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Old 06-12-2015, 11:24 AM   #1
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Yamaha vs Honda generators.

Looking at purchasing 2 2000 watt units to be run in parallel. Considering Yam's or Hondas. I like the Yam over the Honda for a couple reasons. The Yam has a fuel shutoff, oil level monitor and the overhead cam is gear drive vs the Honda belt drive. The only spec where Honda has the advantage is noise level, although the difference is negligible. From what I have found online both sets can be run from a larger auxiliary tank, which is a major must have.

Anyone have experience with the Yam's?
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Old 06-12-2015, 11:29 AM   #2
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Have used both and found no real difference, Honda are the King and you pay for that. The Yamaha's are less expensive and the fact of gear drive vs a belt would sway me to purchase a Yamaha.
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Old 06-12-2015, 11:41 AM   #3
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alot of people also use the Champions, they are about half the price.

Last week, I ran mine at a campground at 8500 feet during the week next to a guy with a Honda 2000w. We compared them over beers and he concluded that for the money, he should have bought mine
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Old 06-12-2015, 12:55 PM   #4
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I've been running dual Yamaha's the past 4 years or so and have no complaints. I chose them over the Honda's for many of the same reasons you mentioned. A timing belt doesn't excite me, and being able to run the carb out is a major feature for me since I don't really use them that often and don't want to have to go digging around to drain fuel.

One other thing that hasn't been mentioned yet.. the Honda's have a fuel pump while the Yamaha's do not. That's a pro and con. On the pro side it makes running an external tank easier with a Honda, but on the con side that is just one more component that can fail. With a Yamaha, as long as gravity still applies fuel feed is a non issue.

You can run an external tank with the Yamaha's (even though most Honda owners will tell you that you can't) but they have to be gravity fed or install a fuel pump to the external tank. There are internal pump mods that can be done, but then that defeats the purpose of a gravity fed genny.

I know Champion gensets get mentioned a lot. If you only do occasional camping that might be a good option. Personally, I don't use my Yamaha's often, but when I need them I NEED them and don't want to have to futz around to get em going. I also full time so I don't really want to sit around one place waiting for a repair. Reliability trumps price for me and I know that 10-15 years down the road, my Yamaha's will still be ticking along. In the event that a repair is needed, in-stock parts and repair centers for either the Honda or Yamaha are plentiful and most of the day to day maintenance parts can generally be bought off the shelf. Champion, service centers are pretty few and far between. The Honda/Yamaha's are also just marginally more fuel efficient.

Bottom line.. either Honda or Yamaha... I don't think you would be disappointed with either one.

With Champions... I kind of look at them a lot like batteries. Box store 6v GC's will certainly get the job done, but if you want maximum performance, reliability, with the longest life cycles.. you get a Trojan (or similar). A Champion will certainly save money, will get the job done... you get the picture.

Just my own take on it.
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Old 06-12-2015, 01:17 PM   #5
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Bottom line.. either Honda or Yamaha... I don't think you would be disappointed with either one.

With Champions... I kind of look at them a lot like batteries. Box store 6v GC's will certainly get the job done, but if you want maximum performance, reliability, with the longest life cycles.. you get a Trojan (or similar). A Champion will certainly save money, will get the job done... you get the picture.

Just my own take on it.
My thoughts exactly! I have used both (honda and yamaha), I bought a yamaha at cabelas on sale and with a 4 year warranty. Couldnt be happier!
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Old 06-12-2015, 01:40 PM   #6
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I have a Honda for 2 reasons:
1) local service
2) My camping buddies all have Hondas; if I bought a Yamaha and had any problems I'd never hear the end of it
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Old 06-12-2015, 07:51 PM   #7
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Big advantage of Yamaha and Honda over the competition is resale value. Things change in a few years and people will line up to give you a good dollar where you will GIVE away the competition.
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Old 06-13-2015, 10:43 AM   #8
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One other thing that hasn't been mentioned yet.. the Honda's have a fuel pump while the Yamaha's do not. That's a pro and con. On the pro side it makes running an external tank easier with a Honda, but on the con side that is just one more component that can fail. With a Yamaha, as long as gravity still applies fuel feed is a non issue.

You can run an external tank with the Yamaha's (even though most Honda owners will tell you that you can't) but they have to be gravity fed or install a fuel pump to the external tank. There are internal pump mods that can be done, but then that defeats the purpose of a gravity fed genny.
That is a major issue. Looking online I found an extended run kit for the Yams that does not require the tank to be higher than the generator at PinellasPower. It has a fuel pump of some type for the tank, downside is they want $250 for it without the tank. A machined cap is also available for gravity feed but you would have to fabricate everything else and I'm not sure how that setup would perform. There is not much info online about the gravity feed tank setup and if it will actually work without leaking at the cap. Obviously leaking gas could be devastating.

As much as I like the Yam's for the reasons already stated I may go with the Honda's due to the fact that Wise Sales sells a "plug and play" extended run tank that is proven.
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Old 06-13-2015, 11:13 AM   #9
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Never run a Yamaha but I run two EU2000's when the extra juice is needed for the A/C. I love them, start every time usually on the first few pulls (do not use them a lot and start them bi-monthly without draining fuel). They are super quiet and half the time I do not even know they are running outside my camper window let alone the next site. I like the extended tanks as well for them using the boat fuel tanks.

I did the Honda over the Yamaha because I have a Honda small engine shop 10 minutes away.. The closest Yamaha, no idea... But not around here.
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Old 06-13-2015, 12:10 PM   #10
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Quality wise there is no difference between the two. Its just the features that you mentioned. The fuel shut off was important to me because of the junk in the gas produced now that can cause problems for the carburetor if left sitting. You haven't mentioned what the reason for the extended run tank is. I bought the Yamaha's 2 years ago and would make the same purchase again. I also considered the extended run tank but decided to wait and see if I really needed them. Glad now I didn't buy them because in the two years of full timing a lot of which was dry camping I have never had occasion to need one. Keep in mind that in most of campgrounds there will be restrictions on the hours that you can run a generator. If you are going to buy 2 and want to save some money check out a company on the web called AP Electric out of Pleasant Prairie, WI. If you buy the combo set they include the parallel cable kit and 2 engine covers and free shipping and no sales taxes since you live in Florida for $1978. That's a good deal. That is where I bought mine. Don't forget to get a tach/hour meter for them so you know when to service.

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Old 06-13-2015, 02:43 PM   #11
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Generator

Take a look at this video and maybe it will help with the decision. Frank

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Old 06-13-2015, 05:01 PM   #12
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I have friends with both the Yamaha and the hondas. They seem quite similar and I hear no complaints about either. Me, I bought the Polaris. Same basic thing but I have a dealer 5 minutes from my house. I think all the major manufacturers make a good unit. My next unit will have remote start...
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Old 06-13-2015, 05:21 PM   #13
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Just be careful of Db sound level regardless of what you buy. What you think is negligible may not be. 59 Db is twice a loud as 56Db. It's NOT a linear scale.
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Old 06-13-2015, 05:59 PM   #14
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Champion Vrs Yamaha

Check out the Champion 3100 engine. Same as engine as Yamaha. Pure sign wave, fuel shut off, two year warranty, electric start, etc, etc $980 from Bottomline trading, no tax. I can get another one and still have money for the way overpriced Yamaha or Honda, and I can lift it by myself. Where I could not lift my Honda 3000is.
also thermoplastic not rusting like my Honda or Yamaha.
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Old 06-13-2015, 06:25 PM   #15
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on the iu honda 2000 it is very simple to run carb dry...bottom right when side panel removed is a elec coupling which disconnects the off switch when you turn it down to off....will run for 3mins and quit....learned that on you tube which is a powerhouse of info.
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Old 06-13-2015, 06:46 PM   #16
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bottom right when side panel removed is a elec coupling which disconnects the off switch when you turn it down to off
True. But not everyone wants to whip out a screwdriver, remove the side panel, disconnect the elec. for every shut down.. then reverse the whole process for every start up.. only to do it all over again. I like "ON" and "OFF".

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Old 06-13-2015, 06:56 PM   #17
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Same as engine as Yamaha.
But not the same governor and electronics that it's driving. Output is slightly lower, fuel burn is a little higher and the PSW is not quite as clean. Longevity... that's yet to be seen. I'm not saying it isn't a good deal for someone, but dropping a cummins into a Toyota Tundra doesn't make it a Dodge.

Seriously though, there are a lot of different options available at various price points that will suit a bevy of different consumer needs. It's good to be an informed buyer. That doesn't mean that everyone is going to be buying the same thing.

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Old 06-13-2015, 08:01 PM   #18
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When I looked at the Yamaha it had two handles and you carries it with both hands in front of you. My back will not let me do that anymore.

I can carry two Hondas at the same time, One in each hand. Carrying that much weight on the side does not bother me.

I am 62 and not getting any younger or stronger.

So far, this is as old as I have ever been.
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Old 06-14-2015, 12:02 AM   #19
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I have a Honda generator and with only a few hours on it the belt broke and destroyed the engine. After being in the shop for four months because Honda kept sending the wrong replacement parts I was given a new generator.
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Old 06-14-2015, 07:29 AM   #20
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True. But not everyone wants to whip out a screwdriver, remove the side panel, disconnect the elec. for every shut down.. then reverse the whole process for every start up.. only to do it all over again. I like "ON" and "OFF".

you don't reverse the process to start...leave the wires disconnected....its a one time deal...to start just rotate switch up choke and pull....
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