Is anyone looking at the M59?

Carl_NH · Dec 20, 2012

Hi guys,

So I did a little data mining this AM. I did a search on TBN members that listed "TLB" in their equipment owned profile. So I could have missed some on here that have a TLB machine and not part of their profile..

There are 575 members with some version of TLB. See the breakdown in the PDF below. View attachment TLB on TBN.pdf

Carl_NH · Dec 20, 2012

Revision - I went back and did separate searches on each Kubota model - huge difference in the numbers now when not just looking at "TLB" in the owned equipment.

Here is the revised PDF listing now.. probably well over 1300 Kubota TLB series but BX's make up more than half of them and not counting the BX22-23 series.

crazyal · Dec 20, 2012

I started off looking for something like the M59 used but there wasn't much out there when I bought my land. I wanted something large enough to dig out stumps, dig a hole for the basement, and other various tasks. I ended up with my 580K simply because the market was full of them so deals could be found close by. I would rather of had the M59 with a 3pt hitch. I ended up with the dozer simply because I didn't have a 3pt so a box blade wasn't an option. Even now I have over $10k less into a new Kubota GL4240 (with snow blower), a used 580k, and a used 450b than if I bought a new M59.

Big Wave D · Dec 21, 2012

Onederdog,

I actually had you down as one of the first one's added to the list. However, I did fail to make a reply with just your tractor listed, like I've been doing with the others.

Sorry about that. You were good to go all along. :thumbsup:

Big Wave D · Dec 21, 2012

Carl,

I did not open and look at your initial list, only the revised. I was surprised to see that the old but good L35 had squeaked out the overall title of Mosted Owned by TBN members. I thought maybe with that being their first entry into the field that it might not have made itself that well known to the public. The flip side is that since it is the oldest model, they are cheaper and therefore more affordable for 2nd, 3rd, etc. owners to buy.

Thanks for the research. Found it quite interesting.

Carl_NH · Dec 21, 2012

Big Wave D said:
Carl,

I did not open and look at your initial list, only the revised. I was surprised to see that the old but good L35 had squeaked out the overall title of Mosted Owned by TBN members. I thought maybe with that being their first entry into the field that it might not have made itself that well known to the public. The flip side is that since it is the oldest model, they are cheaper and therefore more affordable for 2nd, 3rd, etc. owners to buy.

Thanks for the research. Found it quite interesting.

There are also some interesting demographics - most TLB owners have less than 10 acres, or more than 30. Regionally in the east they trend Virgina and northeast to Canada, much fewer in the south, then in the west, more Northern CA to WA and Idaho or the less populated areas.

The south in general has less TLB's I suppose due to the soil makeup - more clay, less rocks, so alternate methods are easily accomplished without a BH. But in the "rocky" regions more TLBs - makes sense since once one digs anything with rocks present a TLB is a necessity.

Also most have multiple machines / tractors / loaders / dozers likely due to TLB's are more construction related gear.

avc8130 · Dec 21, 2012

I bought tlb just because I wanted the lift capacity. The L series Kubota had a very disappointing fel capability in my eyes unless I bought an L39 or L45.

I have ~13 acres in Northern NJ. Straight rock, literally. I live on shale, even have surface shale in some spots.

I generally use the fel. I use the bucket weekly cleaning out the chicken and goat pens. Generally the pallet forks live on the machine for firewood operations or loading the truck. Just tonight I sling loaded the log splitter for transport in my pickup. I rarely wind up digging with the hoe. I dug a grave for a duck, I dug Christmas trees and fence posts and I have dug some trenches for leader drains at a buddy's. The tlb runs my brush hog just fine. I plan to rig up a hydraulic auger on my fel to take over fence post and tree planting duties.

I am SO glad I opted for the "construction" machine. There have been times I have had the loader maxed out and the standard L would have been utterly useless for the task.

Ac

Carl_NH · Dec 21, 2012

AC,

Agreed on the capacities of the different machines - when I bought the B21 I was moving up from a L175 TLB with a 3 PT BH. The L175 could lift a lot, and the choices were a L3130 with a FEL and BH, but the BH specs of the B21 were better - the L3030 had 50Lbs more lift than the B21.

I am so glad that I went the Tough Little Backhoe route..

Happy Holidays

indianaEPH · Feb 15, 2013

Carl_NH said:
AC,

Agreed on the capacities of the different machines - when I bought the B21 I was moving up from a L175 TLB with a 3 PT BH. The L175 could lift a lot, and the choices were a L3130 with a FEL and BH, but the BH specs of the B21 were better - the L3030 had 50Lbs more lift than the B21.

I am so glad that I went the Tough Little Backhoe route..

Happy Holidays

Ditto for me on loader capacity. That was also a driver for me. 1 additional requirement that I had was that I did not want multibple machines. 1 do do all chores. The M59 has really worked out well.