A Closer Look at the Honda BF50
Choosing the right outboard engine for your vessel, and the boating experience you’re seeking, isn’t an easy task. We’ve explored every inch of Honda’s small, mid-sized and large marine engines to give you all the technical info and innovative features you need to make the right choice. This is the Honda BF50 - the ideal mid-level engine choice for boaters seeking reliability and efficiency without compromising on power.
Renowned for unparalleled performance, the punch-packing three-cylinder BF50 engine offers the perfect balance of speed and torque. You can head out on a fishing trip, take the family boating, or rely on this efficient 4-stroke for professional use, safe in the knowledge that you have all the power you need whilst out on the water.
Although it delivers powerful acceleration and seriously exciting performance, the BF50 is actually surprisingly lightweight, with slimline components ensuring an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Trusted Honda technology, honed during the development of our car and motorcycle engines, sits inside an advanced electronic fuel injection system which gives you notably better performance and impressive fuel efficiency. This clever balance of light and lively is created with the addition of PGM-Fi fuel injection and our unique Honda BLAST™technology.
BLAST™ or, Boosted Low Speed Torque, advances your ignition timing during acceleration to give you a sudden boost of power. Whilst PGM-Fi, improves accurate ignition timing by activating each fuel injector at the exact moment for optimum efficiency. Together, these innovative technologies help your engine to start easily, accelerate powerfully and get you up onto the plane in an instant. Cleaner engine combustion and a faster throttle response also reduce your emissions and give you excellent fuel economy.
Slimline and lightweight, each part of the BF50 is carefully designed and manufactured to reduce weight and size, with miniaturised electronic components and a thinner inlet manifold contributing to the compact finish, all of which ensures your boat can cut smoothly through the water with nothing weighing you down or holding you back.
To ensure maximum fuel efficiency while cruising, you also have the super-efficient lean-burn control provided by the Honda ECOmo system. Our unique electronically managed ECOmosystem cleverly adjusts the fuel to air ratio once the boat is on the plane. It improves fuel consumption according to your load and speed, adjusting the fuel mixture and ignition timing for super-frugal fuel use. Our PGM-FI system also steps in whilst you are happily cruising, adjusting the air-to-fuel ratio up to 20% by making the mixture even leaner.
The BF50 outboard is NMEA2000® compliant, meaning it’s seamlessly compatible with every other NMEA2000® compliant electronic device, even those made by different marine manufacturers. This seamless communication system ensures data can be shared reliably, efficiently, and accurately between your vessel and any navigational or fishfinder tools..
Packed full of advanced engineering, the BF50 outboard, like each engine in the Honda range, is designed with the boater in mind, meaning user-friendliness is pretty much guaranteed. To ensure complete ease of use and accessibility for boaters of all proficiencies – from novice to pro, the BF50 is fitted with highly intuitive controls, reliable starting systems, and a very smooth throttle response. Multi-functional gauges place all the essential data you’ll want to keep check of, clearly in front of you, from engine rpm to temperature and fuel consumption.
Whether you want to throw on a wetsuit and have a bit of fun or you’re heading out for some serious fishing, you need to know that you have the right engine for the day ahead. Made for water lovers, the responsive nature of the BF50 places performance and control in your hands, so you can concentrate on finding the perfect spot for nailing flips or hauling in your catch.
For fishing trips, when making accurate adjustments to your slow-moving speed is just as vital as high-speed handling, you also have the option of trolling control. Variable speed technology that helps you to keep your boat running at a consistent low speed when towing a line of bait. This extra feature gives you the ability to increase or decrease your speed precisely though increments of just 50rpm, without having to use the throttle.
Whichever Honda engine you choose, maintenance should be a priority to keep your boat running in the same condition as when you bought it. Honda engines are renowned for being particularly easy to maintain. You can save time and effort by taking care to follow the Honda recommended service schedule and carrying out simple checks and basic maintenance after each outing.
After every use of your BF50 outboard engine, Honda recommend a thorough check of the areas below.
- The engine oil level, so you can make sure it doesn’t get too low.
- The propeller and cotter pin, to look out for any cracks or damage
- The anode metal on the engine exterior, to check for eroding or disrepair.
- The low-pressure fuel filter, for water and contamination.
- The fuel line for leaks or cracking.
- The battery and cable connection in case of any loose wires.
- The emergency stop-switch to ensure good working order.
- The engine for any oil leaks
- The operational parts of the engine to ensure smooth running.
- The starting condition of the engine to listen out for unusual sounds and ensure the cooling water is flowing freely from the check hole.
It might seem like a hefty to-do list, but the more you keep on top of the smaller maintenance issues, the more likely you are to ward off any serious faults, improve the lifespan of your engine and enjoy your experience as a boat owner. Your Honda Marine dealer is always at hand to advise on maintenance, carry out any repairs or service updates and share their knowledge of Honda outboards.