After years of watching from the sidelines as Mercury, Yamaha and Suzuki fought for supremacy in the battle of the big outboard engines, Honda has finally joined the fray. Its new BF350 is a state-of-the-art 350hp V8 engine boasting a raft of features designed to give it a technological edge over its competitors.
The starting point is a new 5-litre V8 block built solely for marine use. With the exception of a handful of racing car engines, this is the first V8 Honda has developed for sale and its most powerful outboard yet – its previous flagship only mustered 250hp. Developing a true 350hp at 5500rpm measured at the propeller shaft (some manufacturers quote max power at the engine output, ignoring frictional losses incurred in the gearbox), it is designed for use on planing craft over 25ft. Honda is also keen to point out that it will do this while operating on regular 86 octane E10 unleaded fuel rather than premium high octane E5 unleaded.
V8 POWER
However, it’s the way it delivers that power as much as the number itself that
