What motor would you buy?

[tillerguy]

I'm buying an 18ft tiller boat(fiberglass) which is rated to a 90 horse motor and would like readers feedback as to what you would buy in this situation.

Here are my thoughts:

I like Merc but the 90 2stroke isn't the greatest backtroller, idiling and trolling slow aren't it's strongest attributes.

Is there a decent 4 stroke that would push the boat well enough.

Next year Merc is coming out with a 90 optimax, perhaps I would be well served to wait a year to get this motor.

Not as familar with Yamaha and Honda, speaking of 4 strokes here would one of these be worth considering?

Thanks for your input.

[Kent]

The Honda 90 is a very smooth running motor and would do a nice job. The Suzuki 90 has EFI and idles at 625 rpm. The tiller version will be available shortly.

Kent

[tillerguy]

oh-oh two of us?

[tillerguy]

Kent, thanks for the feedback - I did some calling around and am impressed as to what I hear regarding suzuki. I guess they can already make a tiller handle for either the 90 or 115.

I like having the fuel injection and also the motor isn't such a pig like Honda. In addition 6 year warranty is now in place with suzuki motors.

[chrism]

Yammy makes a good 90 4stke -- I don't know about the tiller handle...

would the real tiller guy please stand up!

[Dave in Mpls]

Yamaha makes a 80 hp and 100 hp 4 stroke, but not a 90. The only 90 hp 4 strokes that I'm aware of are made by Mercury, Honda and Suzuki. I have heard that the 90 Mercury is in the area of 98 hp, but that is only hearsay. Not sure if tiller handles are currently available for the Merc or Suzuki.

Regards

[DaveIN]

I have a 1 year old 70 horse Suzuki and just love it.
I stopped by the dealers the other day and picked up a new brouchure and saw that the 90 is 100 lbs heavier than my 70.
They are over 400 lbs. Keep that in mind and make sure the boat can handle that kind of weight on the back.

[Phil T.]

Maybe pick the one with the longest handle(leverage). The guy I work with used to have a tiller 90 Honda. The odds are really good that he is bigger and stronger than you, and he found it fatigueing.

[Stormsearch]

That is the one thing that I don't like about the Honda's. I have operated their 90 HP on a 1800 Pro-v and their tiller handles are way too short. I had to reach back near the splashwell to grab the handle. While on plane, it was difficult to get leverage on the handle. Additionally, the shift changer on the handle is near the motor, it is quit a reach. I had to lift the tiller handle up and reach more than I care too.

I have seen the Yamaha's and was very impressed with their tiller handle design. The handle is longer, the shifter is located more than 1/2 up the handle, and the tilt/trim control is right next to the throttle. I know they make the powerheads for Merc's but not sure if they do on the Mercury 90HP 4-stroke.

[wolfe]

Mercury makes a 90 tiller in both 2 stroke and 4 stroke and both are good running engines, the best values in the marine business and the most financially stable company in the marine business. You'll never have aproblem finding aMercury dealer, getting parts or finding an interested party when itcome time to sell your rig.

Suzuki makes a good motor but dealers are far and few between; if you buy one never get to far from home with it and expect a hard time selling it as there is no one looking for them on the used market.

Evinrude uses the Suzuki in thier 4-stroke line and Johnson is the old 2 stroke stuff, both good engines but at this moment in time there is too much uncertainty as to if there will be warranty coverage. Also, if they don't take care of dealer issues like co-op, rabtes, etc, you'll see a lot fewer dealers whch means poor parts availabilty and diminished resale value.

Yamaha makes an okay motor and depending on where you live has on ok dealer network. Thier 2 stroke 90 is a very samll displacement engine and is a pooch. Yamaha parts are very difficult to get and very expensive. Assuming you're from Minnesota; don't ever get out of the state as you'll find some dealers but not many (at least in the midwest).

Good luck

[tillerguy]

Wolfe, I think most of the comments you made are true and for the most part I do agree with you.

Sure, Merc does offer me the security of a good company one that has a large dealer distribution however you can't say that if offers more financial security than Yamaha, Honda or Suzuki (to a lesser degree). Yammy and Honda are huge, huge companies that are going no where, I think if you'd compare finacial statements - Merc would pretty small. Anyway I'm getting away from the subject.

I think the Merc 90(2-stroke) while a good runner is a poor excuse for a backtrolling engine. It's cold blooded, doesn't idle smooth and doesn't idle down nice. I will check out the 4 stroke offered by Merc, but do question it's ability to push the boat along at reasonable speeds.

I now have looked at the Suzuki 90, heard one idling in a tank, and honestly I'm quite impressed with this engine. I think the Honda is way to big to consider. I'll let you know what I decide on.

[TIM(NW)]

I have been running a couple of Honda 90 four stokes on one of our work boats and these engines are almost the same size as our 225 Merc EFI'S that we have on another boat. The Hondas are very hard to start in the cold and seem under powered. But they are very quiet.

[Stormsearch]

Motor weight comparisons of 4 strokes.

Honda 90 - 384 lbs.
Yamaha 80/100 - 356 lbs.
Suzuki 90 - 416 lbs.
Mercury 90 - 386 lbs.

As you can see, the Honda is not the only pig in the family. Now compare to a Mercury 90 Hp two stroke of 303 lbs.

As you can see all the 4 strokes are pigs! The Honda should not be discounted because of weight. Good Luck.

[Terry/JNR]

Yamaha is currently the leading selling 4-stroke on the market and as you can see by the last post, the lightest. A few pounds makes a difference, especially on a tiller. The 80 or 100 will troll down as slow as you want and won't skip a beat running at idle all day. They are a very smooth running motor and has more than enough power to move an 18ft boat. I know the F100 pushes a 20ft tiller at over 40mph and still backtrolls nicely. Yamaha also has a dealer network as good as any other company and is continually expanding. Yamaha is priced equally or less than the other motor, and parts availabillity is good and no more expensive than any other brand. Yamaha 4-strokes are generally better starting and smother at idle speeds, too. I haven't found anyone not impressed with a Yamaha once they've run one.

[Terry/JNR]

Yamaha is currently the leading selling 4-stroke on the market and as you can see by the last post, the lightest. A few pounds makes a difference, especially on a tiller. The 80 or 100 will troll down as slow as you want and won't skip a beat running at idle all day. They are a very smooth running motor and has more than enough power to move an 18ft boat. I know the F100 pushes a 20ft tiller at over 40mph and still backtrolls nicely. Yamaha also has a dealer network as good as any other company and is continually expanding. Yamaha is priced equally or less than the other motor, and parts availabillity is good and no more expensive than any other brand. Yamaha 4-strokes are generally better starting and smother at idle speeds, too. I haven't found anyone not impressed with a Yamaha once they've run one.

[Terry/JNR]

Yamaha is currently the leading selling 4-stroke on the market and as you can see by the last post, the lightest. A few pounds makes a difference, especially on a tiller. The 80 or 100 will troll down as slow as you want and won't skip a beat running at idle all day. They are a very smooth running motor and has more than enough power to move an 18ft boat. I know the F100 pushes a 20ft tiller at over 40mph and still backtrolls nicely. Yamaha also has a dealer network as good as any other company and is continually expanding. Yamaha is priced equally or less than the other motor, and parts availabillity is good and no more expensive than any other brand. Yamaha 4-strokes are generally better starting and smother at idle speeds, too. I haven't found anyone not impressed with a Yamaha once they've run one.

[Yamaha Shill]

The Yamaha corporate guy pimping thier motors should be ashamed. Yamaha's dealer network in the midwest is sparse at best and if wasn't for OMC and other engine companies they wouldn't have trained technician either.

[B. Reel]

Yamaha is the best ask someone who owns one. Ask guys on the PWT what motors go out the most ie:Merc.

[Keef]

Interesting what you say about the 90 Mercury really being 98hp. Could be - think its got the same power head as the 100 Yamaha.
The extra weight could be down to the Merc lower unit.

What is the law regarding stated output of outboards? Think I read somewhere that it can be +/- 10%.

Keef

[JN]

At last count Wisconsin had over 40 dealers(service),and Mn had over 60. Not exactly "sparse" as you stated......

[Dave in Mpls]

Keef-

I believe you are correct with the +/- 10%. That is my understanding as well.

Regards

[chrism]

Yep, you're right - There is no 90 yammi ....I t was the f80 I was thinking about.

[Wolfe]

I shopped for a Yamaha in Wisconsin and found that most of the dealers listed on their web site didn't know that they were still a Yamaha dealer; one told me he hasn't bought a Yamaha in more than 10 years. I'm guessing that Yamaha never takes dealers off thier web directory to give the illusion of service availability. The only Yamaha dealer that I talked to that has been around for a while said he only handles them because his daddy works for Yamaha.