our human impulse for speed is such that there’s a report for pretty plenty some thing with an engine.

But you might thoroughly be amazed to research that the file, which was set earlier this 12 months the use of this closely modified Honda mower, now stands at 116 mph. Having currently pushed it—or ridden it, or anything—we’re flabbergasted.


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Honda mean Mower: A 109-hp, a hundred thirty-mph garden Tractor
Honda suggest Mower: A 109-hp, 130-mph lawn Tractor
it is surely terrifying. And we imply that in the quality manner possible.

    Jun 2014 through MIKE DUFF

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First force review

You may not be surprised to analyze that there's an across the world identified pace report for a experience-on garden mower. Our human impulse for pace is such that there’s a document for quite a whole lot something with an engine.

But you would possibly very well be amazed to analyze that the file, which turned into set in advance this 12 months the usage of this closely modified Honda mower, now stands at 116 mph. Having currently pushed it—or ridden it, or whatever—we’re flabbergasted.

Greater than Meets the attention—however no longer truely

because this isn’t, as you would possibly assume, a motive-built document-setting vehicle that’s been made to appear like a lawn mower. No, it’s a lawn mower rebuilt to stand some danger of conserving collectively at speed, with the engine from a Honda VTR super Hawk motorbike—but it’s nonetheless basically a bit of garden machinery. It drives enough like a garden tractor to make 30 mph sense definitely daring and 60 mph outrageously speedy. The man who drove it to a speed of almost  miles in line with minute, a British journalist named Piers Ward, virtually had both no worry or no creativeness. Or much more likely, none of either.

The mower changed into constructed inside the U.Ok. By the crew that runs Honda’s motors inside the British journeying vehicle Championship, team Dynamics. It’s based on a Honda HF2620 driving mower but has been given a brand new chassis made from excessive-power steel, suspension and wheels from a Honda ATV, and 4-wheel braking. The 109-hp, 996-cc V-twin engine turned into chosen for its mixture of electricity and the capability to suit in the area left through the standard tractor’s 20-hp V-dual. The transmission is a bike-derived six-speed sequential gearbox with electric powered actuation, and it drives an ATV rear axle through a series. There’s no reverse gear, however as the mower is stated to weigh handiest 308 kilos without a rider, it doesn’t actually need one.

One of the stipulations for the Guinness global document is that the mower nevertheless needs to be able to reducing grass. To that cease, the suggest Mower has a bolt-on fiberglass slicing deck—it is able to be separately bolted on or off as required—complete with two electric powered cars operated from the 12-volt electric gadget. (The mower typically runs without the deck.) The corporation claims the mean Mower can reduce grass at up to fifteen mph—two times the top velocity of the standard HF2620. The gap generally occupied by using the clippings bag carries the fuel tank, radiator, and an extra oil cooler.
 Approximately the force

We aren’t going to be setting any information today. The respectable run become carried out on the 1.2-mile-long directly on the IDIADA test song in northern Spain. Honda invited us to the substantially tighter environs of the Donington Park circuit in Leicestershire, England. We’re warned that the imply Mower doesn’t like corners—it’s been designed exclusively for straight-line velocity.

Truely getting onto it is the primary project. The same old tractor’s groundskeeper-spec seat turned into binned in the transformation and a Cobra racing kart seat set up in its area. The idea, of route, is to maintain its occupant securely in region, especially if she or he is a lightweight 14-yr-old F1 wannabe. But the squeeze of forcing your self into the seat (in case you’re not a 14-yr-vintage F1 wannabe) is nothing compared with the mission of having your toes in proximity to the broadly spaced throttle, brake, and snatch pedals—all of which require you to practically bend your legs in 1/2. It’s like attempting to find a comfortable riding function in a medieval torture tool.