dont forget the new genuine hondas have the blade brake which i wouldn't want to go without now.
also the deck is a new design .. ive only had the older wide chute style 196 to compare it to but i rkn the newer one is better.. i notice most of the chondas have the old style deck or another cheaper crappy one.
some of the chondas also dont have the rear discharge chute like the genuine (no need to hold open when slashing long grass)
and some are without the snorkel which i rkn is a must
the height adjustment lever is much better on genuine
catcher bags dont seem as good as genuine (not that the genuine one is good in wet grass, but dry its perfect)
starter handle isnt as easy to reach.. (easy to fix that i guess)
little things add to comfort and usability
the warranty isnt a big issue to me as most things you are gonna break wont be covered by the warranty anyway .. i repair and maintain all my own stuff so as long as i know parts are easy to get im happy.
but at the end of the day ive got 2 banged up honda 216m2's and yes they are not the perfect mower in all scenarios but i know that i can take my $1400 mower and chuck it on ebay starting @ 99cents and because it has a genuine honda sticker on it ppl will go crazy and give me back $6-800 for it!!! then ill just go and buy another genuine with warranty piece of mind , tax deductable etc.. and do the same thing again when thats falling apart.
also its your business $1400 vs $800 ... unless you know the $800 mower IS better then why risk it.. you are going to be using it everyday and if the difference between having top of the range and a cheaper copy is a few dollars then i know what i would do.