STIHL 193t vs Husky 435

[katoom400]

I'm in the market for a small chainsaw to handle trial clearing for dirt bike trails. not looking for anything large since it will need to be mounted to the front of my dirt bike.

Trailtech makes a slick bike mount but it is specific to the 192T, which has now been replaced by the 193t, I'm assuming they designed the mount to work with the 192t because of it's light weight (7lbs)



I've also seen a husky 435 rear handle (reconditioned) on northern tool for just $179 but not familiar with this saw either.

if I go with the 193t and the trailtech mount, I'm looking at $550

if I go with the husky and a more generic mount I'm looking at ~ $300, but most likely a heavier combination.

I have no chainsaw experience, so I'm not familiar with either.... for larger trees one of the guys has a quad he uses to carry a STIHL 026, so I'm fine with the "little" saws for the dirt bike.

 

[KenJax Tree]

$500?!?! The 193T should be about $300...the 150T is about $500

 

[katoom400]

$350 for the 193t (16" bar) + $200 for the trail tech dirt bike mount

 

[KenJax Tree]

Gotcha i guess i didn't read that very well[emoji1]

 

[Cope1024]

That mount is pretty slick.

 

[katoom400]

yes it is, that's why I'm looking at the 192...now 193T. I've seen some bad reviews for the 193t in comparrison to the older 192t so I'm a little hesitant to go get one. the 201t seems to be the saw of choice for the professional, but I don't know if will fit the mount and I don't think I need to spend $650 on a saw I'm going use occasionally at best.

although if I "cheap out" and get the refub Husky 435 and this mount I'm only in for $300 combinded saw and mount....but it's not as "slick" as the trail-tech mount. and I know nothing of the Husky

http://razorback-offroad.com/rbo-versarack.html

 

[weedkilla]

If you have no chainsaw experience I couldn't suggest strongly enough that you choose a rear handle (or traditional type) chainsaw rather than a top handle (like a 192/193/201).

The husky 435, or many of the similar small saws, are perfectly acceptable for trail clearing duties, and much easier to use safely.

I have no idea what sort of training is available in your area - but think about this. Pro users wear various ppe that you won't have when you're riding your Moto. You would be really wise to get some training to try and give yourself the best chance of avoiding the bad habits that get people hurt.

 

[katoom400]

I would take a course in a heartbeat if one was available near me...I'm all about being safe. I fully understand that a chainsaw "doesn't give a crap about flesh and bone" one of my buddies has a lot of experience running a saw and I watch him dig into a stack of "loaded" trees like it's no big deal....he scares the crap out of me! that's not going to be me. I'm not so proud or cocky that I'm going just buy a saw and hope for the best.

I realize you have to have respect for the saw, and be fully aware of what's going to happen as you cut....take some time to think about the best plan of attack....and what not to do. there are piles of trees down around here after Hurricane Sandy a few years back....so many, that we are just starting to open up some areas where trails that where "erased" by the storm. There are large areas of forest completely leveled and we are not trying to go through them, but skirt the outside of massive blow down areas, even then we are forced to cut through some piles of loaded trees...mostly pines.....I'll be taking my time and thinking before cutting....if it looks sketchy I'm going around it or leaving it for someone else to deal with.

When most people think about Sandy, they remember the images of the jersey shore and the seaside heights board walk and rollercoaster in the ocean....up in northern NJ, we didn't have any flooding but the wind was devastating. beautiful forests leveled!

here is one pic I found online, but doesn't do it justice...it's a forest fire waiting to happen and the land owners (the city of Newark) refuse to clean up the mess.

 

[SawTroll]

A top-handle saw isn't really suitable for ground work - and be aware that both the 193 and the 435s are "homeowner class" designs.

Btw, the T435 and the rearhandle 435 are totally different designs, the rearhandle being a 41cc Husky and the T435 a rebranded 35cc Zenoah. Both are larger and much more capable saws than the 193 though, not really comparable.

The choise really is a matter of your priorities.

 

[katoom400]

would the stihl ms250 be the next jump up from a rear handle 180, seems they are close in weight and the 250 bumps up to 45cc's

 

[katoom400]

never mind, I went to the STIHL dealer at lunch time, looks like the next model up from a 193t in a rear handle version would be the ms211 which is actually still a pretty light saw at a claimed 9.4lbs and larger motor than the 193 at 35.2 cc's $279 (16"bar). the next jump up was the ms251 @ 45.6 cc's and claimed weight of 10.8 lbs. $339 (18"bar)

 

[SawTroll]

never mind, I went to the STIHL dealer at lunch time, looks like the next model up from a 193t in a rear handle version would be the ms211 which is actually still a pretty light saw at a claimed 9.4lbs and larger motor than the 193 at 35.2 cc's $279 (16"bar). the next jump up was the ms251 @ 45.6 cc's and claimed weight of 10.8 lbs. $339 (18"bar)

Yes, if it has to be a Stihl.

 

[katoom400]

doesn't have to be a stihl, I was originally looking at the 193t because trail tech made that slick mount, another company makes a mount that is just as slick for back handle stihls, but it cost more than the saw. and honestly for the amount of time I'll be riding with it, I could go with the cheaper $100 mount and just about any relatively light saw I wanted.

 

[Rudedog]

A top-handle saw isn't really suitable for ground work - and be aware that both the 193 and the 435s are "homeowner class" designs.

Btw, the T435 and the rearhandle 435 are totally different designs, the rearhandle being a 41cc Husky and the T435 a rebranded 35cc Zenoah. Both are larger and much more capable saws than the 193 though, not really comparable.

The choice really is a matter of your priorities.

I'm with SawTroll. I just sold my 192TC and my T435. The 192TC feels much lighter and more nimble. The T435 feels bigger and a little heavier but also more capable with its extra horse power on anything more than 4 inches or bigger.

 

[SawTroll]

doesn't have to be a stihl, I was originally looking at the 193t because trail tech made that slick mount, another company makes a mount that is just as slick for back handle stihls, but it cost more than the saw. and honestly for the amount of time I'll be riding with it, I could go with the cheaper $100 mount and just about any relatively light saw I wanted.

I would likely have used my 339xp, but I do of course not know you exact situation/needs.

The Zenoah (Redmax) GZ-4500 or -4000 may be options worth looking at. Zenoah is owned by Husky.

 

[KenJax Tree]

The 193T will do everything you need it to.

 

[weedkilla]

I like these -

http://www.evocsports.com/bike/technical-performance-backpacks/trail-builder

 

[katoom400]

weedkilla posted : If you have no chainsaw experience I couldn't suggest strongly enough that you choose a rear handle (or traditional type) chainsaw rather than a top handle (like a 192/193/201).

The husky 435, or many of the similar small saws, are perfectly acceptable for trail clearing duties, and much easier to use safely.

which now has me thinking twice about the small top handle saw. am I over thinking this?

 

[weedkilla]

As you are quoting me, you probably want a different opinion.....But here is mine anyway.

There are several bad habits that are easy to develop with a chainsaw, and three good ones.

1 - keep your chain sharp. A chainsaw should self feed (at least mostly) rather than needing to be pushed through a log.

2 - understand the "kick back zone" on the nose of the bar and make your cuts to avoid it touching wood on either what you are cutting or a nearby branch.

3 - use two hands on a chainsaw.

Top handle saws give you a little less control, and make "one handing" tempting.

A top handle saw isn't the end of the world, there are just easier and cheaper options.

 

[katoom400]

thanks for the reply. I guess I was lured to the 193t by the slick mount trail tech offers. then once I started looking at rear handles, the husky 435/445 and STIHL ms 211/251 got my attentions as still fairly light saws with a bit more power, perhaps making them a bit more versatile of a saw? the reality is I will use it very little except for ocasional trimming around the house and mostly for trail work.

I may eventually get a wood stove and need a more powerful saw for firewood, but for now it would just be mostly for trail work cutting through the mess of mostly downed pines. the guy I've been doing the trail work with is using a 026 which really cuts nice but he is hauling it on a quad so weight is not much of an issue for him.