[GoneSouth]

I chose a 200 ProXS over the 250 ProXS because of cost. There was a $5000 jump. in my boat I would not have seen more than 3 or 4 MPH increase and there is the increase in fuel usage.

So check your prices and I think that is what will drive your decision. For me the cost was not worth the very slight increase in performance.

Current pricing on Mercury 200 225 250 appears to be about $2000 per 25 HP increase. That may help you decide if that extra 25 HP is worth it.

 

[dk2429]

2cool typical

op "trying not to start a brand war" and has a valid question

first post has nothing to do with question and suggest another brand :headknock Nice one

Just like posts about rod and reels.. "I don't want to spend over 150 on a rod, and 150 on a reel."

"I'd get the Waterloo Ultra Mag on a Shimano Antares."

:spineyes:

 

[acf83]

Current pricing on Mercury 200 225 250 appears to be about $2000 per 25 HP increase. That may help you decide if that extra 25 HP is worth it.

very true..
just heard the 225 has a bette hole shot & is only down 2-3mph, so it kinda has me wondering why all the 250's?

 

[GoneSouth]

very true..
just heard the 225 has a bette hole shot & is only down 2-3mph, so it kinda has me wondering why all the 250's?

Both engines weigh the same. Since you will rarely if ever (probably never) use full throttle for hole shot (especially in shallow water) I don't believe more HP will improve hole shot unless you don't have enough HP in the first place. And the 225 has plenty of HP to get you up. Therefore hole shot will be based on total weight, weight distribution, engine height, engine trim and most important of all Prop selection.

Only reason I can think of that someone would say the 225 has better holeshot is you really cant use all of that HP to get up sometimes anyway. The higher HP may be more likely to cause prop blowout. And it really depends on prop selection. I think it is hard to get an apples to apples comparison here.

 

[Navi]

I ran a sw 23 cat with a 250 pro xs, with the raised console and a fresh prop it would hit 60. Hole shot was decent as long as you didn't just hammer down from a dead stop. you had to ease forward a little and then feed it throttle and it would come right up. I would not go less than a 250, personally if I buy another it will have a 300. That being said I am one of those guys who hangs the max power rated every chance I get.

 

[Sgrem]

For the same displacement series of Outboard the power HP will have a better torque curve down low than the higher GO of same displacement.

Additionally more HP usually needs more prop to keep it together when you are at high RPM. More prop takes more to turn down low further worsening your hole shot.

The lower pitch prop on a lower HP motor (which has MORE torque) will be easier to spin up.

Etec for example makes a 135HO, 150, 150HO, 175, and a 200 that alllllll are the same displacement motor with different tuning. The 135 absolutely has much better monster hole shot compared to the 200.

Same for the 200, 225, 250 pro xs series from Mercury.

 

[Sgrem]

For the same displacement series of Outboard the lower HP will have a better torque curve down low than the higher HP of same displacement.

Additionally more HP usually needs more prop to keep it together when you are at high RPM. More prop takes more to turn down low further worsening your hole shot.

The lower pitch prop on a lower HP motor (which has MORE torque) will be easier to spin up.

Etec for example makes a 135HO, 150, 150HO, 175, and a 200 that alllllll are the same displacement motor with different tuning. The 135 absolutely has much better monster hole shot compared to the 200.

Same for the 200, 225, 250 pro xs series from Mercury.

Corrected the stupid auto correct mistakes.....

 

[acf83]

Corrected the stupid auto correct mistakes.....

Thank you. It's starting to make sense to me.

 

[Sgrem]

Unlike your vehicle that has the advantage of gearing in your transmission your Outboard only has go or no go....

So lower HP can have the effect of lower gearing down low....which limits too speed some.

Higher HP is like overdrive....better top speed but hard to get going.

 

[Nr1052]

I put a 225 on the boat I just ordered. For the money I can't see why go for 25 extra; it's the same motor. I would probably be choosing between the 300 racing motor or the vrod if I had unlimited money. But I have a wife instead.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lurker]

Unlike your vehicle that has the advantage of gearing in your transmission your Outboard only has go or no go....

So lower HP can have the effect of lower gearing down low....which limits too speed some.

Higher HP is like overdrive....better top speed but hard to get going.

I would guess that all of the 200/225/250 are geared the same. Regardless, I can gear the 250 down to what the 200 is optimized to run at, by using a lower pitched prop, and have more TQ and HP available. You don't have to gear a higher HP motor for top end or "overdrive".

 

[lurker]

lower HP motor (which has MORE torque) will be easier to spin up.

Not an expert, but not sure I believe this.

Torque and horsepower will be the same at 5252 rpm since one is just a mathematical function of the other at a given rpm.

If the 200 has more torque than the 250 at 5252 rpm, it will have more horsepower at that rpm as well, which doesn't seem likely.

Maybe the 200 has more tq at 3000rpm, but I'm skeptical due to the reasoning above.

But again, I'm no expert.

 

[Sgrem]

They are all geared the same. I was simply making a relation to how people understand gearing in automobiles.

200 has MORE torque at low RPM and LESS horsepower at high RPM.

250 has LESS torque at low RPM and MORE horsepower at high RPM.

 

[lurker]

200 has MORE torque at low RPM and LESS horsepower at high RPM.

250 has LESS torque at low RPM and MORE horsepower at high RPM.

Why do you believe that the 200 produces more torque than the 250 at a given lower rpm?

You may very well be correct, I'm just wondering what dyno charts or evidence exists to show this.

 

[Sgrem]

It's tuning. The can tune for hole shot torque and sacrifice a lil HP.
Or they can tune for max HP and sacrifice a lil torque. For a given displacement....and one gear....they can't get both.

 

[lurker]

I understand what you're suggesting. what I'm asking is, do you have evidence to corroborate your suggestion? Specifically, that the 200 has more crankshaft torque than the 250 at lower rpms.

 

[Sgrem]

Follow the math.
Same displacement motor-
200 makes 200 at xyz RPM.
250 makes 250 at same xyz rpm...just a different tune.

200 torque curve comes on earlier with a flatter HP curve.
250 torque curve is flatter with a peaking HP curve.

It's in the math and tuning....given same displacement.
Manufacturer will tell you same thing.

Now you can equalize with the prop....but you will likely equalize your speed as well as overrevving the 250. That is you would have to drop pitch in the 250 to gain same hole shot....

 

[lurker]

Follow the math.
Same displacement motor-
200 makes 200 at xyz RPM.
250 makes 250 at same xyz rpm...just a different tune.

200 torque curve comes on earlier with a flatter HP curve.
250 torque curve is flatter with a peaking HP curve.

It's in the math and tuning....given same displacement.
Manufacturer will tell you same thing.

Now you can equalize with the prop....but you will likely equalize your speed as well as overrevving the 250.

It is entirely possible, through tuning, for the 250 to be stronger across the entire range than the 200. There is a whole engine-computer-tuning-for-performance industry based on this. You could very well be right, I'm just wondering where this often-repeated theory is stated from merc.

 

[Sgrem]

The manufacturers will never release those torque curves btw....for this very reason. People can't make the torque make sense for which motor is more "powerful". It would show the 200 as the "stronger" motor killing their $2000 premium to go to the 225 and $4000 premium to go to the 250.

 

[lurker]

The manufacturers will never release those torque curves btw....

So why do we believe this?