Get off the grass!

Ride on lawn mowers care cool. They just are. But what about one with a 1000cc engine producing 81kW that is capable of reaching 100km/h in around 4 seconds? Yes, really. It even has a paddle-shift transmission!

This the Honda Mean Mower. It weighs just 140kg and its top speed is a staggering 210km/h. It’s an offbeat project between Honda and its BTCC outfit Team Dynamics. The bloke with the luxury of messing up the lawn is BTCC driver Gordon Shedden.

There’s a brief and, if we’re honest, slightly disappointing video after the break along with more details about this crazy but undeniably cool creation.

Honda Mean Mower

Innovation, pushing boundaries and creating extraordinary pieces of engineering is what Honda is all about. So when Honda (UK) teamed up with their title winning British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) partner, Team Dynamics, to create what is believed to be the world’s fastest lawn mower, you know it’s going to be special.

Meet Mean Mower…
The brief for Project Mean Mower was very straightforward. To build a super-fast mower which retained its original look, but, crucially, could still cut grass. The staggering result is a machine capable of reaching an estimated 130mph and 0-60 in just four seconds with an ear splitting roar reaching 130db.

Mean Mower has already been put through its paces by reigning BTCC champion and Honda Yuasa Racing driver Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden – check out the video here http://bit.ly/MeanMower

For more images and all the latest updates on Mean Mower activities follow Honda (UK) on Facebook and Twitter or simply use #meanmower.

The Birth of Mean Mower
Team Dynamics re-engineered a Honda HF2620 Lawn Tractor from the ground-up, adding an all-new fabricated chassis, custom-made from 4130 chromoly, to provide a strong, safe but very light platform. A 1000cc engine from a Honda VTR Firestorm was used, along with a bespoke suspension and wheels from an ATV.

Every effort has been made to retain as much of the look of the original mower as possible. The cutter deck was custom-made in fibre-glass, to reduce weight, while, in a stroke of pure genius, the grass bag provides a happy home for the fuel tank, a high capacity oil cooler and a secondary water cooling radiator.

The ability to still cut grass was also a key element of the brief, and the super-fast mower still can, admirably, thanks to two electric motors on the cutter deck, spinning 3mm steel cutting cable at an incredible 4000rpm. The mower can cut grass at around 15mph, more than double the flat-out speed of the original HF2620 from which it is derived.

Based on feedback from Honda Yuasa Racing drivers, three times BTCC champion Matt Neal and reigning champion Gordon Shedden, the mower features a custom-made paddle shift six-speed gear system. Additionally it has a custom-made Cobra sports seat, a Scorpion exhaust system and a steering rack taken from a Morris Minor.

The result of this remarkable feat of engineering is a lawn mower set-up and geared to achieve a top speed in excess of 130mph, weighing just 140kgm, producing 96Nm of torque and an incredible PTW ratio of 532bhp/tonne. In testing to date the mower has topped 100mph on a circuit, belting out a remarkable 130db at three-quarter RPM and 98db at idle.

Kate Saxton, Manager – Corporate Affairs, at Honda (UK) comments:
“Honda is a great believer in collaboration, pushing boundaries and creating extraordinary pieces of engineering. This project provided the perfect opportunity to not only highlight the breadth of our product offering but to also promote our sporty heritage and support our reputation as an innovative company. Above all else, we love a challenge!”

Safety is paramount to the project, so every effort has been made to make the mower stable and secure. To achieve optimum balance ATV wheels have been used – ideal because ATV racing is held on rough off-road tracks. Super-soft tyres ensure optimum grip and excellent handling on the tarmac.

Every effort has been made to use Honda parts, where possible, including brakes and several motorcycle components. Almost everything else has been custom-made by Team Dynamics and its partners.

Team Dynamics Team Manager, Pete Crolla, concludes:
“One of the key challenges is that this has never been done before, to our knowledge, and so there are few learnings to call upon. From an engineering perspective, retaining the look of the mower, and the ability to still cut grass were the biggest challenge.”

Mean Mower’s Vital Stats

Engine: VTR 1000F Firestorm (stock)
Size: 1000cc
Power: 109hp
0-60: 4 seconds (est.)
MPG: 40 (est.) (when cutting)
Max. speed: 133 (est.)
Optimum RPM: 9,000
PTW ratio: 532bhp/tonne
Torque: 96Nm
Body: Honda HF2620 Lawn Tractor
Chassis: Chromoly 4130 tubing (Custom-made)
Weight: 140kg (approx.)
Length: 2400mm
Wheelbase: 1425mm
Width: 1150mm

Wheels & Tyres
Rear: Maxxis/Goldspeed 10 x 10
Front: Maxxis/Goldspeed 6 x 10
Pressure: .9 bar

Cutting
Cutter deck: Fibre-glass (Custom-made)
Motors: 2 x 15amp, 4000rpm
Blades: 2 x 3mm steel cutting cable

Other
Brakes: Honda TRX420 ATV
Steering: Morris Minor steering rack
Gears: Paddle shift
Fuel tank capacity: 15 litres
Exhaust system: Scorpion
Instrumentation: Motorcycle
Seat: Cobra (Custom-made)