HONDA 20 HP BF20D3SH Outboard Motor

Description

If you own an inflatable or a light dinghy with a 15 inch transom and a 20 HP rating, you already know the problem. Most 20s are either too heavy, too long in the leg, or loaded with electrics you don’t need. The Honda BF20D3SH for sale on this page is the opposite: a short shaft, pull start, tiller steered 20 HP four stroke that weighs about 104 pounds. It is brand new in the crate, and we ship it to buyers worldwide.

Below you will find the model code explained, the full spec sheet, why this motor suits small, light boats so well, how to set it up and look after it, and how ordering works. Price and cart are at the top of the page.

The Honda BF20D3SH for Sale in Brief

The Honda BF20D3SH for sale is a 20 HP, 350 cc, twin cylinder, four valve four stroke with a three stage carburettor, pull start, tiller steering, manual tilt and a short 15 inch shaft. Honda lists the short shaft version at about 104 pounds dry. It uses the same engine as the BF15, tuned to make 20 HP at 5,500 RPM, so you get a third more power with no extra weight.

What the Model Code Means

• BF: Honda four stroke outboard.
• 20: 20 horsepower.
• D3: series and type.
• S: short shaft, 15 inches (381 mm).
• H: handle, meaning tiller steering.

No letter after the H means pull start and manual tilt. For key start and power tilt on the same shaft, see the Honda BF20D3SHT. For a 20 inch transom, see the Honda BF20D3LH. If your boat is rated only for 15 HP, the Honda BF15D3SH is the same package at 15 HP.

Specifications of the Honda BF20D3SH for Sale

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

Why Light and Short Matters

On an inflatable or a small dinghy, the motor is often the heaviest thing aboard. Too much weight at the stern makes the bow rise, slows the hole shot and lowers the freeboard at the back, which can let water in when you stop suddenly. At about 104 pounds, the Honda BF20D3SH for sale keeps that weight down while still giving you 20 horsepower.

The 15 inch shaft matters just as much. On a 15 inch transom, it puts the anti ventilation plate about level with the bottom of the hull and the prop in clean water just below. A 20 inch motor on the same boat would hang five inches too deep, adding drag and spray and making it easier to hit rocks.

How the Honda BF20D3SH for Sale Runs

The 350 cc twin idles smoothly, pulls cleanly when you open the throttle and revs a little higher than the 15 to make its extra power. On a light inflatable, the difference between 15 and 20 HP is very noticeable, especially with two or three people aboard. It is quiet, makes no smoke and uses very little fuel.

Why Pull Start Makes Sense on a Tender

Tenders and small inflatables often sit for days or weeks between uses. A battery in that situation slowly goes flat, corrodes in salt air and needs replacing every few years. A pull start motor doesn’t care. It is lighter, simpler and has fewer electrical parts to fail. Honda’s twin pulls over smoothly, and with the choke used properly on a cold engine, it usually starts in a pull or two.

Boats That Suit It

• Inflatables and small RIBs with a 15 inch transom rated for 20 HP.
• Yacht tenders where weight and simplicity matter.
• Aluminium dinghies and light skiffs with short transoms.
• Duck and marsh boats built low with short transoms.
• Small boats at remote cabins where there is nowhere to charge a battery.

Check the capacity plate carefully, especially on inflatables, which list both maximum horsepower and maximum motor weight.

Using It as a Yacht Tender Motor

A 20 HP short shaft turns a tender from a slow shuttle into a boat that planes with passengers aboard, making long runs ashore quick. At about 104 pounds, the Honda BF20D3SH for sale is still manageable to move between the tender and a rail bracket on the yacht with a halyard or small crane. Carry a small spares kit on the yacht: a plug, a prop nut and cotter pin, a fuel filter element and a spare starter cord.

Starting a Pull Start Honda

Open the 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 gently until you feel resistance, then give a firm, smooth pull. Ease the choke off once it runs. Clip on the kill switch lanyard first, every time.

Mounting on an Inflatable

Check that the transom board is solid and free of rot or delamination. Use a transom pad under the clamps. Mount the motor on the centreline, tighten the clamps firmly and add through bolts where the transom allows. Secure the fuel tank so it can’t slide around. Recheck the clamps after the first trip.

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. Inflatables often like a slightly different setting when loaded with passengers than when running light, so experiment.

Tilting by Hand

At about 104 pounds, tilting by hand is easy. Release the tilt lock, lift using the handle on the cowling and engage the tilt support. For very shallow water, use the shallow water drive position the owner’s manual describes, 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, aim for 5,000 to 6,000 RPM. Heavily loaded inflatables sometimes like slightly less pitch. Honda’s propeller selector gives a starting point.

Tiller Tips for Inflatables

Inflatables are light and responsive. Set the steering friction so the motor holds a line without constant correction. Bring the throttle up gradually, because a light inflatable with 20 HP jumps onto plane quickly. Sit forward when taking off. Always wear the kill switch lanyard, as an inflatable can spin sharply if you fall or let go.

A Day Out

You clamp the Honda BF20D3SH for sale onto your inflatable, connect the fuel line and give it a pull. It starts and settles into a quiet idle. With two friends and a picnic aboard, you open the throttle and the boat jumps onto plane. You spend the day exploring the coast, landing on a beach for lunch and tilting the motor up by hand as you come in. On the way home, the little twin hums along, sipping fuel, with no battery to worry about.

15 or 20 HP?

The BF15 and BF20 share the same engine and weight. If your boat is rated for 20, the Honda BF20D3SH for sale gives you a third more power at no weight penalty. If it is rated for 15, choose the BF15D3SH.

Carrying and Storing the Motor

Carry it with two people 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 or rail bracket, and keep it covered.

Break-In and the First Service

For the first several hours, vary your throttle, avoid long stretches at full throttle and don’t hold one steady RPM for ages. The owner’s manual gives the exact steps. After break-in, change the engine oil and filter and check the gearcase oil. That first service clears out the fine particles from new parts bedding in, and it is one of the cheapest ways to help the Honda BF20D3SH for sale last.

Fuel Quality Wherever You Boat

Water, dirt and stale fuel cause more outboard problems than anything else. Fuel quality varies from country to country and from one station to the next, and boats that sit in heat collect condensation in their tanks. Fit a good water separating filter, check the bowl often and change the element when due. Buy from busy stations, keep containers clean and sealed, and add stabiliser if the boat will sit for more than a few weeks.

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

Honda protects its outboards with layered paint, sacrificial anodes and sealed electrical connectors, but salt always wins against neglect. Flush the engine with fresh water after every salt trip, rinse the outside, check the anodes each season and replace them when about half worn, and touch up any chipped paint on the lower unit before corrosion spreads.

Storage Between Seasons

Before storing the motor for more than a month or two, change the oil so old oil doesn’t sit inside, treat or drain the fuel, flush the cooling system, check the gearcase oil for water and store the motor so water drains from the lower unit. In hot, humid climates, keep the boat covered and run the engine every few weeks if you can.

New Versus Used

Used outboards can look like a bargain, but you rarely know the full story. Was it flushed after salt? Were oil changes done on time? Did it ever overheat? A brand new Honda BF20D3SH for sale starts at zero hours, with a clean history and factory warranty coverage where it applies. For a motor you plan to keep, that certainty is worth paying for.

Why Honda

Honda is an engine company first. Its outboards borrow heavily from its car, motorcycle and power equipment engines, which is why they tend to start easily, run smoothly and keep going for years with ordinary care. Honda was also one of the first big outboard makers to go fully four stroke, long before emission rules pushed the rest of the industry that way.

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

From day one, write down engine hours, services and parts. It keeps you on schedule, helps any mechanic diagnose problems and adds real value when you sell. Honda motors hold their value well on the used market, and a documented history makes that even more true.

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 BF20D3SH 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 BF20D3SH 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

While the crate is on its way, get the boat ready. That way the Honda BF20D3SH for sale can go on the transom the day it arrives.

• 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

On a tiller boat the stern carries the motor and the driver, which can make the bow ride high. Spread the load forward, keep the fuel tank central and your boat will run far better with the Honda BF20D3SH for sale on the back.

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 BF20D3SH 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

Look after the basics, oil, filters, impeller, anodes and clean fuel, and the Honda BF20D3SH for sale should give many years of dependable running. Honda four strokes are known for going a long way on simple, regular care.

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 BF20D3SH 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.

Beach Landings With a Light Tiller

Slow down well before the shore. As the bottom rises, stop the engine and tilt the Honda BF20D3SH for sale up by hand; at about 104 pounds it comes up easily. Step out and pull the boat above the waterline. When leaving, push out until the water is deep enough, lower the motor, start it in neutral and back away slowly.

Running in Shallow Water

Use the shallow water drive position to run with the motor partly raised. Keep the intake submerged, go slowly and watch the cooling water tell tale. If it weakens, shut down and check the intake for weed or sand.

Is the Honda BF20D3SH for Sale Right for You?

If your boat has a 15 inch transom, is rated for 20 HP, and you want the lightest, simplest motor that still gets it up and planing with passengers aboard, the answer is yes. The Honda BF20D3SH for sale is exactly that.

Ordering the Honda BF20D3SH 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 BF20D3SHT: 20 HP, 15 inch, electric start, power tilt.
• Honda BF20D3LH: 20 HP, 20 inch, pull start.
• Honda BF15D3SH: 15 HP, 15 inch, pull start.
• Honda BF25D3SHG: 25 HP, 15 inch, electric start.
• Honda BF10D3SH: 9.9 HP, 15 inch.

Browse 15 HP and 25 HP Honda outboards.

Questions About the Honda BF20D3SH for Sale

Is it new?

Yes. The Honda BF20D3SH for sale is new in the factory crate.

Shaft length?

15 inches.

Electric start?

No, pull start. The SHT has key start and power tilt.

Weight?

About 104 pounds dry.

Good for an inflatable?

Yes, if it has a 15 inch transom and is rated for 20 HP.

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes.

Buy the Honda BF20D3SH for Sale

For a light boat with a 15 inch transom and a 20 HP rating, the Honda BF20D3SH for sale gives you real performance with minimum weight and nothing to go wrong. Add it to your cart, or contact us first with any questions.

More options are in our Honda outboards range.