OP
TJP89
Veteran Member
OK, I'm back. Due to bad weather, I didn't look at the Gravely until yesterday afternoon. BUT, I really liked what I saw. It was the ZT HD 60". I'm going 60". They can loan me trailer to get it home. Also, the salesman agreed with you all. I asked how easy the deck came off and he said straight out "you don't." But there is no need to. If I really need to get under the thing, I have a loader that will lift the whole darn thing, much less the front of it. That line of thinking sent down the path of, If I need to get this somewhere, I can lift the whole thing with the loader onto a trailer. So 60" it is.
The mower was impressive. maintenance was easy to get to. Simple deck lift. Smooth and quiet. I was pretty much sold. I think this is it. I really don't want to buy from TSC, and there isn't a whole lot on Badboy. Cub Cadet is more expensive, and they won't be able to get one in until I buy it. Not happening. So I think Gravely it is.
Now, it comes with an option of a Kohler 7000 Pro V twin, with some sort of smart choke system. Or a Kawasaki V-twin with normal choke. The Kohler is cheaper by $200. Obviously I'll take 200 off, but is there a definite better choice on those engines? I drove the Kawasaki, and it was really quiet. is the Kohler like that too, or is it worse off. I have a Kohler on the log splitter, and that thing is the loudest motor I have, more so than the Kioti. Also real hard starting. Is that just a small engine thing, or a Kohler thing?
For those of you who think I need to go bigger: I looked at a commerical mower next to the HD. I see no reason to spend 2K more, I think the HD will do fine. I'm only putting about 50hrs of lawn mowing a year on this thing, so there is no need to go overkill I'm only using half the year. I don't need a multitasking tractor, I have two already. I'm having hard enough time justifying 5K on a part-year lawn mower.
The mower was impressive. maintenance was easy to get to. Simple deck lift. Smooth and quiet. I was pretty much sold. I think this is it. I really don't want to buy from TSC, and there isn't a whole lot on Badboy. Cub Cadet is more expensive, and they won't be able to get one in until I buy it. Not happening. So I think Gravely it is.
Now, it comes with an option of a Kohler 7000 Pro V twin, with some sort of smart choke system. Or a Kawasaki V-twin with normal choke. The Kohler is cheaper by $200. Obviously I'll take 200 off, but is there a definite better choice on those engines? I drove the Kawasaki, and it was really quiet. is the Kohler like that too, or is it worse off. I have a Kohler on the log splitter, and that thing is the loudest motor I have, more so than the Kioti. Also real hard starting. Is that just a small engine thing, or a Kohler thing?
For those of you who think I need to go bigger: I looked at a commerical mower next to the HD. I see no reason to spend 2K more, I think the HD will do fine. I'm only putting about 50hrs of lawn mowing a year on this thing, so there is no need to go overkill I'm only using half the year. I don't need a multitasking tractor, I have two already. I'm having hard enough time justifying 5K on a part-year lawn mower.
