Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries. (201 bought now)

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noidea

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Hello All.

I have had an allotment for a few years now, and split it in to plots with my old merry tiller titan with a 5.5hp honda engine. Now it is broken up (as well as my back) I have decided to let the Merry tiller go as its weight and difficulty in using just dont warrant what it can do any longer.  I was looking to get a new mini tiller which should do the job well but with so many choices I dont know where to start.

I have looked mainly at The Honda FG110 and the fg201 and also the Mantis. I have no idea what the difference is apart from the obvious tines on the mantis. All have the honda engine and all say they do the same thing (Mantis seems to go overboard on the praise of their machine, which makes me a little suspicous :wacko:). So having said all that can anyone with knowledge of these things give me any insight in to the best one?

Thanks in advance
« Last Edit: March 26, 2009, 19:07 by noidea »

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Gwiz

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Re: Honda fg101, Honda fg210 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2009, 18:52 »
the simple answer is that they are both really good machines.
If I was in the market for a new tiller, I'd be hard pushed to make up my mind between the two, although I think I'd go for the Honda in the end.
having said that, we have some chaps on here that have the mantis, and they really rate it.
Buy either, you're not going to be disappointed! :)

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noidea

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2009, 19:04 »
Yes I am more inclined to go Honda as I have heard they are a little more hardwearing. i have also seen quite a few Mantis for "spares or repairs" which i dont take as a good sign. both come with a 5 year warranty though. The only plus point with mantis is they can spread payment over 4 months at no extra cost, which would help in these tough times.

Does anyone know if the Honda's work the same as the mantis? I heard the mantis works when you pull it backwards, which seems a little odd.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2009, 19:09 by noidea »

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loam ranger

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2009, 19:24 »
Hi, Ive been using a Honda fg200 for the last 9 years ,  it has always started with a couple of pulls.  Digs deep enough to plant spuds, as I have been doing this week end, a friend on the next allotment has the fg201 and he swears by his.
Geoff

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noidea

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2009, 12:43 »
I thought I would write an email to Mantis and ask why I should buy the Mantis and not the Honda as the honda 201 has a bigger engine and is the smae price and the 110 is much cheaper with just a slightly smaller engine. Here is the reply....(needless to say it didn't inspire me into buying the mantis and as such will probably go for a honda) :nowink:

 ??? The reply:


"Unfortunately I cannot offer any comparison for you as I have neither seen nor used the Honda tiller.

We at Mantis UK have sold the 2 stroke tiller for approximately 20 years, and more recently introduced the 4 stroke tiller into our stock.  The Honda engine is 25cc, very approximately 1.1hp.  The tiller weighs 24/25lbs.

A 100ml bottle of 4 stroke engine oil is packed in the box with the tiller upon purchase.

As this is our busiest time of year we are quoting 7-10 working days for delivery on all orders.

Regards
Christine
Mantis UK Limited."
« Last Edit: March 24, 2009, 12:45 by noidea »

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Gwiz

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2009, 17:03 »
In fairness to the Mantis, the reason you see a few for sale as "spares or repair", is that some people may very well put in neat petrol and seize them.
I have used the Mantis in the past. I couldn't fault it for what it does.

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noidea

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2009, 21:42 »
In fairness to the Mantis, the reason you see a few for sale as "spares or repair", is that some people may very well put in neat petrol and seize them.
I have used the Mantis in the past. I couldn't fault it for what it does.


Surely a 4 stroke requires neat petrol in? I may be wrong though, I know nothing about these small engines :)

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Gwiz

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2009, 05:22 »
In fairness to the Mantis, the reason you see a few for sale as "spares or repair", is that some people may very well put in neat petrol and seize them.
I have used the Mantis in the past. I couldn't fault it for what it does.


Surely a 4 stroke requires neat petrol in? I may be wrong though, I know nothing about these small engines :)

I do appologise. I am so used to the mantis being a two stroke, I can't get used to the idear that there are options now. I should have clarified, in my statement, that the reason you see a few TWO STROKE mantis tillers for spares or repair, is because people put neat petrol in them.

Only 100cc of oil to fill the engine, eh? you'd need to keep a very close eye on the level then.
I think out of the two options, I'd go for the two stroke anyway..........

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noidea

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2009, 15:29 »
In fairness to the Mantis, the reason you see a few for sale as "spares or repair", is that some people may very well put in neat petrol and seize them.
I have used the Mantis in the past. I couldn't fault it for what it does.


Surely a 4 stroke requires neat petrol in? I may be wrong though, I know nothing about these small engines :)

I do appologise. I am so used to the mantis being a two stroke, I can't get used to the idear that there are options now. I should have clarified, in my statement, that the reason you see a few TWO STROKE mantis tillers for spares or repair, is because people put neat petrol in them.

Only 100cc of oil to fill the engine, eh? you'd need to keep a very close eye on the level then.
I think out of the two options, I'd go for the two stroke anyway..........

 :tongue2:Phew thought i'd been missing something out on my old rotovator...........

Anyway I made a decision after going to the local Garden machinery store (Honda dealers)  and have bought the Honda fg210 which has a 1.9hp 4 stroke engine and just looks a little bit more "handy" and "Hard Wearing" than the fg110 and mantis. Comes with a 5 year warranty and I knocked them down to £340 and I can only find one company that competes with that online (£339).  They are also prepping it so its ready to go, At least this way I have them to go back to with any problems.  I pick it up tomorrow so I will let you know how I get on when I use it. (i'm like a kid on Christmas eve) :)

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Gwiz

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2009, 16:47 »
£340, all prepped and ready to go?
That's a good deal you've got there! I'm sure you won't be dissapointed. :)

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noidea

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2009, 21:29 »
£340, all prepped and ready to go?
That's a good deal you've got there! I'm sure you won't be dissapointed. :)

Yes I thought so. They quoted £365 at first and I just said i'd get it online for 339, they came down to £340 and said they would get it oiled and run it to check everything is good and I can collect tommorow. He also showed me a sheet that i'm not sure he should have,  from Honda to their dealers of price hikes in april this year and the RRP of the fg201 is going up from £425 to £475.  So quite happy with the deal.

If anyone is ever interested in the essex area they are very helpful and also repair and service by the looks of things they are Grasshopper Garden Machinery based at Poplar Nurseries, Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, Colchester.  I came across them by chance when at the nursery.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2009, 21:35 by noidea »

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noidea

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2009, 19:06 »
Well it was like waking up on Christmas having been bought a sled and all the snow had melted............... Picked it up but as for the weather.....well iI guess i'm going to have to wait to use the little thing. Got down to setting some sees in the greenhouse instead.

One thing I will say though is that the place I got it from were excellent in their service. When I got there they had not only got the machine ready but put a full tank of petrol in it and completed all the warranty forms and sent off to Honda on my behalf as well as stamping the books etc. I got a run down of how to start the machine and was on my merry way (not so merry once the rain kicked in) :)

It's not often you get service like that anymore, far more pleasing than buying from this internet thing :)

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Gwiz

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Re: Honda fg110, Honda fg201 & the Mantis 4 stroke queries.
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2009, 21:48 »

It's not often you get service like that anymore, far more pleasing than buying from this internet thing :)

and so say all of us!! ;)

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noidea

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Finally got to work with the little fg201 over Friday and yesterday and i have to say what a great machine it is. It turns my raised beds into fine tilth, mixes manure into my beds with ease and when I upped some carpet that had been down for two years it went through the compacted ground easily and within 20 minutes had it turned into a good tilth. Not sure the smaller engined models would have done as good a job.

Very pleased with the purchase and recommended to all. :)

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Kristen

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I bought the 4-stroke Mantis a few weeks ago. Pleased with it so far - have been over all the veg beds and mixed in the muck etc. I don't think I've ever been so ready this early in the season ...

Someone mentioned "work backwards" with the Mantis.  Works either way, but you can't set the handles to left/right "offset" to walk alongsde (dunno about the Honda?) so in order not to walk on the bit you've just rotavated the solutions is to work backwards.

The tines can be mounted either way round - one way is for "digging" and the other is for "weeding", seems to work well.

Mantis have a "seconds" shop on eBay which offers quite a bit off.  I expect that things that are sent back, for whatever reason, are too much hassle to rebox, so its easier for them just to bang them out on eBay.  Mine had some dirt on the tines, so to speak, but otherwise looked brand new.



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