So true. Pretty easy to see when looking at PTO Hp values for the same tractor except for the transmission difference.
Newer HST options aren't as bad as the older ones but, there is a real difference.
In my case, the little
B2601 works much better in tight areas, for this reason, as noted about a lot of back-and-forth motion. Around obstacles, it is very convenient too. When I mowed a large area I could not get to with my current tractor though, my leg got tired holding down the HST treadle. It also blows going between my place and a friend's about a mile away.