What is your favorite brand of outboard?

[Redneck]

Let me know what your favorite brand of outboard is and why. Heck even let me know what bad experiences you have had as well. Also 2 or 4 stroke?

[namgrunt]

My last outboard was a 99 150hp Optimax, mounted on the back of a 99 Champion 187 Elite.
I was amazed at the fuel economy vs my other Mercs or OMC motors.
Now they worked well, but the Opti sipped gas vs guzzling it.

[Crappie Chatt]

RN, 4 strokes are more expensive but are worth it. Look at the Virago and what you can do with it! I know my next motor will be one of those and I'm running a 150HP Opti-Max. I pull cranks a lot. With the Opti, I must use a trolling plate to slow me down. With the Virago, you can slow it down to a crawl even with High HP engines. No need for a kicker-motor. <*)}}}><

[basscatman]

The Mercury Verado is a cool engine as far as the lack of noise goes! Yoy have to look at the tack to see if it is running. However, they are slow, heavy and you cant give the bigger ones (150 and up) away on a bassboat. I have a buddy that sat on a cougar with a 275 Verado for almost two years before he could move it and he had is priced right. I have heard the new Yanaha is slick

[CrappieKillerJigs]

i still like the E-tec

[Redneck]

keep the posts coming. I voted Johnson 2 stroke as that is all me and my whole family has run. I know a catfish guide that fishes at least 300 days our of the year and he swears by the suzuki. I appreciate the info as I will hopefully be in the boat market soon!

[MOfishmgr]

After 26 years working in boats I have the definitive answer on boat motors. It depends. The choice can come down to the horsepower range you are looking at using. I'm very partial to Hondas up to 90hp. After 90hp the vote swings towards 2-stroke motors. I've had 2 Honda 50hp and they are work horses. The first gave me 4000 hours of trouble-free service before I broke an unavailable part. It still purred like a kitten. The replacement has over 1000 hours on it and is rock solid. I had a dealer tell me that some manufacturers don't put a lot of work into the mid-range motors, 35 - 90hp, because the money is in bigger motors.

Usage also determines which I prefer. For lots of idling, 4-stroke. For pushing a heavy boat at top speed, 2-stroke. I've used them all and a Honda is tough to beat. However, I also like our 115 Optimax and 90 E-Tec on our big boats. I have used a 140hp Suzuki that just screams. Great hole shot, great top end, lots of torque and it's a 4-stroke. All boat motor types have greatly improved fuel efficiency over the years. I do wonder if 4-strokes might handle ethanol blends better than 2-strokes though.

There are lots of good motors out there and each brand has it's fans. There is only one manufacturer I would avoid and in only their mid-range motors, above that they are good. Sorry, can't name the brand in a public forum like this. With longer warrantees and good information on forums, you should be able to make a confident choice if in the market.

[ttwoods]

I sure like my 150 Yamaha VMAX. It will scoot my 19' triton fish n ski across the lake at 55mph, plenty fast for me.

[Bigby]

I have owned three boats all with Johnson motors, 25hp, 48hp and the one I have now is a 90HP four stroke which I like the best. Never had any problems with any of them all but a lower unit on the 48 hp motor but I'm blaming that on myself and Truman Lake.

[grb22]

Merc or Yamaha, only because they are the only ones I have experience with. Both companies make a quality motor.

2S or 4S? I guess 2 stroke because, again, that is all I have experience with.

Question regarding 2S vs 4S: Anyone know why new boat purchases today only seem to be giving a 1 year motor warranty for 2 stroke motors, but give much longer warrantees on the 4 strokes, more like the 2-3 year range? It shows in the price, as the 4's cost a couple grand more +/-. Just wondering why this is? And is it something to be overly worried about? Thanks.