B 2130 to replace BX 1850 for mowing.

montelatici · May 24, 2019

Decided to go ahead and replace my BX 1850 with a mid mount mower with a B 2130 with a mid mount mower and a hydraulic lift sickle bar on the 3 point. Got a price from my local dealer and Messick's and I am waiting for a quote from a dealer about 3 hours away in Virginia who includes a trailer in his "deals". Already have bids on the BX on eBay, great little tractor for mowing not one hiccup over the 11 years of ownership. Bolt holding one of the blades came loose a few years ago and I had to drop the mower to replace them, but the tractor has never had a problem. The B is a little bigger than the BX so it may be less maneuverable on the lawn areas where I will use it (I use the L3700 on the fields with a with a brush hog) but the sickle bar will be able to access the areas the belly mower can't get to. Any comments from owners of this B series will be appreciated.

TMGT · May 25, 2019

Do you mean a B2301? If so I have a B2620 which is the older, slightly larger version of the 2301. Love mine, great size to power and light enough for mowing without tearing up the yard.

Depending of what deck you're getting you might want to look at the B2601 for a little more power.

montelatici · May 25, 2019

Yes, 2301. Do you think it would be under powered for mowing two relatively flat lawns (front and back no more than 1/2 acre) with the 54 inch belly mower and some trimming work with the sickle bar? Remember, I have an L 3700 (37 HP) with a loader and 64 inch brush hog for heavy work.

TMGT · May 25, 2019

Shouldn't be a problem, if you had lots of steep hills or wanted to run the 60" I would say step up to the 2601, but the 2301 will be fine for your use.

PaulL2 · May 25, 2019

Look at price carefully. The B2601 isn't much more expensive, and I think holds resale better. It's a relatively large machine for 23 horses, particularly since Kubota has started counting differently and it's not even 23 horses any more. I'd also consider the 60 inch deck for similar reasons. It might scalp if your lawn is very uneven, but it lets you get a bit closer to obstacles when you're mowing around them. And look for the new B2601-1 (or B2301-1) with the single lever hydraulic coupler.

montelatici · May 25, 2019

The sickle bar mower will allow me to cut very close to obstacles, under fences and will allow me too trim hedges and invasive shrubs/trees that's why I prefer the 54 inch mower. I am not getting the loader so the single lever hydraulic coupler would be superfluous, I think. I have an L-3700 (37 HP) and a BX 24 TLB that both have loaders and a backhoe so I don't need or want a loader on a tractor that I will use for lawns, it gets in the way. But certainly that single lever hydraulic coupler would be super useful on my other tractors with FELs. Very cool.

PaulL2 · May 25, 2019

If you have a BX24, why wouldn't you just use that to drive the sickle mower and to mow? Same horsepower as the B2301, and only about 100kg difference in weight. With the loader on the BX24 would be heavier probably. Not that I'm trying to avoid spending other people's money, it's one of my favourite things. But I'm not entirely sure why you need 3 tractors ranging from a BX to a B to a small L. Sort of seems like you could make do with only two. Potentially the L is a better target for the sickle mower, the BX for the finish mowing (although you could also just keep your BX1850 in that world).

Or, you could go the other way, and spread out more. Keep the BX24, get a B2650 (bigger spread, better target for a sickle mower), and upgrade the L to a Grand or an MX.

JOHNTHOMAS · May 26, 2019

PaulL2 said:
If you have a BX24, why wouldn't you just use that to drive the sickle mower and to mow? Same horsepower as the B2301, and only about 100kg difference in weight. With the loader on the BX24 would be heavier probably. Not that I'm trying to avoid spending other people's money, it's one of my favourite things. But I'm not entirely sure why you need 3 tractors ranging from a BX to a B to a small L. Sort of seems like you could make do with only two. Potentially the L is a better target for the sickle mower, the BX for the finish mowing (although you could also just keep your BX1850 in that world).

Or, you could go the other way, and spread out more. Keep the BX24, get a B2650 (bigger spread, better target for a sickle mower), and upgrade the L to a Grand or an MX.

Now here is a man that doesn't understand the concept of having a different tractor with a specific implement/attachment on teach tractor for each job and saving the hassle of swapping attachments/implements. I personally have recently reduced my herd to just one tractor but I have a couple of dedicated mowers and a couple of RTVs. Selling/sold some of my attachments since I'm winding down projects. Once a person has added several attachments and owned more than one tractor and uses those they own they understand the having more than one tractor and trying to make just one be the do all. Of course financesalso influence some people and feel they have to justify everything based on the spreadsheet/financial statement and sometimes buying food for the family or another tractor and if that's the case then don't buy another tractor. I guess quantity of land, financial income, value of time and possible injury (I work alone and heavy lifting/jerking/tugging are something I try to avoid even if I have to pay money for ways to avoid those physically destructive activities) are all factors to consider.

PaulL2 · May 26, 2019

JOHNTHOMAS said:
the hassle of swapping attachments/implements

True enough. I invested in making trolleys for each of my attachments, they're now quite easy to attach to the 3ph - no tugging or pushing, they just roll around until they line up perfectly.

Don't get me wrong, I can see the value in having 3 tractors (although I don't have space nor use for that myself). I just don't understand having 3 tractors quite so close in size - seems more spread would make sense - every second Kubota model instead of every Kubota model.

montelatici · May 26, 2019

I made do with one tractor for many years, a Kubota B5200. Big hassle changing implements dollies or no dollies. Taking the backhoe off the BX24 is not an easy task and would deter me from ever mowing if I had to do it to mow. The "small" L, it was the highest HP standard L when it was a current model, and is not that small and not light enough for running over a lawn without destroying it, and I will be using the sickle bar on the lawns. I am keeping the BX 24 as I use it often for backhoe work ,(just repaired a water line) and the L is about as big a tractor I want or need for my property. I might consider changing to the higher HP B series, the 2601 though. It could replace the L if I see that the sickle bar can be used for the fields instead of the L with the brush hog. Frankly, I like having tractors ready to go for specific jobs.