Best 25 HP 4-stroke long-shaft outboard motor?

[spirit]

What features make the best?

[TerryLL]

I owned a Suzuki 25, LS, 4-stroke that was mighty sweet. Three cylinders, very smooth, amazingly quiet, great fuel economy, good low-end power. On the heavy side at 220 pounds. Had it on a 18' Lund (about 800 pounds). With the right prop it would work great on a much larger displacement hull, with all that low-end power. Prior engine was a 25 2-stroke Yamaha. The Suzuki was a big step up in all areas except top-end speed, but that might have been the prop I had on.

[Captain Blight]

What features make the best?
Weight, torque, specific fuel consumption, noise of operation, ease of installation. All the things you use to compare 2-strokes except you can forget about mixing oil with the suck-squish-bang-blow types.

[kenjamin]

The Honda 20HP has by far the best power to weight ratio of four stroke motors near that size. Just saying you take a pretty big weight penalty to get that extra five horsepower.

[John Meachen]

All other things being equal,I would always choose a Honda.Good engines,good weight and a longer warranty than the opposition.

[Rick Starr]

Am well pleased with our yamaha (altho it is a short shaft). Hondas do not last in our climate nearly as well as yamahas. Yamaha is two cyl 25 which isn't as smooth as the 3cyl models, but the chassis is shorter (and the cowl lower, and is lighter) than others making it ideal for operation in a well. Good luck.

[SaltyD from BC]

I just sold an aluminum skiff that I don't miss but I'm already wishing I kept the 25hp 4 stroke Yamaha that went with it. :(

I bought it new in 2003 I think. It was 165 lbs, 2 cylinder and carburated. I was very happy with the engine. The only time it ever let me down was because I was goofing around in thick kelp beds and sucked up weeds partially plugged up the coolant system. Just had to wait for it to cool down (computer shut down), then restart and go easy for a bit till it cleared itself. . I'd recomend that model if you can find one although the newer injected models are supposed to be better...

[paladin]

The Honda BF20 at 20 hp and 100 pounds dry weight would be my choice.....another 10 hp can be had for 31 pounds more.....available with all the options.....

[spirit]

I well appreciate that the manual-start, tiller-steered 20 HP 4-stroke Honda has the best power to weight ratio in its class. It weighs 108 pounds. But I need at least 25 HP, which was why I asked about 25 HP outboards. I am also well aware that the Honda 25 HP 4-stroke weighs 175 pounds.

I am leaning towards the Honda 25 HP 4-stroke for several reasons:
(1) It has a centered, and relatively high and long tiller, which makes steering when standing (occasionally) reasonably comfortable.
(2) The Honda 25 HP and the Honda 30 HP are the same engine. The 30 is revved at 6000 instead of 5500 rpm, which implies to me that the 25 will hold up well when used at the upper end of its speed range.
(3) The lake where I wish to do a lot of my boating has a HP limit of 25 HP, or I would go for the 30...
(3) Aside from strength and 5 more HP, the increase in weight gives electric starting and power tilting, both of which are nice for my family members.

I have heard it said that the Yamaha is better protected from corrosion in salt water in the tropics than the Honda. Is there any scientific evidence for this, or is this marketing hype? And if this is true, does the same point apply to cold coastal waters in New England, where I live?

[TerryLL]

I have heard it said that the Yamaha is better protected from corrosion in salt water in the tropics than the Honda. Is there any scientific evidence for this, or is this marketing hype? And if this is true, does the same point apply to cold coastal waters in New England, where I live?

I owned two 25 Yamaha 2-strokes and ran them exclusively in cold marine waters (SE Alaska), over a period of 20 years. The corrosion on the motors was minor, and mostly the result of deferred maintenance. The Honda is a great motor, and electric start is nice to have on a 4-stroke this size.

[calvin]

Honda and yamaha make great engines..my choice would be dealer service and reputation nearby if any problems should occur.

[SaltyD from BC]

Again no experience with the Honda, but my F25 Yamaha pretty much lived on a mooring in the salt 8 months a year for about 5 years. I flushed the engine irregularly - maybe 3 or 4 times a year. This is cold water similar to New England and in an area that seems to eat up heat exchangers and exhaust elbows on inboards in about 5 years. No issues with corosion anywhere on my engine that I could see...

[TerryLL]

Just an addition:

The Yamaha 25's I had stayed on the boat year round and were used 3-5 times a week to commute from the island I lived on. They were never flushed in fresh water. I changed lower unit lube about every 3-4 years, and squirted the grease fittings every couple years. The fuel filter was changed religiously every time it rusted through and started to leak, about every 3 years. I never changed the water pump impellers, secondary fuel filters, or anodes.

Basically, the motors got hard use with minimal maintenance and were 100% reliable, with little corrosion. I would expect Hondas to give similar trouble-free service.