Where are the 115 - 200 hp 4-strokes?

[Forktail]

The only 4-stroke in the 115-200 range seems to be the 140 Suzuki. Why in the world doesn't anyone make a 150 or 175 4-stroke?<br /><br />I'd buy one.

 

[FlyBoyMark]

Re: Where are the 115 - 200 hp 4-strokes?

I think they are in the works....gonna be REAL heavy motors.....I think the manufactures are testing the waters in this size....stearn drive units might be a better choice in this class. Merc Optimax units are meeting all the emmission standards and making more torque and Hp than 4 cycle counter parts with less weight. REMEMBER...the purpose of an outboard is first; COST then WEIGHT and they have all gotten away from that. So why would you want an outboard that cost $16,000.00 bucks and takes up the whole transom and gets in the way when you can have a nice quite stearn drive for half the cost and all the weight under the floor and out of the way?Example; Jus' went to look at a big Mako 31' with cuddy, the whole ?ss end of the boat was two big Merc 250's effectively blocking any serious offshore fishing usage. In addition, they are fuel hogs. Now lets put a single 502 cu. inch 400-500 hp stearn drive in. we've saved weight fuel and space and they are cheaper to fix. AND not to mention the engine cost too........I love outboards but lets remember what the REAL purpose of them was and is.....

 

[pthein]

Re: Where are the 115 - 200 hp 4-strokes?

Yamaha makes a 115 horse 4 stroker......

 

[JB]

Re: Where are the 115 - 200 hp 4-strokes?

Honda makes a nice 130hp. The Suzi 140 weighs and costs a lot less @ 410lb and $8K to $10K.<br /><br />That is more HP and torque at a lower weight and price than a 135 Optimax. So much for the 4-stroke bashing mythology.<br /><br />The 150-175 4 strokes that will be introduced in the next year will be more like the Suzi than the Honda. That is, they will be lighter and less expensive... at least competitive with DFI 2 strokes and in some cases (like the Suzi) lighter and less expensive.<br /><br />

 

[Forktail]

Re: Where are the 115 - 200 hp 4-strokes?

Yea JB, I was really thinking about the 150-175 hp 4-stroke range. Something fuel injected. I'm caught in a dilemma. I've always had great luck with Yamaha's, but it's either a 115 or a 200 with them. The 200 is just too much and the 115 would have marginal power, but both are fuel injected. You'd think with the popularity of the 150 class that there would be something available (I expected them before the 200-225 4-strokes!). <br /> <br />Honda puts their 130 on the same block as the 115. It would be a tiny bit more power, but it's not fuel injected and it weighs a ton.<br /><br />Suzuki has the 140 which would be about right. Fuel injected and light. But there is only one dealer in my State 250 miles away, and it's a new production model. I can't take the chance.<br /><br />Evenrude and Johnson don't even seem to be in the game with the bigger 4-strokes. I'm sure Bombardier will straighten that out, but I can't wait that long.<br /><br />The 2-stroke Merc Optimax is ok, but IMO, it doesn't have anything over Yamaha's HPDI. And if it was better than a 4-stroke, then why would Merc make any 4-strokes? Besides, you still end up with 2-stroke engine life and oil to mess with. I don't see any advantage of the 2-stroke other than a little weight, and even that is changing. I'm not considering a 2-stroke.<br /><br />FlyBoyMark, a stern drive is out of the question. This is a 22' aluminum fishing boat. Twin 250's don't come into play. $16,000 for a 150 hp 4-stroke? Nah. I don't want to debate, but I like a flush deck and not walking around an engine cover. I can't stand out-drive problems (which I always seem to have), and a bellows has never been the safest system (if you've ever hit a submerged log or something you know what I mean!) Stern drives definitely weigh more with the out-drive and all. And you'd be hard pressed to get 500 reliable hp out of any single engine stern drive, at least with the fuel economy and light weight you mention.<br /><br />I wasn't aware that the "real reasons" for outboards were first cost and then weight. My reasons have always been to increase transom safety (no bellows), increase fishing floor space (no motor cover to walk around), being able to completely lift motor and drive out of water (less corrosion), ease of maintenance (no crawling on your belly to change oil, etc), ease of engine change out or upgrade, more opportunity to run twins (compact hp and safety), built in trim (no external trim tabs required), ease of trailerability over inboards (keel/shaft), economy, options and versitility, etc. <br /><br />Within reason, cost and weight are not issues for me. I would pay just about anything right now for a 4-stroke 150 or 175. I'm having a hard time figuring out why they aren't made?