should I get a BX?

[txkevin]

Wow! That bx25 sure sounds nice. Is 2 years too soon for an upgrade? How come I can't find this thing on kubota's site?

The BX 25 is like Big Foot and the Lockness monster... They are reported to exist and there are some pictures out there. However, I have a feeling, they are just BX24's in new suits or light trickery ........

I have no idea why Kubota would put a product in the market and not have the information on its website. Very strange.....

 

[lp333]

That is typically how I feel when I go to a craft show. I walk around saying " Are you kidding, I could make one of those in a few hours for half the price"... Then I never quite get around to it....

TXK, you are correct about the overpricing of most BXpanded products.

Last Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed making a BH storage dolly in a couple of hours. My only real cost was for 3 sets of wheels (about $45 in total); for the frame, I used 2x4s scraps that came from a 25 year old cedar deck that I am in the process of replacing. The dolly rolls very nicely on my smooth concrete floor.

 

[asylum575]

The BX 25 is like Big Foot and the Lockness monster... They are reported to exist and there are some pictures out there. However, I have a feeling, they are just BX24's in new suits or light trickery ........

I have no idea why Kubota would put a product in the market and not have the information on its website. Very strange.....

I saw a BX25 at Messick's a couple of weeks ago. After going over it with Neil, I'm satisfied with my BX24. Especially after using the included 3PH gear that came with mine. I'd be annoyed to spend a couple of hundred bucks on something that used to be included.

 

[KeithInSpace]

...a couple of hundred bucks on something that used to be included.

More than that...ANY bucks on something that is fundamental to the tractor itself. Why even offer a TLB without the 3PH arms? Silly.

Why don't they offer the entire rig but not include the headlight switch. Sure, it has headlights, wiring for the headlights, power to the headlights, and a spot for the switch...but not everyone NEEDS headlights. So the switch is now optional. $200, please.

Delete the freakin' turn signals. Not the 3PH assembly.

 

[sw03]

More than that...ANY bucks on something that is fundamental to the tractor itself. Why even offer a TLB without the 3PH arms? Silly.

Why don't they offer the entire rig but not include the headlight switch. Sure, it has headlights, wiring for the headlights, power to the headlights, and a spot for the switch...but not everyone NEEDS headlights. So the switch is now optional. $200, please.

Delete the freakin' turn signals. Not the 3PH assembly.

Because, like JD, they are starting to nickle-and-dime ya. I remember when JD would charge you for a PTO, a 3-pt hitch etc...Sad

 

[asylum575]

The turn signals and headlights are probably necessary for DOT regulations. The 3 point hitch should definitely be included.

 

[KeithInSpace]

POINT: How many of us give two hoots about DOT regulations with regard to slow moving vehicles (SMVs)? How many of us still have the stupid triangle mounted to our machines? How many of us have been driving down the road and been given the finger or ticketed for our inability to properly signal our lane change or turning intentions ON OUR BX TRACTOR? I can say how many times that's happened to me....

Compare that to those of us that give many more than two hoots about the presence of a 3PH.

I'm agreeing, by the way. I just get a little purturbed at some beancounter's bright idea of making something optional that is "unnecessary". Get out of the office, dude...use the machine, for goodness sake.

Starting to rant...Sorry.

 

[txkevin]

TXK, you are correct about the overpricing of most BXpanded products.
.

Don't get me wrong, I recently purchased one of their dolly's. The price to value was worth it to me. Sure I could likely have made one but I liked their design and it seems like a high quality piece. I thought about making one but realized that I would have put it off on my "to do" list and when I really needed it, it would not have been ready. I can tell you this, the man has a quality business model. They were a pleasure to do business with.

 

[Matt_Jr]

YIKES!! NO 3PH?!!!. Nevermind the downgrade thing. I can deal with bumping up from idle and plastic. The steel hood would be nice though.

 

[LBrown59]

POINT: How many of us give two hoots about DOT regulations with regard to slow moving vehicles (SMVs)? How many of us still have the stupid triangle mounted to our machines? How many of us have been driving down the road and been given the finger or ticketed for our inability to properly signal our lane change or turning intentions ON OUR BX TRACTOR? I can say how many times that's happened to me....
.

I don't have it on any of my tractors.
Took all of them off because I don't drive the tractors on the road.

 

[escavader]

YIKES!! NO 3PH?!!!. Nevermind the downgrade thing. I can deal with bumping up from idle and plastic. The steel hood would be nice though.

Look for a low houred bx-23 ,they had metal hood and fenders.

 

[KeithInSpace]

Look for a low houred bx-23

I have to say that there are numerous improvements on the BX24 that would make me prefer it to the BX23.

While I think the curved arms of the FEL are more cute than useful, I have to say that the curved boom of the BX24 BH is HUGE. At the time I bought my BX2230, I had the choice of a BX23 and I acutally preferred the Woods BH over the Kubota BH on the BX23 for many reasons, both in geometry and material choices. My observations (and my wife's budget requests) pushed me to the 2230/Woods combo and I have been pleased.

I am not busting on the BX23 in the least. It is a great machine. I'm trying to point out that there are many merits to choosing a BX24 over a BX23. Far fewer merits exist, however, to choose a BX25 over a BX24.

I'm not sure which is better...a metal hood that dents when a huge log falls on it (battlescar) or a plastic hood that either weathers the blow with NO DAMAGE or simply shatters in the same situation. I honestly don't know.

I wonder how much it would cost (and if it would fit) to stick a BX25 hood on a BX24? Probably not worth it.

 

[Matt_Jr]

I wonder how much it would cost (and if it would fit) to stick a BX25 hood on a BX24? Probably not worth it.

I was only kidding about switching tractors. I'm very happy my BX24. The crack in the right fender where the handle is...not so happy about.

 

[Volfandt]

I am not busting on the BX23 in the least. It is a great machine. I'm trying to point out that there are many merits to choosing a BX24 over a BX23.

On paper I agree but, there has been 10-fold more negative post's from those who've purchased the BX24 as opposed to those who've purchased the BX23. And the BX23 has been around at least 3 yrs longer......
And I've yet to read of a task the BX24 can do that the BX23 couldn't

I'm not knocking the BX24 either but I do find it interesting that Kubota went back (i.e. similar to the 30 series) to more metal in the BX's skin and straightened out the abrupt stopping in reverse problems w/ the 50 series in the new 60 series.

Kubota REALLY needs to address the abrupt stopping in the 50 series or it may go down as the series to avoid in an otherwise very good tractor model........

 

[KeithInSpace]

On paper I agree but, there has been 10-fold more negative post's from those who've purchased the BX24 as opposed to those who've purchased the BX23.

There is no way I can disagree with that statement. For solid year, maybe more, I felt like the smartest guy on the planet for choosing my BX2230 over a similarly priced BX1850 at the time of my purchase.

I was simply trying to point out a technical aspect of the BX24 that played a part in my decisions when making my purchase. I'm sure you could out-dig me any day of the week, straight boom and all. Not a doubt in my mind.

I have a friend that owns a BX2350 and knows nothing of this forum or any of the issues that the "50 series" BX had or has. We were chatting and he mentioned the one thing he doesn't like about the tractor...that it will almost break your back when stopping from reverse. It isn't one of those things that makes you sell the tractor and buy another, but it really seems like a strange thing to have let out of the factory.

 

[LBrown59]

I have a friend that owns a BX2350 and knows nothing of this forum or any of the issues that the "50 series" BX had or has. We were chatting and he mentioned the one thing he doesn't like about the tractor...that
*it will almost break your back when stopping from reverse.

*I'm glad I don't have a BX24 and 2 BX1850s then.

 

[Renob]

And I've yet to read of a task the BX24 can do that the BX23 couldn't




While I agree the 23 is a great machine, it cannot lift my full size backblade more than 2 inches off the ground. While my BX24 will lift it 8-10 inches in the air. The difference in 3pt hitch lift height on the next gen. is a big plus.

 

[Volfandt]

I was simply trying to point out a technical aspect of the BX24 that played a part in my decisions when making my purchase.

No problem, open discourse is one of the main reasons I visit forums such as these. Theres more than one way to skin a cat and I learn new things everyday.
That abrupt stopping reverse problem is definitely known by Kubota. When I stopped by to check out the new B series the salesman wanted me to know that "that 50 series problem" had been corrected in the 60 series. I've not looked at the redesigned hst pedal setup on the 50 series but am getting alot more curious as to how it works and if the pedal return can be adjusted out.

While I agree the 23 is a great machine, it cannot lift my full size backblade more than 2 inches off the ground. While my BX24 will lift it 8-10 inches in the air.

But it will lift it
(good point btw).
There is a mod that can get that back blade a couple more inches higher on the 30 series and is very easy to do. A couple drilled holes approx 2 inches higher on the lift rods does it. Kubota even built that bracket with more than enough room for this mod.
I may have to peep out the 3ph assembly on the 50 series and see what they did to increase the lift height, it could be a fairly simple mod for the 30 series.
I will allow that the additional 1 hp and hydraulic system gpm is a plus the 50 series has over the 30 series. It may not translate into a "big" difference but it is bigger numbers and those that choose their machines "by the numbers" appreciate those increases.
The 60 series takes the larger gpm flow to another level by generating higher pressures at lower engine rpm.
Course it could be that it's just that I've gotten used to it but IMHO the treadle pedal of the 00 & 30 series is more intuitive and takes much less effort to change directions. If it were me I'd have left the treadle pedal above board and added turning brakes.