You've all probably seen Chris Farley's "fat guy in a little coat" bit in Tommy Boy.  Pretty funny.  What's not funny, however, is being 6' 6" and having to use a regular size grass trimmer eight hours a day.

Click here to see how we answered the question Kevin Rochester posed on lawnsite.com, "Does anyone make a trimmer for tall guys?"

NOTE: Scroll to the bottom of the thread to read the review.

If you are like the guy that came in last week looking for parts for his 1.2 h.p. Tanaka outboard that "mysteriously" drank some salt water, don't worry, you've come to the right place.  In fact, we just updated our Tanaka outboard motor center with a brief history of each motor and a list of FAQ's. 

Did you know? 
Tanaka air-cooled, two-stroke outboard motors were manufactured by Tanaka Kogyo Ltd. Co. in Japan from the mid-1970’s until 2002. They were produced under 3 different brand names – Tanaka, Sears Gamefisher and Aquabug. There were different colors and labeling configurations, but within each horsepower rating (1.2 HP, 1.75 HP, 3 HP and 5.5 HP) the motors were identical except for the shroud / decals.

We work very hard to set up our dealers.  Unlike our competitors (Echo, Husqvarna), Tanaka is sold exclusively through the independent sales and servicing dealer network which includes some independently owned hardware stores.

One of those stores I recently signed up is Jackson's Hardware in San Rafael, CA.  They are the largest dealer in Marin county and their store covers over a city block! 

Unlike the "box stores," most Tanaka dealers have over 20 years of experience selling and servicing our products and provide a very personable in-store experience.  To find a Tanaka dealer in your area, go to our dealer locator or call us at 1-888-482-6252.   

Here's an email I received from one of our Powerkart die hards...I thought you might enjoy this one.  It weighs an even 45 lbs. in the current condition. A stock kart is 65 lbs.  Link to photos at www.handhassociates.us/karts  It is all made of 6061 aluminum alloy.  The only stock parts are the wheels, spindles, wheel bearings, axle, rotor and caliper, steering stem, handlebars, controls, sprockets, and seat.  All other parts have been fabricated by me. Gear ratio is 5.34 to 1 using 18 and 31 sprockets.

It has been ridden by a 230 lb. man with no problems. Performance is outstanding. It will out perform my twin engine kart. GPS shows 42 mph..Expansion chamber is stock Tanaka painted aluminum color.  I am machining an aluminum chamber for it now.  Next project is an aluminum twin 47R kart.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks, Don Helton, H & H Associates Inc

If you are not finding what you are looking for on our site, be sure to check out the Tanaka forum on lawnsite.com.  I just posted another trimmer field test today (TBC-2501).  We will be getting into the fall products (blowers) shortly.

In addition to field tests, you will find product comparisons, testimonials from commercial landscapers, poll questions, technical service related posts, and much more.  Lawnsite.com is the leading online community for professional landscapers with over 30,000 members.  Be sure to check it out when you get a chance.

Did you know that Tanaka powered the first “pocket bikes?"  It was a fad started in Japan in the late 70’s / early 80’s by a small company named Swing. They produced scaled down versions of race bikes that became known in Japan as “monkey bikes�. It wasn’t until recent years that the fad exploded and became a mainstream type of toy.

Here's a picture of one that I have in my office (and no, it's not for sale :)).  It is powered by a Tanaka 31cc engine and will reach speeds of 30+ (depending on rider weight).  

If you are looking for some other fun products that ARE for sale, be sure to check out our powerboards and powerkarts.