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With more to follow, I am sure - but the one best changes would be availability over here of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) and/or ability to use bio or gas fuels on small engines for many reasons - fuel economy, environmental, smoother running engines..
I hate change :) I want a really simple engine that I can repair. In my experience the older engines, especially Honda engines are much better than the new ones.
two things in my opinion would make me happy in future:
1) roll back the clock to the time when an engine was simple enough to repair yourself - without the Electronics etc that mean that an engines scrap as soon as it develops a serious fault as its cheaper to replace.
2) Move forwards to more efficient, and QUIETER engines, perhaps more torque low down with gearing up to keep vibrations down, Lighter weight / power ratios.
Easy to fix, Reliable, Robust, Great power to weight, Quieter
Honda's seem pretty tough, although parts are expensive.
Briggs seem robust but not quite as durable! I do like briggs though! Seem to be more temperamental the older they become compared to honda!
Kohler I don't have any experience with them.
Kawasaki seem to be almost indestructible, with great fuel economy. Never had to get parts for one so can't comment on cost. They seem pretty reliable
I really like the Briggs Vanguard engines. But other than the 20 year old Quantum 55XL I've got in a Rover mower I'd rather not ues them.
However Vanguard engines are made by Daihatsu in Japan I believe whereas the other engines are made by someone else.
Thanks for all your ideas and suggestions. It must be difficult for the engine manufacturers to make a range of engines that will please everybody from the customer to the environmentalist. I'll certainly be looking into the EFI in my report. Has anybody had any reliability issues with any V-twins?
I think electronic fuel injection is therefore a bad idea in smaller engines as this is over complicated for small equipment, I don't want to see small engines go the way of cars that require a computer to diagnose problems.
Why fix something that's not broken!