In 1973, Honda launched its internal “Million Engine Plan,” setting a goal of selling one million general-purpose engines. Achieving that target would require more than selling engines alone—it would also depend on installing them in completed products. The product with the greatest potential was the lawnmower, which was already in high demand across Europe and North America.

At the time, Honda’s worldwide sales of general-purpose engines and completed products totaled approximately 300,000 units annually. Among those completed products, tillers were sold only in Japan and France. To expand sales, Honda needed a new product suited to the much larger markets of North America and the rest of Europe. That product was the lawnmower.

The global lawnmower market totaled approximately 8.5 million units annually, with North America alone accounting for more than five million units. In Japan, however, lawns were uncommon, making lawnmowers a largely unfamiliar product. For Honda, developing one meant entering an entirely new product category and an unknown market.

In February 1976, the development team traveled to the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Switzerland to study lawns and learn how people in those countries used and maintained them. Visiting dealerships and customers’ homes, the team researched grass varieties, lawn sizes, customer profiles, and mowing habits.

Their investigations revealed that lawnmowers were typically sold through garden equipment retailers, where after-sales support was often limited. Existing lawnmowers also suffered from poor starting performance and frequent mechanical problems.

Safety was another major concern. Many accidents occurred when users attempted to remove grass clogged in the cutting deck without shutting off the engine. The team also found that most lawnmowers of the time incorporated few meaningful safety devices, leaving users uneasy during both operation and maintenance.

Honda therefore set out to develop a lawnmower that was high in quality, easy to operate, durable, and safe, while also being designed for a long service life through simple replacement of wear parts. Based on its field research, the team repeatedly built prototypes and conducted performance evaluations. European field testing followed in 1977, with continuous refinements made to suit regional lawn conditions. In August 1978, Honda launched its first walk-behind lawnmower, the HR21.

The HR21 introduced technologies that challenged conventional thinking about lawnmower safety.

Because a lawnmower’s blade rotates at high speed, improper operation can result in serious injury. Yet at the time, most lawnmowers incorporated few dedicated safety technologies or devices.

Honda addressed this by introducing the Blade Brake Clutch (BBC) mechanism. When the operator squeezed the clutch lever, the blade engaged. Releasing the lever stopped the blade within three seconds while allowing the engine to continue running, eliminating the need to restart the engine each time the blade stopped.

Developed directly from Honda’s observations of how people actually used lawnmowers, the BBC mechanism represented a major breakthrough in operator safety.

Honda was among the first manufacturers to introduce the BBC mechanism, and it later became one of the factors that encouraged the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish lawnmower safety standards.

The HR21 also featured a large protective shield to help protect the operator’s feet from debris thrown by the rotating blade, as well as a heat guard to reduce the risk of contact with hot engine components.

Through extensive research into customer needs, Honda developed and introduced a variety of technologies that gave users greater confidence and peace of mind when operating a lawnmower.

The HR21 was powered by the GV150, a 144cc version of Honda’s G-Series engine producing 3.5 horsepower. Its excellent starting performance and low noise levels earned widespread praise, allowing users to mow their lawns without worrying about disturbing nearby neighbors.

Ease of operation was also enhanced by grouping the clutch lever, throttle lever, and three-speed shift lever together on the handlebar. Combined with a dry weight of just 41 kg (HR21S with point ignition), the lawnmower was easy to handle and gained popularity among a broad range of customers, including women.

During development, then-President Soichiro Honda instructed the team to use resin for the mower cover. However, because the recoil starter required the operator to brace a foot on the deck while pulling the starter rope, the resin materials available at the time could not withstand the required loads, and the idea was abandoned.

Sixteen years later, in 1991, Honda became the first manufacturer to adopt a newly developed resin with strength approaching that of aluminum for use on a lawnmower, finally realizing Soichiro Honda’s original vision.

Honda continued expanding its lawnmower lineup, introducing the HT3810 and HT3813 riding lawnmowers in 1985. Annual sales eventually reached 330,000 units. Recognized for their quiet operation, ease of use, reliable starting performance, and high level of safety, Honda lawnmowers gained widespread popularity, particularly in North America. At the same time, Honda steadily strengthened its sales and dealer network.

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