For $8500 it should be able to snowblow the street in the Winter, and pave it in the Summer. How about a robot-vacuum brain, some servos and a camera, maybe an ultrasonic fence so it knows when to stop, and I can just let it run its path on its own!
I'm surprised how light the machine is at only 260 lbs. That's only five lbs. more than my 928 Simplicity. Considering the size of the machine, one has to wonder where the weight saving are? I was shocked with the price of the HS724 at $3000.00 USD. It's probably a couple hundred more in CDN dollars. A guy across the street bought one last year. For a 7 h.p. machine, it throw snow pretty good. However, either I know how to operate my Simplicity better than he does his Honda, or the Simplicity just moves more snow and throws it further than his Honda does. That shouldn't be too much of a surprise. With the Simplicity's 9 going on 11 h.p. engine and 4" wider intake it should move more snow. Don't know if it will last as long as the Honda. But for less than half the price and the fact that it does more work in less time, it still looks like a much better value. I sure like the quality of the Hondas but I'm not too keen on tracked machines. Too slow for my preference and a pain in the a$$ to move around when the engine is shut off.
I wouldn't spend what honda's asking. Well, let me clarify: I couldn't spend what honda's asking. If I didn't have specific needs I'd look for a rusty tank from a gone by era and resurect the beast with a nice quiet OHV engine and about three coats of high gloss, jet black paint. I'm on the edge of ATV/snowblower need, but just as I can't justify 8 grand for a snowblower I can't spend that on a quad.snowblower either.
