Honda BF130

When I first tested the Honda BF130 fitted to a 6 metre Seafarer Victory, it paled in comparison with the FICHT 150 on the same hull.

One reason was that it was spinning a 15inch pitch stainless steel prop which prevented it from delivering its best performance. Another was that the Victory didn't seem to have the buoyancy aft to handle the Honda's weight, which at 230kg-plus, was 26% greater than the FICHT.

However, on a Markham Bonito 6.2 Calais, rated to 200 hp, which has gullwing lower chines aft and generates enormous lift here, it was a totally different story.

As more fishos fit four-strokes, stories have emerged about how the quiet, low, four-stroke exhaust beat enables them to sneak up to schools of fish. Of course, this is not only one reason for choosing a four-stroke. Apart from improved fuel consumption and reduced exhaust emissions, in my experience when compared to conventional two-stroke outboards four-strokes offer a number of benefits. These include more stable idling, added low-speed manoeuvrability, and the ability of the engine to hold a throttle setting without fluctuating.

However, I do believe that Honda's BF130 could be developed further. In my opinion the standard gear ratio is not deep enough, especially for the sub-80kmh speeds at which this motor will mainly operate.

OMC proved that swapping the standard 2:1 90/115 hp V-four gear ratio for 2.25:1 in its XL shaft FICHT 115 made all the difference on heavier offshore hulls such as the 5.5 metre Seafarer.

On reflection, I reckon a similar ratio would improve the BF130's out-of-the-hole performance. It would also improve low speed manoeuvrability, though on the Calais (and despite spinning a relatively small 16inch Quicksilver Vengeance prop), the BF130 still made the hull easier to control than a Merc EFI 175 hp spinning an 18inch prop on the same hull!

At a steady 650rpm in gear the fuel-injected Honda averaged 6kmh, whereas at 700rpm the Merc averaged 8kmh - that's a big difference in marina confines.

Because of the electronic management system's ability to maintain 650 revs in or out of gear, the Honda didn't 'clunk' when forward or reverse were engaged, and its completely smokefree operation was a real pleasure.

The Vengeance prop also gave the Honda brilliant (for a four-stroke) throttle response at low speeds. Touch the throttle lever and the revs quickly jumped to 2000. And pushing an estimated total of 1400kg, the BF130 planed us cleanly at 29kmh on 3300 revs.

At 4000 revs and trimmed right out we averaged a very quiet and smooth due to the twin counter-rotating balance shafts 39kmh consuming 25lt/hr. Once the Honda had reached these revs and was trimmed in slightly, the Calais could be thrown around through hard-over figure of eights with no prop ventilation and very little loss of speed.

As the BF130 is essentially a car engine (derived from the Accord 2.2lt powerplant) Honda recommends not operating it above 4500 revs for any length of time. On the Calais, this still translates to about 44kmh, a more than adequate cruise speed for a sportsboat with fuel consumption still down at about 31lt/hr.

At Wide Open Throttle (WOT) over a 20-30cm chop we averaged 69kmh on 5800 revs consuming 49lt/hr with reasonably low noise levels at the helm.

Despite the complexity of this motor with four drive belts (camshaft, alternator and balance shafts) servicing is straightforward.

The more you operate the BF130, the more it grows on you. It's a beautiful piece of engineering and though complex compared to even a direct-injection two-stroke, it's perfectly suited to the needs of serious amateur fishos.