Bx or B

[check 6]

I may have commented on this before and if so sorry for the redundancy. Over the last twenty years I have had several BX and B tractors including a cabbed B which I don't recommend as it is very top heavy. Anyway as others have said the BX is great little tractor but with its limited ground clearance and two speed transmission it is limited. The B is a much more rugged machine, not that much larger as it can still get in tight places, has a three speed transmission, differential brakes, much better ground clearance and much better ground clearance. As to mowing I have had middle mowers and they are OK at best on a BX they make a nice garden mower. I finish mower on a B will really mow BUT it turning radius is larger and thus harder to get in tight places. The best answer I have learned after much and expensive trial and error is a B tractor and I have a 2601with FEL and pallot forks ( a great and often used tool) and a Zero turn mower with a 60 inch deck . Yes more investment but tools specifically designed to get the job done. By the way the 2601 B is, size wise about halfway between the BX and the 2650 B and has the 26 hp engine and a larger hydraulic pump than the BX , As I said Ive gone both ways and the B is a true tractor that will do the hard work and yet is small enough to get into tight places

For the comment about the dust with a Zero Turn I have solved that by adding a down draft fan on the top hoop of the ROPS on both my B and my Zero turn, keeps the dust and insect away and adds some cooling in the summer

 

[senecak19]

Watching this thread go back and forth is comical. All the advice being given is spot on. The OP seems to put a lot of faith in what the “dealer says..”. I went the path of check6 without the trial and error and have been very happy. So that brings me to the dealer. He’s happy to sell you a B series over a BX... more expensive machine maybe more profit for him I don’t know. He’s also happy to sell you a BX... so he can take it in trade later and sell you a B and make a two way profit. IMO, some people are truly content with a BX because there’s a place for it. There’s a larger population of people that bought the BX only to trade it in. Thankfully I wasn’t one of them. In short, I trust the feedback on here over any dealer, especially when the same message is being regurgitated over and over.

I may have commented on this before and if so sorry for the redundancy. Over the last twenty years I have had several BX and B tractors including a cabbed B which I don't recommend as it is very top heavy. Anyway as others have said the BX is great little tractor but with its limited ground clearance and two speed transmission it is limited. The B is a much more rugged machine, not that much larger as it can still get in tight places, has a three speed transmission, differential brakes, much better ground clearance and much better ground clearance. As to mowing I have had middle mowers and they are OK at best on a BX they make a nice garden mower. I finish mower on a B will really mow BUT it turning radius is larger and thus harder to get in tight places. The best answer I have learned after much and expensive trial and error is a B tractor and I have a 2601with FEL and pallot forks ( a great and often used tool) and a Zero turn mower with a 60 inch deck . Yes more investment but tools specifically designed to get the job done. By the way the 2601 B is, size wise about halfway between the BX and the 2650 B and has the 26 hp engine and a larger hydraulic pump than the BX , As I said Ive gone both ways and the B is a true tractor that will do the hard work and yet is small enough to get into tight places

For the comment about the dust with a Zero Turn I have solved that by adding a down draft fan on the top hoop of the ROPS on both my B and my Zero turn, keeps the dust and insect away and adds some cooling in the summer

 

[Chugbug]

Check into the LX....the $$ difference between the B26 and LX26 is only about $1,000. more and LX is a bigger frame with more lifting capacity front and back, much nicer suspension seat........we just traded our BX25 in and the new LX26 will be here in the morning.

 

[the old grind]

He does only have turf tires on the ones he has....he gave me a price of $15400 which is lower than anything else I found by about 1k. The best I found on the 2301 was 19500. A 2601 I found at 21400. I do think at minimum I want the R4 tires. The b series just felt "big" and its likely due to me being a city boy who bought some acres. Im hoping to truly only maintain 3 of the acres. 2 of the acres is pond so thsts area I won't mow. I do forsee in a year I do sell the bx. I love everyone's input. The only grass I'll have is likely native grasses. A buddy did say skip the mmm and just get the b series and brush or flail and be done with it. Said the MMM is a waste and expensive.

I have a B-sized and two L-sized tractors. My only ?? with buying a BX to trade it in might a $$ hit that could have been spent on a ZTR. Flail mower will cut/chop better w/o wind-rowing or wanting additional passes if you get behind on a season and will cut 'wider' with less hp. Raising mower to back up is often required with a slasher. I leave my 53" cut flail on the 33 for ballast, 5' BB on the 35, and 6' LR on the 26. With shore maintenance (16-1700 of 2100 ft) it wasn't long before grapples were acquired for the SSQA FELs.

Back to size. L 2501 has similar frame size and tires as my 33 and 35. B's tires are smaller that those on my 26, which IMO is a SCUT at <2000 lb & 1.1 L engine. It's cramped to sit or git on & off, and the one I'd want to fill tires and add spacers to the rears. 1.1 L motor underwhelms, won't pull my 48" (sand filled) lawn roller in Hi and won't go >6mph in Lo. (we need 3 ranges) Front tires are small for full loads in the FEL bucket. If the emissions thing wasn't a biggie, a 30hp L-series Kubo would do it all for the acreage, but IMO if its the same size as the L2501 a guy likely wouldn't miss 5 hp if not running WFO anyway. FEL and rear lift would be same. I had a 23hp version of what's my 35 now. Can't rally tell the diff when operating/loading/grading ...

Not to steer to another brand, but I tout Kioti Ck2601 for being comparable to L2501 in features and size as 'best in class'. Dunno about brand/price difference, but IMO they're both keepers as 'detuned' real 30hp-class CUTs. (With more front & rear lift than any of mine. 20 yrs with these size but NH-Sibauras I know where they fall short for regular use )

btw, I bought hammer vs flail cutters for my 'Med Duty' Bestsco flail mower, they're forged steel and will split fist sized granite rock as cleanly as the 3/16" x 22" blades on my ZTR do. Dozen rocks or so per 10ac and I haven't chipped one yet. And sorry for butting in, but nearly every time I read of a tractor I'm not familiar with I go to tractordata to learn about about it. I don't know what sports stats even are, so have room in head for CUT stats. So many 'shopping' threads are for non-emissions equipped tractors. (mine are EGR & CI catalyst/mufflers) I'm pretty up on what I'd wwant if I had the $$ to buy new again. My two faves are (shudder) orange and <25hp. :2cents: :2cents: :2cents:

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I believe you have been informed enough and your request for more input is just going to confuse you with hearing the same stories of what people bought before finally moving up to the size tractor they needed to start with. Notice I said tractor and not lawn mower which are 2 different machines. A tractor can mow but not as good as a lawnmower and for sure cost more money unless you count the F Kubota mowers which are the top for 4wd mower.
Obviously you have a budget in mind and are hoping someone will tell you about a perfect machine that will fit all of your needs for a small amount of money. If someone does they are lying or have no idea what they are talking about.
You need a minimum of a B or L and a MX would be better. I've owned them all and advise from someone that has just owned a BX or B may not be solid advise or broad experienced advise and yes dealers want to sell what they have on hand 1st but make the same money if they order you a machine since Kubota Company, not the dealer, owns almost all of the new machines till they are sold.

 

[check 6]

With all the above said I would add don’t fall into the trap of buying too much tractor . We all, and I’m included want a bigger tractor and a cabbed one , BUT, as much as too small a tractor can’t efficiently do the work we need to do. Too large a tractor can’t either as we can’t get into the places we need to . Bottom line what do you need the tractor for and what might you need it for in the foreseeable future . After stumbling around buying and selling while the B2601 may not be all the tractor I want it is all the tractor I need for the work I foresee and having tried it the BX just was not capable of some of that . I use the FEL frequently and equally the pallet forks . The three point hitch has all the power I think I may need for future implements and most importantly the tractor is not so large that I can’t get into areas I need to get into. Yes some of my chores could be quicker with a larger tractor but for those few the “B” just takes a little more time to do it . Hope that helps

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Bottom line what do you need the tractor for and what might you need it for in the foreseeable future . CAN KEEP SAYING THIS OVER AND OVER AND IT STILL APPLIES.
PS There are rocks I move with my MX5400 that I couldn't move with my L3901 or any of the Bs I've owned. Most of the rest of the jobs I've done with the MX5400 I could eventually do with the Ls or Bs but the time would have greatly increased and method of doing the job would have been different. I traded a B7800 one time to a L3240 and felt the L was to big based on how high off the ground the seat was while working on hillside so yes, there are some rare times for a tractor to be to big. I used a B7800 extensively for some years and believe my current MX5400 could work in the same areas with MX size and steering ability. May be wrong since I don't have them side by side but believe so. I did own a B and BX once and did a side by side test and posted it here some years ago.

 

[robertm]

After having three B’s snd two Bx’s, one big gripe I suffer with the BX is the hydraulics. In order to get any power or speed out of the BX hydraulics, it’s gotta be tached up. The B’s have dual pumps, and do not suffer from this.
As for the MMM comments, some are asinine. I have had MMM’s on all my tractors, and would never have a RMF mower. That’s me. I’m not swinging a rear mower around on my acreage. But, for 8 acres? Both the BX and B are too small. I promise the OP will trade in either and move up to an L-series... or wish he had.

 

[the old grind]

I suggest that any HST lacking three ranges and or position control will be a disappointment in short time.

That said, a guy might realize so within 20 hrs and get a dealer to take back the little guy for good bucks and re-sell it as a demo. (I've seen this with cars, trucks, & CUTs).

Size trumps hp for getting work done, esp for FEL work and with weight for traction. Loaded tires and wheel spacers can enhance stability. L series if Kubo is preferred. :thumbsup:

btw, 0% financing is a gimmick to get interest folded into price up front often vs a lower 'cash' price and say CU financing. If there's no lower 'cash' price it's just that way to encourage the supposed true 0% option and reel in a buyer by convenient monthly pmts vs cash & long term cost. It won't help one's equity position if trading in before paid off. (BT, did the math)

IMO, KTAC is a best reason to buy Kubo 'new', but NH, Kioti, & Bobcat have awesome <25hp, non-emissions CUTs of 25-35 hp size with good warranties, 'do-it-all' performance and bigger front tires. Kubo's L2501 is the minimum I'd recommend, but don't try to compare it's specs/features to NH WM 25 or the emissions-free Daedongs. (<25 hp 'Cat, & Kioti.)

 

[buck12]

btw, 0% financing is a gimmick to get interest folded into price up front often vs a lower 'cash' price and say CU financing. If there's no lower 'cash' price it's just that way to encourage the supposed true 0% option and reel in a buyer by convenient monthly pmts vs cash & long term cost. It won't help one's equity position if trading in before paid off. (BT, did the math)

This has been discussed on TBN before but with Kubota it does not seem to make any difference whether you pay cash or take the 0%. The tractor is the same price.

I tried paying cash I August 2019. The dealer said it made no difference to him and the price was the same, so I am using Kubotas money for five years.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

This has been discussed on TBN before but with Kubota it does not seem to make any difference whether you pay cash or take the 0%. The tractor is the same price.

I tried paying cash I August 2019. The dealer said it made no difference to him and the price was the same, so I am using Kubotas money for five years.

Some times Kubota will have a "Cash rebate" for paying cash. Always ask to know how much the financing is really costing but some times there is no rebate and the 0% is 0% which is a no brainer to take. I almost always take the financing because it is almost always the better deal even when a "Cash rebate" is offered because I usually don't have $15,000 to $40,000 cash on hand and still owe some on my home at 3.75% so any "extra" cash would/could go to paying that off. I pay no other finance charges. If a machine is $20,000 and has a $700 cash rebate, do your math of the actual interest rate being charged for 60 months. It's almost nothing. Kubota owns almost all new Kubotas on a dealers lot and the dealer gets his "share" when the machine is sold and the dealer gets the same money whether cash or charge so the ole "How much for cash" question is for flea market and yard sale buying, not for a Kubota Franchised Dealer.

 

[Milo]

You make a good case to finance your tractor for 0 if you have other debt. Obviously one must also factor in the required insurance you mush buy in order to get the free financing.
I have no idea how much Kubota charges to insure tractors, does anyone know what it will cost per year for say 5 years on an L 2501?

 

[buck12]

You make a good case to finance your tractor for 0 if you have other debt. Obviously one must also factor in the required insurance you mush buy in order to get the free financing.
I have no idea how much Kubota charges to insure tractors, does anyone know what it will cost per year for say 5 years on an L 2501?

You don’t have to have Kubota insurance to use Kubota financing. You just have to prove coverage on the tractor. I will keep insurance on my tractor even after it is paid off. I had insurance on my last tractor and paid cash for it.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

My homeowners insurance covers Kubotas I keep on my property and I use kubota financing. I purchase the KTAC insurance on my RTVs that I take off my home property. I had a RTV500 and someway knocked the inlet on the bottom off the radiator which had to be replaced. I paid the deductible and KTAC paid the balance soooo was glad to have the KTAC insurance on that machine last year. I have put some dents in some of my tractors and never filed a claim with my homeowners due to the minor damage and potential increase in homeowners and deductibles. Same with my pick up truck. I want/get insurance to cover possible major losses. Have big deductibles also on home insurance.
Kubota financing has always accepted a fax from homeowners that I have insurance coverage on the machine I'm buying/financing.

 

[m1garand762]

Look at an lx 3310. Just because your dealer doesn't have it insock doesn't mean he cant get one from another dealer. When i ordered my l series last fall the 6 closest dealers didn't have 1 instock. My dealer sent his driver to get one on the east coast somewhere. It didn't cost me a dime more either since when i ordered it he told me he had some coming in in about a month but 4 days later it was in my barn

 

[killingitcountry]

I have had a Kubota BX25D for 5 years now. I wish it was more powerful - so I guess I could say I would go with the B series ... but having said that - once I was sitting in a B series, would I then want something bigger again? What is the perfect machine?

 

[MossyDell]

I have had a Kubota BX25D for 5 years now. I wish it was more powerful - so I guess I could say I would go with the B series ... but having said that - once I was sitting in a B series, would I then want something bigger again? What is the perfect machine?

I hear ya! I think I made a good if not perfect choice for my situation = B2601. But find myself very interested in the LXs. A wandering eye kinda goes with the territory. But I hope and think I'll soon get lost in my new baby.

 

[mcmxi]

I have had a Kubota BX25D for 5 years now. I wish it was more powerful - so I guess I could say I would go with the B series ... but having said that - once I was sitting in a B series, would I then want something bigger again? What is the perfect machine?

I've had a BX for five years too and just bought an MX6000 a couple of weeks ago which makes for an excellent if not perfect pair. The BX is set up with a front snow blower/rear blade in the winter months to handle snow on 9,000 sq.ft of asphalt. For the rest of the year it's set up with a MMM, front loader bucket/grapple and backhoe (when needed). In the winter months the MX will handle snow on 450 yards of gravel driveway with a front snow blade and rear blade, and for the rest of the year will be set up with the front loader bucket/grapple and rear blade for more serious work.

Some have stated that the BX is no more than a fancy lawnmower but I've dug a 30 ft long by 3 ft deep trench from the house to the garage to run line for a 220V panel (job quoted at over $3K); moved tons of rocks and dirt in preparation for a new asphalt driveway and parking areas; used the grapple to unload numerous huge logs from a trailer and held the logs up at a comfortable height while I cut off 16" lengths; demolished an old camper with the grapple to get to a rolling chassis for a trailer build; graded dirt and gravel driveways; pulled out t-posts; mowed hundreds of acres of my 20 acre property; moved tens of thousands of pounds of snow; and probably a lot more. Oh yeah, a couple of years ago a coworker asked me if I'd be able to cut down and haul out a 15 ft tall by 48" diameter maple "trunk" that was standing in his back yard. He'd hired a contractor to remove the entire tree but supposedly that individual had left the trunk standing and wasn't responding to calls. I was able to get the BX into the back yard and use the grapple to pick up the huge 16" thick slabs and place them in my dump trailer parked in his driveway. The MX wouldn't have fit through the gate to the yard or made it under a low branch. Yep, I'm keeping the BX even if it is just a "fancy lawnmower". :laughing:

 

[Redtnsv]

well i wanted to report back. i went with the bx over the b. At the end of the day, with this being the first tractor I've owned and the wife refusing to sit on anything besides the bx I figured it was my safest choice. With the comments here, it looked like the B might not even suffice. Ive had it now for a good month and have about 10 hours on it, mostly mowing down the teasel on the 8 acres. I must say it hasnt disappointed. Now when I need to move some dirt later this year I may be disappointed with the bucket size but I knew that when I bought it. I appreciate all the replies.

 

[Thomas]

Congrats on the new investment.
If you think front loader to small for dirt work just remember it's better than shovel and wheel barrow.