HONDA 100 HP BF100A1LRT OUTBOARD MOTOR

Description

There is a point in the horsepower range where a boat stops feeling merely adequate and starts feeling lively. On a lot of 16 to 19 foot hulls, that point is right around 100 horsepower. That is why the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale on this page is one of the motors we get asked about most. It is new, crated, and we ship it worldwide.

Below I have put together what you actually need to know: what the model code means, the complete specifications, how the engine behaves, which boats it suits, what it costs to own, and how to order. The price is at the top of the page. The reasons to buy, or not to buy, are underneath.

The Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale, Summed Up

The Honda BF100A1LRT for sale is a 100 HP, four cylinder, four stroke outboard. It uses Honda’s 1.5 litre, 16 valve powerhead with VTEC, the same block as the BF75 and BF90, tuned for the most power of the three. It has a 20 inch shaft, remote control and power trim and tilt. It weighs 359 pounds dry and puts 35 amps into your batteries. It is the lightest way I know to get 100 Honda horsepower onto a 20 inch transom.

Understanding the Model Code

• BF: Honda four stroke outboard.
• 100: 100 horsepower.
• A1: series and type designation.
• L: 20 inch (508 mm) shaft.
• R: remote steering and control.
• T: power trim and tilt.

If your boat has a 25 inch transom, the matching motor is the Honda BF100A1XRT. Measure first: top of the transom to the bottom of the hull, on the centreline. About 20 inches means the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale here is the right one.

Complete Specifications of the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale

All of these figures match Honda’s official BF75, BF90 and BF100 specification page, which you are welcome to check.

How the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale Performs

VTEC: small engine, big output

Some 100 HP outboards use two litres or more of displacement. Honda gets its 100 from 1.5 litres by using VTEC, variable valve timing and lift. At low revs the engine runs on a mild cam that is smooth and frugal. As revs climb, a second, more aggressive cam profile takes over and the engine keeps pulling. The benefit is a light motor that behaves like a bigger one when you ask it to.

BLAST for the hole shot

Honda’s Boosted Low Speed Torque system advances ignition timing and enriches the mixture for a moment when you open the throttle hard. The boat climbs onto plane faster, which is especially noticeable with a full load or a skier behind.

Lean Burn at cruise

An oxygen sensor lets the ECU lean out the mixture when you are cruising at steady speed. Honda claims up to 20% better economy at cruise compared with similar outboards. Real figures depend on your boat, but in general the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale is an economical motor for its power.

High performance gearcase

The lower unit on this family is designed to reduce drag and spray, cut down porpoising and help acceleration and top speed. On a lighter hull, you feel it as a clean, crisp ride at speed.

Boats the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale Suits

• Aluminium fishing boats from about 16 to 19 feet rated for 100 HP, such as tiller-to-console conversions and side consoles.
• Bass and multi-species boats with a 20 inch transom.
• Bowriders and small runabouts used for family days and light watersports.
• Bay boats and flats boats with a 20 inch transom where weight and draft matter.
• Utility and work boats that need extra power for load.

Honda’s test program includes the BF100 on boats like the Alumacraft Voyageur 175, the Apex Quest 818, the Highfield DX 540 RIB, the Inventech 18 and the Key West 1720 Sportsman. The Honda performance test library shows speed, fuel burn and propeller for each one, which is very useful for planning.

As always, check the capacity plate. If your boat tops out at 90 HP, look at the Honda BF90D5LRTA. If it is rated for 115 and you want more, the Honda BF115D1LA is the next step, though it is a heavier, larger engine.

90 or 100? Picking the Right One

Because the BF90 and the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale share the same block and weigh the same, the choice usually comes down to three things.

Capacity rating. If your boat is rated for 100, the extra ten horsepower costs you nothing in weight. It is basically free performance.

How you use the boat. If you often carry four or more people, tow tubes or skiers, or run in open water with chop, the 100 gives you more in reserve. You can hold a given speed at lower RPM, which is easier on the engine and often on fuel.

Fuel. Honda lists a higher octane figure for the BF100 than for the BF90. Check what is easy to buy where you boat. In most places this is not a problem, but it is worth knowing.

Electrical Output and Electronics

With 44 amps total and 35 amps for battery charging, the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale keeps up with serious electronics. Big screen graphs, sonar, livewell pumps, lights and a stereo are no problem. The motor is also NMEA 2000 compatible, so RPM, temperature, fuel flow and alarms can be displayed on a compatible chartplotter.

Weight Advantage on a 20 Inch Transom

At 359 pounds, the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale is one of the lighter four stroke 100s. On smaller hulls, weight at the transom affects everything: how fast you get on plane, how much the stern squats, how the boat sits at rest and how it handles in a following sea. When you are choosing between two motors of the same power, the lighter one nearly always makes the better boat.

What It Costs to Own

Here is a realistic picture of ownership for the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale.

• Annual service: engine oil and filter, gearcase oil, spark plugs checked or replaced, fuel filter, anodes, grease points. Every 100 hours or once a year.
• Periodic items: water pump impeller, timing belt inspection and replacement, thermostat check. Follow the intervals in the owner’s manual.
• Fuel: good economy thanks to Lean Burn Control. Use the octane Honda recommends.
• Flushing: after salt or silty water, a quick flush through the built in port.

Honda designed the service points on this engine to be easy to reach, so routine maintenance is quick. Owner’s manuals are free to download from Honda Marine.

Built for Salt and Fresh Water

Honda’s corrosion protection includes a multi layer paint finish, sacrificial anodes and waterproof electrical connectors. The alternator and ignition sit high on the powerhead where they stay dry. If you run the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale in salt water, the rules are simple: flush after every trip, check the anodes each season, and touch up any chipped paint on the lower unit.

Warranty Coverage

In the United States, Honda gives recreational owners five years of coverage that it describes as non-declining and transferable. Outside the US, warranty depends on your local Honda Marine distributor. See the Honda Marine warranty page for the full terms and check locally.

Choosing a Propeller

No prop comes with the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale. Your hull, weight and use decide the right one. The target at wide open throttle with a normal load is 5,500 to 6,300 RPM. If the motor does not reach 5,500, the pitch is too high. If it bounces off the limiter, the pitch is too low.

For many 17 to 18 foot aluminium boats, owners end up with a three blade stainless prop in the 13 to 14 inch diameter range and mid to high teens in pitch. Heavier boats and pontoons usually need less pitch. Honda’s propeller selector gives you a sensible starting point.

What Comes in the Crate

The Honda BF100A1LRT for sale arrives as a complete outboard on the 20 inch leg, with cowling, owner’s manual and Honda’s standard small parts. Controls, harness, gauges, prop and battery are separate. Check the crate and the motor carefully when it arrives, and photograph any damage before signing for it.

Break-In and the First Service

Follow the break-in steps in the owner’s manual. In short: vary the throttle for the first several hours, avoid long periods at full throttle, and don’t sit at one constant RPM for ages. After break-in, change the oil and filter and check the gearcase oil. That first service is cheap and makes a real difference to how long the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale lasts.

Ordering the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale

We sell and ship outboard motors worldwide. Here is the process:

1. Place your order through the cart, or contact us first with any questions about fit, controls or delivery.
2. We confirm stock, address and shipping method with you.
3. We pack the motor in its factory crate with extra protection where needed.
4. You get tracking once it ships.
5. Delivery: the crate is heavy, so arrange a forklift, pallet jack or several helpers.

International buyers pay any import duties and taxes charged by their country. We provide the documents you need for customs. Ask a local customs broker before ordering if you want to know the cost in advance.

Browse the full Honda outboard motors range, check the 100 HP Honda outboards section, or look around our whole shop.

Installing the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale

I recommend a qualified marine technician for this job. Rigging the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale means mounting the motor at the right height, hooking up steering, fitting controls and harness, wiring gauges or a display, connecting batteries, and setting up the fuel system with a water separating filter. Then a water test to confirm RPM and trim.

Start with the anti ventilation plate roughly level with the bottom of the hull. Raise it a hole at a time if the boat seems draggy and the prop holds well. Lower it if the prop ventilates in turns. Small changes make a noticeable difference on a 100 HP boat.

Steering deserves a mention. A 100 HP motor on a light boat can produce noticeable steering torque. Good cable steering is usually fine, but hydraulic steering makes the boat much nicer to drive and is worth considering on a repower.

Repower Tips

If you are replacing an older motor with the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale, check the transom for rot or cracks, replace old fuel hoses and the primer bulb, fit a new water separating filter, and consider fresh batteries. If the old engine was a different make, budget for new Honda controls and a harness. If the old engine was a carbureted two stroke, you will notice a huge drop in noise, smoke and fuel use.

A Day on the Water With the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale

Specs are one thing. Here is what owning this motor looks like on an ordinary Saturday.

You turn the key and it starts. No choke, no pumping the bulb ten times, no smoke drifting across the ramp. You idle out of the marina and the motor is quiet enough that you can hear the gulls. Once you are clear of the no wake zone, you push the throttle and the boat is on plane in a few seconds, even with three people and a full cooler aboard.

At cruise, somewhere around 4,000 to 4,500 RPM on most boats, the engine settles into a relaxed drone and the fuel gauge barely moves. When you reach the fishing spot, you drop to idle or trolling speed and the motor ticks over smoothly without loading up or stalling. The graph and the livewell run all day, and the battery is still full when you get back.

On the way home the wind has picked up and there is a short chop. You trim the bow down a touch, and the extra torque from the 100 lets you hold a comfortable speed through the waves. Back at the ramp, you flush it with a hose for a few minutes. That is it. That is the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale doing what it was built to do.

Why We Sell New Honda Outboards

We could sell cheaper motors. There are plenty of them. We focus on brands like Honda because the motors come back less. A customer who buys the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale from us is usually a customer who doesn’t need to call us about problems, and who comes back when their friend needs a motor. That is how a good outboard business works.

Honda’s approach to outboards has always been to borrow from its car engines. Fuel injection, VTEC, engine management, timing belts and all the rest have been proven in millions of vehicles. When that technology goes into a boat motor, you get something that is refined and dependable rather than experimental.

Getting Your Boat Ready Before the Motor Arrives

Shipping takes some time, especially internationally, so use it well. Here is what I would do while you wait for the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale.

• Remove the old motor and inspect the transom carefully.
• Clean up the transom area and repair any damage.
• Replace old fuel hoses and fit a water separating filter.
• Check or replace steering. Consider hydraulic steering if you are upgrading.
• Buy or confirm your controls, harness and gauges or display.
• Charge and test batteries, or buy new ones.
• Book a rigger if you are not doing it yourself.
• Pick a first propeller to try.

When the crate arrives, you can have the motor on the boat and running in a day instead of waiting weeks for parts.

Storing the Motor

If the boat will sit unused for a while, change the oil, add fuel stabiliser and run the engine briefly to get treated fuel into the system, flush the cooling passages, check the gearcase oil and store the motor trimmed down. In warm, humid climates, keep the boat covered and try to start the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale every couple of weeks. Engines that sit for months in heat and humidity suffer more than engines that are used.

Common Mistakes Buyers Make

After years of selling outboards, I see the same mistakes again and again. Ordering the wrong shaft length. Ignoring the capacity plate. Forgetting that remote motors need controls and a harness. Putting a new motor on a rotten transom. Buying the first prop they see and never checking RPM. Skipping the first service. None of these are expensive to avoid, and all of them are expensive to fix. If you want help avoiding them with the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale, just ask us before you order.

Using Trim Properly

Power trim is standard on this motor, and learning to use it well makes a big difference. When you take off, trim the motor all the way down so the bow stays low and the boat climbs onto plane quickly. Once you are up and running, trim out a little at a time. You will feel the boat free up, the steering lighten and the RPM rise slightly. Stop when the bow starts to bounce or the prop begins to lose grip, then back off a touch.

In a head sea, trim down so the bow cuts through the waves instead of slamming. In a following sea, trim up a little so the bow does not dig in. With practice it becomes second nature. A well trimmed boat is faster, drier, more comfortable and uses less fuel, which gets more out of the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale every time you go out.

Other Honda Motors to Consider

• Honda BF100A1XRT: the same 100 HP with a 25 inch shaft.
• Honda BF90D5LRTA: 90 HP, 20 inch shaft, same weight.
• Honda BF75D4LRTA: 75 HP on the same block, without VTEC.
• Honda BF115D1LA: 115 HP for boats that can take more.
• Honda BF135A2LA: 135 HP for larger hulls.
• Honda BFP60A1LRT: 60 HP Power Thrust for heavy, slower boats.

Or browse by power: 90 HP, 115 HP and 75 HP Honda outboards.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale

Is it brand new?

Yes. The Honda BF100A1LRT for sale is new in the factory crate and has never been mounted.

What shaft length is it?

20 inches, the L shaft. For 25 inches, choose the BF100A1XRT.

Does it have VTEC?

Yes, the BF100 uses VTEC, just like the BF90.

Is a propeller included?

No. We can help you choose one that suits your boat.

How much does it weigh?

359 pounds (163 kg) dry.

Can I use it in salt water?

Yes. Flush after every trip, check anodes and keep up with servicing.

Will my old controls work?

Only if they are compatible Honda controls. Otherwise you will need new controls and a harness. Send us details and we will check.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes, worldwide. Contact us for a delivery estimate.

Order the Honda BF100A1LRT for Sale

If your boat has a 20 inch transom and a 100 HP rating, the Honda BF100A1LRT for sale gives you strong, smooth power in a light package, from a company known for engines that just keep running. Add it to your cart, or get in touch first if you have questions. We would rather help you get it right than rush you.

Not quite the right fit? The rest of our Honda outboards are one click away.