Operating The Controls - Honda HRR216VKA Owner's Manual

Refuel With Care
Gasoline is extremely flammable and gasoline vapor can explode.
Refuel only outdoors, in a well-ventilated area, with the engine OFF.
Never smoke near gasoline, and keep other flames and sparks away.
Always store gasoline in an approved container.
Wear Protective Clothing
Wearing protective clothing will reduce your risk of injury. Long pants
and eye protection reduce the risk of injuries from thrown objects.
Sturdy shoes with aggressive soles will help protect your feet and give
you better traction on slopes or uneven ground.
Stop the Engine When Not Mowing
If you need to leave the mower for any reason, even just to inspect the
lawn ahead, always stop the engine by releasing the blade control
lever.
Avoid Slopes
Avoid steep slopes of more than 20
Mow across slopes, not up and down. Be
careful when changing direction. Mowing
on a slope when the grass is damp or wet
could cause you to slip, fall, and lose
control of the mower.
NOTICE
Mowing on steep slopes can starve the
engine of oil, causing engine damage that
is not covered by the Distributor's Limited
Warranty.
Keep all four wheels on the ground, and be careful to avoid losing
your footing and your control of the mower. Keep a firm grip on the
handlebar, and walk, never run, with the mower. Be very careful when
mowing uneven or rough ground.
If stuck, do not kick or shove the mower with your foot. Use the
handlebar to control the mower.
Avoid Obstacles
Gravel, loose stones, and landscaping material can be picked up by
the mower and thrown many feet with enough force to cause serious
personal injury and/or property damage. The best way to prevent
potential injury from thrown objects is to release the blade control
lever to stop the blades before reaching areas with gravel, loose
stones, or landscaping material.
Be careful when mowing over obstacles that stick up above the
surface of the lawn such as sprinkler heads, paving, edging, raised
tree roots, etc.
If the blade hits something, or if the mower starts to vibrate, stop the
engine immediately, disconnect the spark plug cap, and check for
damage (page 11). Striking objects may damage the blades, bend the
crankshaft, and/or break the mower deck or other components.
Vibration usually indicates serious trouble.

A worn, cracked, or damaged blade can break, and pieces of
the damaged blade can become dangerous projectiles.
Thrown objects can cause serious injury.
Inspect the blades regularly (see
the mower with a worn or damaged blade.
The DISTRIBUTOR'S LIMITED WARRANTY
cover parts damaged by accidental impact collision.
8
°
.
WARNING
page 11), and do not operate
(page 21) does not

Operating the Controls

Blade Control Lever
The blade control lever must be
pulled back against the
handlebar to start and run the
engine. The blades start to
rotate when the lever is pulled
back against the handlebar and
the electric starter is operated or
the recoil starter grip is pulled.
Continue to hold the lever fully
against the handlebar. This will
keep the engine and blades
rotating smoothly and prevent
premature wear to the flywheel brake system.
Release the blade control lever to stop the engine and stop blade
rotation whenever you need to leave the mower.
Smart Drive™ Control
With the engine running
and the blades rotating,
slowly push the Smart
Drive control to propel the
mower forward.
Ground speed will increase
as more pressure is applied
to the Smart Drive control.
After maximum ground
speed is obtained, applying
additional pressure will not
further increase ground
speed. Apply only enough
pressure to achieve the desired speed.
Release the Smart Drive control to disengage the drive when mowing
around trees and other obstacles. Push the mower around obstacles
for better directional control.
Ground speed varies with terrain, grass height, slope, and grass bag
weight. Moving the Smart Drive control allows you to maintain the
desired ground speed under constantly changing mowing conditions.
Release the Smart Drive control to disengage (stop) the rear wheels.
Adjusting the Smart Drive Control
The Smart Drive control can
be adjusted up or down into
any one of five positions for
operator comfort.
Do not attempt to adjust the
position of the Smart Drive
control while the mower is in
motion.
Slide the multi-position
adjuster to the left to unlock
the control, move the Smart
Drive control up or down into the most comfortable position, and then
release the multi-position adjuster and allow it to engage.
BLADE CONTROL LEVER
2
SMART DRIVE CONTROL
MULTI-POSITIO
N ADJUSTER