Cub Cadet RT65 Tiller

[John_in_TN]

Anyone have comments on the Cub Cadet RT65 tiller?
I visited two local Troy Bilt dealers (as listed on the Troy Bilt website) to look at tillers. I was considering the standard Troy Bilt Horse with a B&S engine.
Both dealers are well respected, long time small engine/equipment dealers and repair centers for several national brands. To my surprise, both owners reccomended the RM65 as being a better performing and more reliable tiller than a Troy Bilt Horse (at less than half the price)!!!
I would appreciate any knowledgeable comments either pro or con. Thanks!

 

[bontai_Joe]

The Cub tiller is 18" wide vs. 20 and it's engine is only 2/3rd's the displacement of the Troy-Bilt's motor. Also apparently chain drive vs, gear drive. In other words, the big difference in price is because you are comparing a heavy duty tiller (Troy-Bilt Horse) with a home owner quality tiller (Cub Cadet) A more equal comparison would be the Troy-Bilt Pony and the Cub tiller, and both are similar in price and capability, but I would personally still give the nod to the Troy-Bilt for their gear drive and the fact that the design is time tested and proven to be good for decades.

 

[John_in_TN]

Thanks for the reply. I do appreciate your comments and I did realize the seeming mis-match in the models but the RT65 is the model both Troy Bilt dealers reccomended in place of the Horse.
I have friends & relatives who own older Troy Bilt's. I have used them several times with excellent results and know how well they have held up. But all of the machines I have experience with were made before MTD took over. I wonder if the newer ones are really not as good as the older ones?
Anyway, the only two current Troy Bilt dealers in my area both refuse to reccomend buying one. That left me with a very uncomfortable feeling toward buying a new one, so I have ordered a Honda.
Thanks again.

 

[Baucom]

I think you made an excellent decision going with the Honda. I'm sure the RT65 is a fine tiller, but the TB Horse and Honda are in a completely different league in terms of their build. If you went into this wanting a Horse or comparable tiller, you most likely would've been disappointed with anything less in the long run. What Honda did you get? FRC800?

 

[John_in_TN]

Yes, the FRC800. Don't have it yet. It should arrive within the next week or so. I have never used one. I selected it based on specs, company reputation and some limited experiece with other Honda products.

 

[bontai_Joe]

Interesting that 2 different Troy-Bilt dealers are pushing Cub Cadet tillers.... maybe they have a LOT of them in stock or were trying to intice you with the lower price. If I was buying a tiller this year, I'd have zero hesitation in getting another Troy-Bilt Horse, it's the same design as the old days. MTD has wisely not tinkered with somethng that has a sterling reputation for strength and durability. That would include the Horse, and Pony models. But your selection of the Honda is a good one that I'd say that also will prove superior to the Cub Cadet tiller.

 

[natem]

Just picked up a RT65, but have not unpacked it yet, looking forward to the planting season to try it out.

 

[John_in_TN]

Sorry about the delay in responding, been pretty busy the last few days.

Bontai Joe - I can't make any sense of what the dealers did? I would have jumped on a decent used Horse or Pony if I could have found one but after over a month of searching, I gave up on that. After all was said & done, I just couldn't see handing a dealer that kind of money when he is telling me "I don't reccomend it".
I didn't explain the Honda deal, but I found it in an on-line auction. It is supposedly a 2008 "display" model from a dealer in a near-by state. I got it home Friday night, and am very happy with it so far. Saved a few hundred off the new Horse price and from all appearances this thing is perfectly new. It also has full factory warranty. Haven't found a scratch on it, and I don't think it had ever had oil or gas in the engine. Checked it over, added gas & oil, and it cranked on the first easy pull. I ran it about an hour Saturday afternoon in a field that hasn't been disturbed for 7 or 8 years and was only used for hay for several years before that. I am expanding my garden and just tried to tear up the sod (a couple of inches deep) so that I can come back in week or two for the real prep work. Couldn't be more pleased at this point.

NATEM - Good luck with the RT65. It looks like a good tiller and it is certainly what the dealers in my area are reccomending. I take good care of my equipment, and don't beat it to death, but I do tend to be demanding of it, so I decided to go with a little heavier machine. I do believe the RT65 is a good tiller and it would have likely done everthing I wanted. I just tend to use the "Tim Allen" apprach to these situaions.
Take care and enjoy the new tiller!