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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI MUST have one, even though it is a Honda.......
The concept of a super-high-output ride-on lawn tractor isnt new, but a factory-backed effort from a major automaker sure is. The guilty party is an outfit that, unlike pretty much every other large OEM, builds everything from cars to weed-wackers, outboard motors, scooters, and, yes, lawn mowers. Were talking, of course, about Honda, whose U.K. subsidiary decided mixing its lawn-care expertise with its racing know-how would make for one hell of an example of the companys penchant for innovative engineering. Honda enlisted its touring car partner, Team Dynamics, to help out, and the result is the nearly stock-looking Honda HF2620 lawn tractor you see here, dubbed the Mean Mower.
Putting aside the cutesy name for a momentit sounds like a riff off of the Snapper Tom Hanks rode in Forrest Gumpnearly everything about the HF2620 except the bodywork is either custom-fabricated or borrowed from other vehicles. Take, for example, the engine: its a 1.0-liter V-twin pulled from Hondas VTR 1000F Firestorm motorcycle. It pumps out 109 horsepower and 71 lb-ft of torque, and backs up to a custom six-speed, paddle-shifted sequential gearbox powering the rear wheels. The steroidal powertrain is mounted in a custom tube-frame chassis, which also serves as the home for the suspension setup from an ATV. Out back, the grass bag actually is home to a fuel tank, a high-capacity oil cooler, and a secondary radiator.
The steering rack, curiously, is from a Morris Minor, but it probably helps the driver stay in control at the absolutely insane speeds Honda claims the Mean Mower is capable of. Top speed is an estimated 133 mph, and the trip from zero to 60 mph takes less than four seconds. These staggering performance figures have the lawn tractors power-to-weight ratio to thank; by Hondas figures it works out to a Veyron-shaming 2.82 pounds per horsepower. Of course, the creation weighs just 309 pounds minus a driver, so that ratio likely changes quite a bit depending on how much the pilot weighs.
A custom Cobra racing seat helps keep that driver in place while mowing about, although it appears to lack a seatbelt. Thats probably for the best, because if this thing were to go blades-up at high speed, we think wed rather not be strapped to it. Wearing a helmet is a good idea, and ear protection couldnt hurt, either, since according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, prolonged exposure to noise above 8590 decibels can lead to hearing loss. Riders may find this tidbit useful, since the combination of the motorcycle engine and a Scorpion exhaust make the tractor a 130-decibel sound bazooka at only three-quarter throttle. For reference, thats nearly as loud as being within 350 feet of a commercial jet taking off.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/mean-mower-more-like-masochistic-mower-honda-u-k-builds-130-mph-ride-on-mower/
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I MUST have one, even though it is a Honda....... (Original Post)
DainBramaged
Jul 2013
OP
leftstreet
(36,114 posts)1. LOL Sweet