First Choice in Landpride Mellon Yellow?

Surge · Jan 1, 2003

I just happened to go to the Landpride site looking for a seed drill and noticed the banner having a "NEW" rear discharge mower called "The Patriot".... I happen to have a First Choice 60" mower and if that is not a First Choice mower in Landpride Mellon Yellow it is the closet thing to a clone!! It looks exactly the same except for the black belt cover which appears to be a molded plastic instead of the FC metal covers.. Looked at the spec's and are about the same as FC... Looks like landpride thinks the FC design was a winner also....

Take a peek at www.landpride.com and tell me if I am seeing things or not ..... you can see pictures of the First Choice at several sites such as Hoye Bros and O'Bryan's implement to compare....

Interesting...

HayDR · Jan 1, 2003

Surge,

Landpride has appearance patent on the box frame design. In fact FC (Sicma) had to change their design on the rear of their mowers after LP produced the patents and threatened to sue. The Sicma mower uses a Befco high lift blade and the same spindles and pulleys as Caroni. How can FC have different blade speeds than the Caroni when they are geared exactly the same? In the first two years the FC gearboxes were the same as Caroni but now Eurocardan makes the gear boxes. IMO the Patriot is just Landpride's economy model to compete against the Sicma, FC,Sitrex, Caroni, Techna, Delmarino, Curtis, Rhino Breeze, & WAC low end box frame mowers. Remember there are three levels of Sicma mowers sold in the USA, just what level is FC selling now? Surge, you likely have one of the best quality FC mowers.

Stonewall · Jan 2, 2003

I have been eyeing the LP grooming mowers for a while and this looks like a marketing push for the FDR16 series 3 point rear discharge Finish Mowers. I think there is a review of one of these in the product review area of this site. IF it ever rains in Colorado again - I might need one.

JimMc · Jan 2, 2003

I agree, CCI. With at least 3 major importers bringing in the Sicma units (just counting those east of the Mississippi) and adding in the other Italian, Chinese, and Canadian models, Land Pride has seen the need for a lower end model, to be a viable force in those markets. In my opinion, a lot of this is driven by the increase in popularity of the CUT's and LP was in a wait and see mode. They have made up their minds that it's for real and are now responding. To say that the LP looks like the FC unit is a bit much though. The 25 Series deck predates the FC units and all LP did was continue the look in the 16.

By the way, I always wondered what that color was. Now I know - mellon yellow. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Surge · Jan 2, 2003

Well, other than the belt covers and color... the 16 Series looks just like the FC.......... Is Landpride making this in Salina or is Sicma making it for them?