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posted by chromas on Tuesday July 10 2018, @08:08AM   Printer-friendly
from the more-mower dept.

Honda is looking to set a new speed record. Their upgraded platform sports a 190-hp, 999cc engine and... can mow a lawn! Introducing the Mean Mower v2:

It sports a lightweight frame and the 1.0-liter I4 from a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP, which puts out about 190 horsepower. It also uses the Fireblade's clutch, ECU, six-speed transmission and LCD display.

But it doesn't look like a sport bike, it looks like a mower. To achieve that, Honda used the body panels, front end and grass box from a HF 2622 riding mower and fitted it over the chassis. The wildest part is that it can still cut grass, thanks to a cutter deck with carbon fiber blades, powered by electric motors and two batteries. Most of the rest of the Mean Mower was made from scratch, since this isn't exactly a common thing.

[...] Honda is targeting a max velocity of 150 mph this time around, a far cry from last record's 116.575-mph top speed.

[...] Sliding behind the wheel for the record attempt is Jess Hawkins, a kart and car racer who currently stunt-drives for the Fast & Furious Live touring show.

No word yet on when Honda plans to make its record attempt.


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 10 2018, @09:10AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 10 2018, @09:10AM (#704988)

    Honda is looking to set a new speed record.

    =>

    Honda is looking to set a new speed record for lawn mowers.

  • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday July 10 2018, @09:57AM (7 children)

    by MostCynical (2589) on Tuesday July 10 2018, @09:57AM (#704998) Journal

    As a lawnmower, it also needed to be capable of cutting grass. Thanks to two electric motors that spin 3mm cutting cable, the 140kg Mean Mower can do just that - at speeds of up to 15mph.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motoringvideo/10739322/Worlds-fastest-lawnmower-hits-116mph.html [telegraph.co.uk]

    So it is actually two electric string trimmers on a modified/combined motorbike/quad bike chassis.

    Another of these things has already managed 134mph [artofgears.com], but it has a V8 out of a Corvette.

    --
    "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
    • (Score: 2) by richtopia on Tuesday July 10 2018, @02:12PM (6 children)

      by richtopia (3160) on Tuesday July 10 2018, @02:12PM (#705086) Homepage Journal

      I'm a bit disappointed that the mower does not need to be cutting a lawn for the speed record. That would be a real engineering challenge; mostly issues coming from the unreliable terrain.

      Honda's version appears to be a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP in mower form. I do enjoy motorcycles, but have never thought "I know what this death trap needs: spinning blades under the chassis!"

      • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday July 10 2018, @04:25PM (5 children)

        by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday July 10 2018, @04:25PM (#705187)

        From GP, I learnt that a "lawnmower" qualifies even if it doesn't have blades but just trimmer wires powered by independent electric motors, which won't operate during the speed run.

        I, as supreme ruler of all multiverses, would instantly disqualify any machine which does not have real metal blades mechanically linked to the engine. I may even require a few grass patches being hit during the record attempt, and disqualify anyone not showing enough mowing action. Which shouldn't be a big deal when hitting grass at 100mph while using blades for ground effect ... Well, ripping grass out might have to be considered mowing, I guess.
        You have to have standards. This is silly !

        • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Tuesday July 10 2018, @04:49PM (1 child)

          by MostCynical (2589) on Tuesday July 10 2018, @04:49PM (#705203) Journal

          speed mowing:
          Https://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/scythe-crushes-weedwacker-lawnmower-in-grass-cutting

          https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DR4ADq-LjJw48 [youtube.com]

          --
          "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 11 2018, @01:36AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 11 2018, @01:36AM (#705500)

            And now that person wonders how they so quickly got a 10% views bump...

        • (Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday July 10 2018, @10:12PM

          by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Tuesday July 10 2018, @10:12PM (#705413)

          Hmm. Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

        • (Score: 2) by richtopia on Tuesday July 10 2018, @11:24PM (1 child)

          by richtopia (3160) on Tuesday July 10 2018, @11:24PM (#705443) Homepage Journal

          Oh! I never thought about ground effect! You can gain some serous down force with those mower blades, brilliant!

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 10 2018, @01:47PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 10 2018, @01:47PM (#705060)

    But why?

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