Tractors to check out at Farm Machinery Show?

[PapaPerk]

Hello,

I'm heading to the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville on Thursday. I go almost every year. Awesome awesome show if you've never been. Takes two days to see it all! :confused2:

Anyway I'm interested in a tractor to mow my lawn. I have a Kubota L3830 but need a smaller machine for yard detail. So anyone have suggestions on what I should check out? I will certainly be checking out Kubota BX and B series.

They have every manufacture you can think of so I should be able to see nearly everything. :licking:

 

[rkeith]

How about the new Mahindra MAX series? I'm sure they'd have one of them there!

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

If it is just needed for lawn mowing how about a ZTR?
I too have an L3830 for farm chores, but use an Exmark lazer ZTR to mow my approx 2 acres of lawn. Nothing can be beat for mowing around trees and other obstacles.

 

[Martian]

I think you should check out a ZTR. I've put quite a few hours on one (Exmark something...) and they are really sweet. Mow much faster than my lawn tractor!

 

[foreman Etexas]

I think you should check out a ZTR. I've put quite a few hours on one (Exmark something...) and they are really sweet. Mow much faster than my lawn tractor!

Me and the brother have Exmarks both been without any issues for 3 yrs. His neighbor bought a big kubota 0 turn with diesel,hasnt had any issue either. You can really make quick work out of a yard with the 60in.

 

[PapaPerk]

Well I'll check out the ZTRs! They have quite a few there! :thumbsup:

The only problem I have with the ZTRs is that they are purpose built. A sub compact tractor can do many chores. Of course I have 4 other tractors for that... :laughing:

 

[rsewill]

Well I'll check out the ZTRs! They have quite a few there! :thumbsup:

The only problem I have with the ZTRs is that they are purpose built. A sub compact tractor can do many chores. Of course I have 4 other tractors for that... :laughing:

But they do that purpose built duty so well.

 

[Martian]

They do mow very well. I don't like anything over a lawn tractor to mow my lawn, just to clunky. If I were only going to have one tractor, I can see a sub being nice. But with multiple tractors and a dedicated lawn machine, I'd want a zero turn or a front mower, which basically turn on a dime. They are just much easier to maneuver around. And if you've ever driven a ZTR, they're really fun:thumbsup:

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

As said before, take a good look at the Mahindra Max, I am sure you will be very impressed.

 

[PapaPerk]

Well I'm back from the show. As usual it was more than a person can see in one day. :thumbsup:

I checked out "BX size" tractors from Deere, Kubota, New Holland, Mahindra, Kioti... What can I say. I wasn't impressed with any of them!

All the tractors in the BX size feel cheap to me... like a lawn tractor sold at Lowes. If I had to buy one based of feel, etc I would buy the Kubota. It has the most quality feel to it. Also I like the metal body.

The only thing I have against the Kubota is it's weird ergonomics! :confused2: The seat slides back a country mile but the steering wheel is a mile in the other direction! Very odd. But then the loader stick is right in your face... like 2 feet above the steering wheel! hah! Kubota's have always had weird ergos in my opinion. Even the RTV 900 is jacked up. The RTV 500 is nice though. They need to hire a good ergo engineer to get things fixed. It I bought the BX I would extend the steering wheel shaft.

The John Deere.... 1060?.... had an excellent feel to it and was very very comfortable. Of course the body is entirely plastic and feels like you are sitting on a kids Power Wheels. But it's a comfortable power wheels!

The Mahindra looks beefy. I like it's larger tires, etc. But the seat was extremely uncomfortable! A steel seat from an 8N Ford is much better! :laughing: Also the Mahindra had the typical low quality feel of the controls, etc.

I was very impressed with the comfort of the Kubota zero turns. Also the new Kubota skid steer cab is awesome!!! That seat in it is heaven on tracks!!!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

So.... since no one is making a machine that suits me... I'll just wait until someone does. Or I may buy a used Kubota BX and modify it to my own tastes. I'm not cutting up a new tractor.

Thanks for the advice guys. The zero turn is looking better and better and feels better too!