If you’re unfamiliar with the Predator brand, you’re not alone. Avid Harbor Freight shoppers will be familiar with the name as it’s an in-house brand, meaning the retailer makes the engine and everything else part of the Predator line. That makes it not as well-known as other engine brands out there, but Predator is still a reliable brand that’ll work just fine for a replacement motor, perhaps for a Predator generator or log splitter — just make sure you switch out another 212cc engine.
Predator is a budget-friendly brand, and user scores suggest their 6.5 hp engines aren’t bad replacements. Avid Harbor Freight shoppers might’ve already picked up a few things from the brand like a generator or pressure washer as those are standouts from the line.
Sometimes, the Predator brands trade blows with bigger names like Honda. A hands-on test from Consumer Reports shows a Predator generator narrowly loses to Honda in terms of performance, but you can grab the Predator option for half the price — making it very handy during an emergency. Harbor Freight suggests its 6.5 Predator hp engine as a Honda replacement, but names Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Yamaha, and Kawasaki engines as possible alternatives, meaning you have plenty of options.