LOL... that's funny
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I completely agree that the HST+ is great tech.. and if I could have it for + $1200 (like the jump I paid from shuttle to HST) Then I'd definitely have a hard time NOT seriously considering the upgrade. Especially after seeing how it works on Ken's L3540. I think it's a great mix, adding the convenience of HST and the rpm throttle benefits of gear. Do I need it? Nope, my HST does just fine. But it is definitely nice, to be sure.
Now BULLITT - besides a transmission upgrade, what features or other considerations are you talking about that somehow makes the Grand L series so much better than the DK... that it makes them NOT comparable? Don't forget that the DK comes with a standard remote, which was a $700 option as quoted to me by my local Kubota dealer. Also, I believe the DK also comes standard with draft control - and not so on the Kubota. (Disclaimer on that... I THINK it's standard on the Kioti... it is on my LS and I want to say the feature set was nearly identical when I was shopping).
Regarding the loaders... Kubota has more loader options to offer than Kioti, so you have to make sure you compare them fairly. If shopping between the DK50/L4740 for example --- the Kioti 401 loader is very closely spec'd to the Kubota LA854 loader.
MAX LIFT AT PINS, full height: Kub=2443 Kioti=2761. BREAKOUT AT PINS: Kub=3774 Kioti=3727. So it's very close indeed. Would the extra 318# of loader lift matter to anyone? Well, it's a big factor for me. My LS lifts 2638#, and I use every bit of that at times. For other guys, that may never be an issue.
SO - WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN TO IT... if the point of this thread is just "Kioti vs Kubota" then I think we can all say they're very close, with minor spec details favoring each one in different ways, for certain tractors. The "quality" argument is nearly moot, as they are both great tractors with excellent build & support quality. It's a whole different agrument when it comes down to what each specific person needs when shopping. I personally know that Ken shopped Kioti too, and compared the cab models of the DK vs GrandL... so his reviews are very qualified. I think he found them to be very comparable, but he liked the ergonomics of the Kubota better, and felt it had better fit & finish. While I might not agree on the "fit & finish" part, we also like different auto manufacturers products than each other too, so it ends up being just as much a "Ford vs Chevy" type argument (or in our case GM vs Toyota) than anything else... which we all know doesn't really matter because people buy whatever they want to buy anyhow!
lol... there, I just woke up and finished my 2nd cup of coffee too