Hey Everybody, wanted to write a review of the FS131 with bike handles i purchased this spring. Never written a review, so here goes! I am comparing this model to my FS80R that i have used for 11 years as a point of reference. I use this weedeater for multiple ditches and other places that the tractor cant get in. Usually thick stuff as i dont like to do it very often. It also clears small trees on my trails in the woods. Power: This model has alot of power. I have run 2 tanks of gas with the chisel blade on it and it can cut thru small trees easily, even ones that require cutting from both sides due to the diameter of the blade. I have run 3 tanks of gas thru it weed eating and was impressed. I ran it with stihl .105 line. It doesnt bog like a two stroke when you hit rough brush (stuff you shouldnt be trying to string trim), it just eats the line off. The clutch seems to engage at a low rpm and it engages "hard". There is no slipping in this clutch at all. This unit has too much power to use "around the house". It just blows grass/weeds/brush away. Boatloads of torque. Weight: Its much heavier than my FS80R. How much i cannot say for certain, but it is noticeable when you pick it up. I purchased the forestry harness and bike handles as i am not using this to edge or get into tight spots. With the harness, i dont notice the extra weight. I could use it all day if i had to, no way i could do that with a loop handle. Starting: For this unit, you HAVE to prime the bulb 5 times when starting cold. If you dont prime it, it will go from not starting to flooding lol. My FS80 just needed 1 or two pumps of the bulb. If you prime it correctly, kicks over on the first pull and then will start on the second. You dont have to mess with a choke, just turn a knob over to the choke position. Like the big backpack blowers they make. Fuel use: I dont know exactly how long you can go on a tank, but its over 1.5 hours. The FS80 could go about 45 minutes or so. The exhaust doesnt smell as bad either. Noise: Its quieter than the FS80 even tho it makes more power. How much im not sure, but it is noticeable. Vibration: Quite a bit less than the FS80. Dont know if its the bike handle or just the unit, but not as much vibes make it to your hands. I also pay petty good attention when i wrap my string in my heads and i think that helps some (using the same length). One other thing that i read on various forums was the throttle control for this unit. Everybody complained that they could not feather the throttle. With the bike handles i dont notice this. Yes its more sensitive to throttle input, but i think thats because the engine is so torquey. Once the clutch engages, its go time. I still use the FS80 around the house and for trimming, its great for that. It sucked for everything else on the farm but i made it work. The FS131 is a completely different tool and works great for the ditches, trails, and brush. Dislike: Setting up the freakin harness and handles! It was like trying to solve a rubix cube lol! For somone over 6 ft like me, trying to get the head level with the ground while my hands are in the right place is a nightmare. But i got it all to work.
Your review sounds exactly like I would write about my 130 Kombi unit. Starting can be a challenge sometime. Lots of power, and it uses a lot of line. I much prefer my FS 85 for "Lawn trimming" but when I crawl into a 600' ditch to trim it (I do that 3-4 times a year) I appreciate the power of the 130 with the trimmer head.
