New top handle

[Ledburyjosh]

2 hours ago, Mr. Squirrel said:

While I love the little echo battery, and use it all the time, I think you’re selling it a little hard there. It’s crap with a 10” bar, 8” is much better but even at that if you’re burying the whole bar the battery will last no time. Great saw, but it’s a pruner imo. 

I'd disagree and say its far from crap on a 10". The extra 2" also makes poking the bar in between branches for some pruning cuts a bit easier before the body gets in the way.

[Mr. Squirrel]

3 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Top handles seem to have split into two categories.

Take down saws. ie 201, 540 petrol, 542 battery etc.

Trim saws, Stihl 151, Echo 2511.

 

What are you after?

Takedown saw’s the one I’m after. Have t540 mk3, t540i, 150 and dcs 2500. All decent saws but nothing to match the 200. 

[Mr. Squirrel]

3 hours ago, spudulike said:

Yes, the first ones were absolute Shyte but the Mtronic ones are far better. The MS200 always benefits from a lot of grunt from low revs, the Mtronic MS201 doesn't have that but it does pull well once the revs are up....I know from porting both saws and doing timed cuts. It was close but the 200 still has it.

 

Yeah I feel like the earlier 201s really struggled to get the revs up at all though eh? As a well looked after 200 I’m hoping I can get a bit more life out of it yet, but it can’t go on forever. 
 

Mechanically, does the 201 seem fairly solid now? Bearing in mind my benchmark is ~14 year lifespan with ~£250 spent on it in that time 😂

[Mick Dempsey]

Ok, I had three 200s, good saws, but not worthy of the reverence they receive.

 

The first 201s were gutless rubbish, Brad Schnellinger (a US saw guru) fixed them with an upgrade to the timing or something, Stihl copied his upgrade and sold it as their own idea.

Then started selling them already “fixed”

My 201s lasted much longer than the 200s ime, but opinions vary.