HONDA 20 HP BF20D3LH Outboard Motor

Description

Twenty horsepower is about as much as you can get from a motor you can still lift onto a transom with a friend. It planes a 14 foot aluminium boat with two people and gear, pushes a jon boat upriver against a decent current, and weighs barely more than a 15. The Honda BF20D3LH for sale on this page is Honda’s 20 HP four stroke tiller with a 20 inch shaft and pull start, the simplest and lightest 20 Honda makes for a 20 inch transom. It is new in the crate, and we ship it to buyers all over the world.

Here you will find the model code explained, the full specifications, why a pull start 20 still makes sense, which boats it suits, how to set it up and look after it, and how ordering works. Price and cart are at the top.

The Honda BF20D3LH for Sale in Short

The Honda BF20D3LH for sale is a 20 HP, 350 cc, twin cylinder, four valve four stroke outboard with a single three stage carburettor. It starts with a pull cord, is steered with a tiller, has manual tilt and fits a 20 inch transom. Honda lists the 20 inch model at about 110 pounds dry. It shares its engine and weight with the BF15 but is tuned to make its rated power at 5,500 RPM, giving you a third more power for no extra weight.

What the Model Code Means

• BF: Honda four stroke outboard.
• 20: 20 horsepower.
• D3: design series and type.
• L: long shaft, 20 inches (508 mm).
• H: handle, meaning tiller steering.

No letter after the H means pull start and manual tilt. If you want key start and power tilt, see the Honda BF20D3LHT. For a 15 inch transom, see the Honda BF20D3SH. If your boat is rated only for 15 HP, the Honda BF15D3LH is the same motor at 15 HP.

Specifications of the Honda BF20D3LH for Sale

Figures from Honda’s official BF15 and BF20 specification page.

Why 20 Instead of 15?

The BF15 and BF20 use the same 350 cc engine and weigh the same. The only real difference is tuning: the 20 makes its power higher in the rev range. So if your boat is rated for 20 HP, choosing the Honda BF20D3LH for sale gives you a third more power without adding a single pound to the transom.

In practice, that means getting on plane more easily with two people and gear, holding a better speed against a river current, and having a bit in reserve when the wind picks up on the way home. For boats carrying more than one person regularly, the 20 is often the more satisfying motor.

Why a Pull Start Still Makes Sense

No battery. Batteries go flat, corrode and need replacing. A pull start motor doesn’t care whether the boat sat for a week or a season.

Lighter. Without a starter and battery, the whole setup weighs less, which matters on small boats.

Simpler and cheaper. Fewer electrical parts means fewer things to fail in damp storage or salt air, and a lower purchase price.

Works anywhere. In remote places, a pull start motor can be kept running with very basic tools and parts.

Honda’s twin pulls over smoothly, and with the choke used properly on a cold engine it usually starts in a pull or two.

How the Honda BF20D3LH for Sale Runs

The engine is smooth and quiet for a twin, with a steady idle that suits trolling and quick response when you open the throttle. The three stage carburettor keeps the mixture right through the rev range. There is no smoke and very little smell, and fuel use is a fraction of what an old two stroke 20 burned.

Boats That Suit It

• Aluminium fishing boats and jon boats from about 12 to 16 feet with a 20 inch transom.
• River boats that need to push against current.
• Small work boats for farms, ranches and fish farms.
• Boats kept at remote cabins far from services.
• Lodge and rental fleets where simplicity reduces problems.

Check the capacity plate before ordering. If your boat is rated for 25 HP and you want more, the three cylinder Honda BF25D3LRG is a remote option, or look at our 25 HP Honda outboards.

Starting a Pull Start Honda

Open the fuel tank vent and squeeze the primer bulb until firm. Put the motor in neutral. If the engine is cold, use the choke as the manual describes. Pull the cord gently until you feel resistance, then give a firm, smooth pull. Once it fires, ease the choke off. Always clip on the kill switch lanyard before you pull.

Mounting the Motor

Mount it on the centreline of the transom and tighten the clamp screws firmly. On a 20 HP motor, add through bolts too. Tiller motors creep with vibration and rough water, and a motor lost overboard is an expensive lesson. Start with the anti ventilation plate about level with the bottom of the hull, then adjust after a test run.

Setting the Trim

Trim is set with a four position adjuster on the bracket. Choose the position that keeps the motor roughly vertical when the boat is running with your usual load. Move out one position if the bow ploughs, in one if it bounces.

Tilting by Hand

At about 110 pounds, the Honda BF20D3LH for sale is manageable to tilt by hand. Release the tilt lock, lift using the handle on the cowling, and engage the tilt support. For shallow water, use the shallow water drive position described in the owner’s manual, keeping the water intake submerged.

Choosing a Propeller

Honda lists a 9¼ by 10 inch aluminium prop as standard. At full throttle with your usual load, the engine should reach 5,000 to 6,000 RPM. Drop the pitch if it falls short, go up if it overshoots. Honda’s propeller selector is a good starting point.

Tiller Driving Tips

Set steering and throttle friction so the motor holds course and speed without a tight grip. Shift gently through neutral. Lean forward or move a passenger forward when taking off so the bow doesn’t rise. On long runs, change hands and posture to avoid fatigue.

A Day on the River

You launch at first light, prime the bulb and give one pull. The Honda BF20D3LH for sale settles into a quiet idle. Heading upstream, the extra power over a 15 keeps you moving steadily against the current with a friend and a cooler aboard. You fish the pools, restarting with a single pull each time you move. By afternoon, you drift back down, the motor ticking over at idle. No battery to charge, no wiring to worry about, just a simple motor doing its job.

Lodges and Rental Fleets

Many lodges choose pull start Honda tillers for guest boats. There are no batteries to maintain across a fleet, local mechanics can service carburetted engines almost anywhere, and guests appreciate how quiet and smooth they are. The Honda BF20D3LH for sale gives guests enough power to carry two anglers comfortably without being intimidating.

Carrying and Storing the Motor

The motor is a comfortable two person carry. Carry and store it as the owner’s manual shows, usually upright or on a specified side, so oil stays in the sump. Use a proper stand and keep it covered.

Break-In and the First Service

New engines need a gentle start. Run the motor at a mix of speeds for the first few hours, keep long full throttle runs to a minimum and follow the break-in section of the owner’s manual. Then do the first oil and filter change and check the gearcase oil. It takes little time and money, and it sets the Honda BF20D3LH for sale up for a long life.

Fuel Quality Wherever You Boat

Clean fuel keeps any outboard happy. In hot, humid places, or wherever fuel is stored in drums, water finds its way into tanks. Run the Honda BF20D3LH for sale through a water separating filter, look at the bowl before each trip, and replace the element on schedule. Fill up at busy stations and don’t leave fuel sitting in a tank for months without a stabiliser.

Carburettors are simple and can be serviced almost anywhere, but stale fuel leaves sticky deposits in their tiny jets. Drain the carburettor before long storage, as the owner’s manual describes, and most starting trouble never happens.

Salt Water Care

Salt is hard on every engine. After each trip in salt or brackish water, flush the Honda BF20D3LH for sale with fresh water, rinse the outside, and keep an eye on the anodes. Replace them once they are roughly half gone. Paint chips on the gearcase should be touched up quickly, and a corrosion inhibitor spray on the powerhead now and then helps a lot.

Storage Between Seasons

For a long layup, change the oil, deal with the fuel as the manual describes, flush the engine and check the gearcase oil for any sign of water. Store the motor trimmed or stood so the lower unit drains. In warm, damp places, cover the boat and start the engine every couple of weeks.

New Versus Used

A second hand motor comes with questions nobody can answer for certain: missed services, salt damage, an overheat years ago. Buying the Honda BF20D3LH for sale new means zero hours, a known history and factory cover where it applies.

Why Honda

Decades of building car, motorcycle and generator engines sit behind every Honda outboard. The company committed to four strokes long before most rivals, and that head start shows in how quiet, economical and dependable its motors are.

Service and Parts Near You

Honda has marine dealers and distributors in many countries, and routine parts such as filters, plugs, anodes and impellers are widely stocked. Look up your nearest service point on Honda’s dealer locator or through your local distributor before you order.

Safety

Wear the kill switch lanyard whenever the engine is running. Carry life jackets for everyone, a way to call for help and basic tools and spares. Check fuel and oil before every trip and tell someone your plans. Honda’s boating safety tips are worth a read at the start of each season.

Keep a Service Log

A simple notebook or phone note with hours, services and parts is worth its weight in gold. It reminds you what is due, helps your mechanic, and makes the Honda BF20D3LH for sale easier to sell for a good price one day.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ordering the wrong shaft length. Ignoring the capacity plate. Forgetting controls, harness or a battery where needed. Mounting a new motor on a damaged transom. Never checking wide open throttle RPM after fitting a prop. Skipping the first service. Letting fuel go stale. Each is easy to avoid, and avoiding them keeps the Honda BF20D3LH for sale running well for years.

Why Buy From Us

We are an online outboard dealer shipping to customers around the world. We sell genuine new Honda motors in their factory crates, help you choose the right model and shaft length, and assist with shipping and customs paperwork. If you are unsure whether the Honda BF20D3LH for sale suits your boat, send us photos and details before you order and we will give you a straight answer.

Getting Ready Before the Motor Arrives

Shipping takes time, especially across borders, so use the wait well. When the crate lands you want to fit the motor and go, not start ordering parts.

• Measure the transom height and confirm the shaft length.
• Check the capacity plate for maximum horsepower and engine weight.
• Inspect the transom for soft spots, cracks or corrosion and repair them.
• Replace old fuel hoses and fit a water separating fuel filter.
• Pick a first propeller to try.

Weight and Balance

With a tiller motor, the driver sits at the stern right next to the engine, so a lot of weight ends up in one place. Move gear, the fuel tank and, if fitted, the battery forward where you can, and ask passengers to sit forward when you take off. The boat will plane sooner and ride flatter.

Real World Performance

Top speed and fuel use depend on hull, load, prop, motor height and trim, so any single number is only a guide. Honda publishes real test results, with speed, RPM, fuel flow and the prop used, on its performance test page. Look for a boat similar to yours for a realistic idea of what to expect from the Honda BF20D3LH for sale.

Trailering

For trailering, tilt the motor up and support it with the tilt lock or a transom saver bar so the lower unit clears the road and the bracket isn’t taking every bump. Remove the key where fitted and disconnect a portable fuel tank. At the ramp, only lower the motor once the water is deep enough to cover the cooling water intake.

Spares Worth Keeping Aboard

A spare spark plug, a fuel filter element, a spare prop nut and cotter pin, and the basic tools to fit them take up almost no space. Far from help, those few items can save your day.

Living With It Long Term

Over years of ownership, expect a yearly service with oil, filter and gearcase oil, a water pump impeller every few years depending on conditions, anodes as they wear, and plugs and filters. That is about it. Well kept Honda four strokes are known for running a long time with that kind of care, and their fuel bills are modest.

Commercial and Rental Use

Marinas, lodges, fish farms and rental fleets run Honda outboards because they start easily and keep going. If you plan to use the motor commercially, check the warranty terms in your country, since commercial cover is usually shorter than recreational cover, and keep closely to the service schedule.

Resale Value

Honda outboards are always in demand on the used market because people know how long they last. Keep your receipts and a simple service record, and the Honda BF20D3LH for sale will hold its value well and help your boat sell when the time comes.

Getting Help Before You Buy

Not sure about shaft length, starting type, controls or shipping? Send us a message with photos of your boat. We would much rather answer a few questions now than have you wait weeks for the wrong motor.

Is the Honda BF20D3LH for Sale Right for You?

If your boat has a 20 inch transom and a 20 HP rating, you steer from the stern, and you want the most power you can get from a light, simple motor with no battery to worry about, then yes. The Honda BF20D3LH for sale is the one to pick.

Ordering the Honda BF20D3LH for Sale

1. Add it to your cart, or contact us first.
2. We confirm stock, address and shipping method.
3. The motor ships in its Honda crate.
4. You get tracking details.
5. You receive the crate and check it before signing.

International buyers pay their own import duties and taxes. We supply the paperwork.

See all Honda outboard motors, the 20 HP Honda outboards, or our full shop.

Similar Honda Outboards

• Honda BF20D3LHT: 20 HP, 20 inch, electric start, power tilt.
• Honda BF20D3SH: 20 HP, 15 inch, pull start.
• Honda BF15D3LH: 15 HP, 20 inch, pull start.
• Honda BF15D3LHS: 15 HP, electric start.
• Honda BF25D3LRG: 25 HP remote.

Browse 15 HP and 25 HP Honda outboards.

Questions About the Honda BF20D3LH for Sale

Is it new?

Yes. The Honda BF20D3LH for sale is new in the factory crate.

Electric start?

No, it is pull start. The LHT has electric start and power tilt.

Shaft length?

20 inches.

How much does it weigh?

About 110 pounds dry.

Is it heavier than the 15?

No. The BF15 and BF20 weigh the same.

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes.

Buy the Honda BF20D3LH for Sale

For a tiller boat with a 20 inch transom and a 20 HP rating, the Honda BF20D3LH for sale gives you the most power Honda offers in its light portable range, with nothing to go wrong. Add it to your cart, or contact us first with any questions.

More options are in our Honda outboards range.