One of my fishing partners is looking to up grade the motor on his 15' jon boat.  He has decided on a four stroke and has it narrowed down to a Yamaha or a Honda.  I have an 8hp Honda, so naturally I told him Honda. However, I have herd good things about the new Yamahas. Anyone run a Yamaha or have any suggestions.  

Man, how do you choose between these two? Because they are both such great choices it may have to come down to a service issue like which dealership is closer/better etc. I'm assuming that the Honda might be a little more money so there may be a slight edge to the Yamaha in that regard.

I have a 2006 Yamaha 4-stroke 25 hp (got it in October '05) and I love it so far.  Let you know more in a couple of years. ;D

I have a 25HP Yamaha ,and I love it !

only run the best. yamaha hands down

I have had Yamaha Jet Skis, Dirt Bikes, and my current boat has a 200hp VMax.  If Yamaha made a truck, I'd be the first in line.

I have a Yamaha 4-stroke 50 on a 17' Nova. It's 5 yrs. old & no problems, I even pull a tube for the kids. With all the money you save on fuel you get to feed the bait monkey more often

I'm a Yamaha owner and am very happy. That said, I was chewing the fat with another bassfisherman at the boat show the other night, we both have owned all the major brands of motors over the years and have had mostly good success with them. What we agreed on were 2 things.

1. We couldn't figure out why Honda hasn't made more of a splash in the OB motor market. With the proven quality of their cars and motorcycles, we're positive their outboards would be no different.

2. The added weight and expense of the 4 cycles along with cost doesn't make them worth the money. Todays 2 stroke technology is superb, the motors cheaper and the gas savings on a 4 stroke no longer justifies the added expense of a 4 stroker.

I'm a Yamaha owner and am very happy. That said, I was chewing the fat with another bassfisherman at the boat show the other night, we both have owned all the major brands of motors over the years and have had mostly good success with them. What we agreed on were 2 things.

1. We couldn't figure out why Honda hasn't made more of a splash in the OB motor market. With the proven quality of their cars and motorcycles, we're positive their outboards would be no different.

2. The added weight and expense of the 4 cycles along with cost doesn't make them worth the money. Todays 2 stroke technology is superb, the motors cheaper and the gas savings on a 4 stroke no longer justifies the added expense of a 4 stroker.

You didn't mention anything about the noise factor.

Go with either a Yamaha, or an EVINRUDE, thos new 2 stokes are NICE.

My friend has a Honda on hos boston whaler, NO ACCELARATION!!!!!!!!!!! OK TOP END

I'm a Yamaha owner and am very happy. That said, I was chewing the fat with another bassfisherman at the boat show the other night, we both have owned all the major brands of motors over the years and have had mostly good success with them. What we agreed on were 2 things.

1. We couldn't figure out why Honda hasn't made more of a splash in the OB motor market. With the proven quality of their cars and motorcycles, we're positive their outboards would be no different.

2. The added weight and expense of the 4 cycles along with cost doesn't make them worth the money. Todays 2 stroke technology is superb, the motors cheaper and the gas savings on a 4 stroke no longer justifies the added expense of a 4 stroker.

You didn't mention anything about the noise factor.

We were talking about the early advantages of 2 vs 4 strokes. I suppose noise could be a factor in your purchase but I'm not paying a couple extra thousand for a few db less noise.  Our discussion centered around the extra weight of the 4 strokers, the larger boat necessary to carry that big of a motor. The extra maintenance, some of it not doable by anyone other than a certified mechanic and of course, the gas savings which were the biggest selling point of 4 strokes when they first came out.  While they still get better mileage, the difference isn't as great anymore.

Since I just went through this exact choice comparison I will tell you my thought process. As to the Honda vs Yamaha I think either is great. I went Yamaha for the reason that the closest service along with the best service reputation belongs to the Yamaha dealer nearest me.

As to the four stroke vs. two stroke I went with the four stroke. My reasons were. I have owned most of the major brands and while I have experienced few problems, my friends have experienced up to and including VRO failure with destruction of the motor as a result. I simply do not trust the VRO system for lubing the engine. I just like the idea of being able to change the oil in my motor when I want to. Two strokes are more prone to carbon fouling their plugs if slow trolling. Maybe the newer ones have solved this problem but I have had it happen on several occasions. I just picked up my first four stroke this weekend and so far I love it. I can see why someone may choose a two stroke over a four for their personal needs and the way they use their boat. I myself don't need speed but the quite slow speed operation of a four to me is more important. While I have no proof the people and dealers I know all say the four strokes last almost twice as long as the two strokes. Of course with the new two stroke systems this could have changed. I think in a lot of ways choosing your motor today is much like choosing your favorite lures. It is what you have confidence in and have experienced success with. I am not a Yamaha die hard as the worst motorcycle I ever owned was a Yamaha. The dealership's service where you have work done is just as important as the brand. Those needing a super fast hole shot to get on plane fast in shallow water don't need the same engine as those fishing deep clear water reservoirs. I say do the research and make an informed decision based on your wants, needs, and your confidence level.

They say once you go black, you never go back ;D