Magazine - Hobart City Council Mows Safe with Honda

By Press Release in Industry News on 22nd Jul 2010 13:00

Hobart, Australia's second oldest city, is dotted with classical Victorian-style gardens, parks and natural landmarks. Helping keep many of these renowned parks in top condition throughout the year is a fleet of six new Honda HRU216M1 Buffalo lawnmowers and their operators.

According to Hobart City Council General Manager, Nick Heath, the decision to purchase the new lawnmowers was based on the council's previous positive experience with Honda products along with the Buffalo HRU216M1's impressive new safety features.

"The Hobart City Council has been using Honda power equipment for a number of years. We have found Honda lawnmowers to be very reliable, easy to start and economical in terms of fuel. Plus they generally have an excellent resale value," Mr Heath said.

"With the introduction of Honda ‘Mow-Safe’ technology incorporating a Blade Brake clutch, we have peace of mind knowing that this safety feature will assist greatly in the reduction of any potential injury or risks to our mower operators.”

Honda's self-propelled HRU216M1 Buffalo Classic is the first Honda lawnmower to be manufactured in Australia that incorporates the Honda Mow-Safe Blade Brake. However, this technology is not new to Honda – it has been used in Honda mowers in North America for some time and is proven in performance and reliability.

The Blade Brake protects operators, bystanders and pets in the vicinity of the lawnmower with a mechanism that stops the mower's blades within three seconds of the operator releasing the mower handle. According to Mr Heath, this is an important feature for the Hobart City Council as the mowers will be used mainly in playground areas, inner city gardens and parks – popular family destinations.

"There are many things to consider when working in parks and playgrounds, the most obvious being young children who can be very unpredictable," Mr Heath said.

Mr Heath said another reason the new Honda mowers were purchased was their easy manoeuvrability. "Operators can use the self-propelled gearbox to safely and easily manoeuvre the mower over and around uneven surfaces and obstacles such as kerbs and gravel paths with the blades disengaged," Mr Heath said.

According to Mr Heath, the Honda HRU216M1 lawnmowers not only help the Hobart City Council achieve its OH&S standards, but also reduce its impact on the environment.

"Noise emissions are also an important consideration for us. We have found Honda four-stroke engines to be very quiet, and it's no different with the new Buffalo," Mr Heath added.

For further information regarding the full range of Honda Power Equipment, please contact your local Honda Dealer or visit www.honda.com.au.

Dealer Locator
Ph: 1300 1 HONDA or 1300 1 46632
honda.com.au

Read more articles in Industry News, by Press Release or from July 2010.