They are known making some of the most reliable trouble free engines and small engines in the world. I can’t see going with some off brand to save a couple hundred bucks. I am at the point with small engines if it isn’t a Honda or Kawasaki I am not buying it
Do you use additives to treat the gas? If you run gas you need to treat the fuel. I know this for a fact with honda engines. We used small hondas on portable pumps for fire. Run that pump for 30 hours you have to disassemble and clean the carburetor. Use Strartron fuel additive and you get zero build up in the carb.
Definitely agree if I didn’t have access to ethanol free gas I would treat all gas that was going into any small engine regardless of the brand.
Strartron is some amazing stuff. I use to use sea foam but the past 3 years nothing goes in my small engines with out it! I save the sea foam for the diesel engines...
I never treat gas in any small engine. I use premium 91 octane gas that is ethanol free. It is readily available at all gas stations around here.
I have no issues with your opinion of Honda small engines (don't have a Kaw yet)-mine have been awesome. But if you can find a 3500w Honda for a couple hundies more than that predator, fess up. I want one and would be willing to road trip to get it.
I find the Yamaha generators to be the same quality as the Honda's. I've had mine for several years and have no idea how many hours are on it. I've not had a single issue with it. I run mine with just regular 10% ethanol all season. I switch to using non ethanol premium at elk camp, it's last use of the season. The last day at elk camp I fill it clear up and treat the fuel with Seafoam and run it until the treated fuel is clear through the carbs and lines, then shut off the fuel and let it run until it dies. It fires right up every Spring doing this. I do this with my lawnmower and atv's too. My 2 stroke Stihl chainsaws and weedeater get nothing but non ethanol premium all the time, I won't run ethanol in them. Same with the snowmobiles, no ethanol ever if I can help it. They just sit for too much of the year and it's even worse with them sitting through the hot summer, ethanol fuel goes bad pretty quickly sitting in 100° weather. My sled is modded and has to have 91 octane premium or better anyway so I just make sure to use the stations with non ethanol premium.