Honda vs. Yamaha

John Fraser

John Fraser

Well-known member
It looks like I'm going to purchase a Lund Alaskan 1600 side console as my next duck/fishing boat. I plan on getting it with a 60 hp four stroke. The dealer offers both Honda and Yamaha outboards. The cost is close between the two. I've gotten four opinions so far, two for Honda and two for Yamaha.

What do you think?
 
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I have a 60 and 115 Yamaha, so I am biased. I love the way thses 4 stroke, efi engines start run and sip gas. When I bought the 6o hp the Honda was carbed and not EFI. The Honda may have also been lighter with 3 cylinders but I liked the idea of 4 cylinders. I have seen a lot of Yamahas in work horse applications (basically daily drivers), so if they are good enough for the guys using them every day I figured they were good enough for me.
 
My vote is for Yamaha.
Its what we run at work on most our boats. I am assigned a 21' V-bay we use for research and monitoring. Its 4 years old and never had a problem.
Most of the commercial fishermen down here run Yamaha. That says a lot.
 
I've run Yamaha's for years both on work rigs & on my personal vessels.

Have since moved on to the Suzuki's.

My newest rig was only offered with a Yama or Honda & I opted out for the Suzuki.

Dealer wasn't happy that I had someone else rig the boat but after putting 100+ hours on her, I know for me it was the right choice.

I'd go with the Yama if I was you!!!
 
Hi John My opinion is yamaha all the way. I have a F60 on my 18 ft alaskan & a F115 on my 21 ft triton both are EFI & never even had 1 problem. Joe
 
John,

As a dealer for both brands they are very good motors but I would go with the Yamaha over the Honda. I'll second the thoughts on the Suzuki. I have been running a Suzuki for a few years on one of my personel boats and I love it.
 
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Yamaha, I have experience with both and don't particularly like Honda's. I also don't like 4-strokes so.....
 
We use outboards every day commercially, we all ended up with Hondas. The last Yamaha is leaving us shortly to be replaced by another Honda. Suzuki is another good option, except the maintenance is a PITA, we have a dealer literally next door, but we've had "issues" with him and we don't spend a dime there anymore.

I'd give Honda/Suzuki #1,2 with a slight edge to Honda for the ease of changing the oil filter, and Yamaha #2 1/2, :)
 
Thanks everyone for your input.

The dealer also recommended the Yamaha over the Honda. His main point was the number of dealers for service and parts. On the websites I searched for dealers in some of the places I may take the boat and there was two to three times as many Yamaha dealers in those areas. I guess I'd only really need one dealer, but it's nice to have a few that you can call.
 
Being a small engine/motorcycle mechanic most of my life not a soul alive. An argue the reliability of any Honda product. Ive ran 2 stroke outboards all my life and had no use for the idea of any 4 stroke strapped on the stern of any boat of mine until the day in 05' I decided to try a new 50hp Honda outboard. Granted it took me 5 props to get the 1965 16' restored Starcraft Jupiter dialed in and for the record I'm running a quicksilver prop on that motor now,,, bottom line is that Honda 4 stroke even with its carburetors starts and pulls out of the hole just as fast as any 2 stroke I've ever owned and that motor has been bullet proof and has not caused me one minutes trouble. But they are both great motors. Good luck in your decision.
 
I've always been a yamaha guy and never had any problems, but the honda is a great small engine. I would get the yamaha over honda on large engines, but on smaller engines it's a tough call! u'll be happy either way!
 
John, we've had good luck with Yamahas on our Lunds. Fair warning, my buddy had a Yam 60 4-stroke on his 18 Alaskan and it was underpowered when loaded for hunting, but on a 16 it should be OK with the right prop. You might also give the new Yamaha F70 a look.

Offer stands to come take a look at mine. It's on the hoist at the lake right now, I'll be around pretty much every weekend through Labor day.
 
Thanks Matt and thanks everyone else for the input.

I had made up my mind and was all set to go with the Yamaha. However when I spoke to the dealer today, he told me about a significant rebate that Lund is offering on the boat with the Honda. The rebate does not apply if I purchase the boat from Lund and have the dealer install a Yamaha. So the rebate has me going with the Honda.

The dealer also explained that with a 4-stroke, a 60 hp is the largest you can go with on the 16 footer. It's rated for up to 75hp, but that would have to be a 2-cycle.

I'll have to give you a call and stop out sometime.
 
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