Comparison kubota BX vs my Massey GC1715 . . . what have I learned

[MNLaredo]

...She will be mowing a lot with this machine, R4 tires or turf tires? Cost was very similar.

I got a different opinion from every different dealer I talked to on this, but based on past mowing/farming experience, I will be going with the R4s. If you plan on using the loader on any marginally slippery/muddy terrain, the turfs get plugged up easily. And they really slide around a lot on wet leaves in the fall. The R4s are fine for mowing if you are even a bit careful with sharp turns and wet conditions on your lawn. I have a feeling you'll be cursing the turf's for your non-mowing activities. Like Clipse3GT advised, the R4s are a good compromise.

 

[MNLaredo]

Well, I just got back from McFarlanes. Huge hardware store with tractors inside, very nice....

Nice place, nice people. And...5 acres under 1 roof!! Crazy.

...I test drove the Massey Ferguson GC1715 and the Kubota 2370 (there wasn't a 2670 in the showroom). I loved them both, but the Massey just seemed to be a smoother operator, IMO...

Agreed. I came away with the same impression, the Massey just had a better "feel". What were your thoughts on the different pedal arrangements?

I wish I would have had more time to play with the Kubota but it was cold, wet, and windy and I was not dressed accordingly because I was just passing through on a business trip when I stopped in.

 

[Scut 4 Big Bucks]

I have been driving my neighbors Kubota every spring for the last 6 years or so for a food plot behind my house, so I was familiar with it. We have a JD345, which is more similar to the Massey as far as forward and reverse, so the wife should have no problems getting used to it.

I did notice that the Kubota drifted or rolled forward a ways after I let off the forward pedal. Reverse was just the opposite, would could to an abrupt stop when pedal was released. Also, the PTO lever on the left was "stuck" in one position at the start of my test drive. The dealer man had to crank on the level to get it to move into another position. When the machine was warmed up, it moved easily. Little things that swayed my decision to choose Red instead of Orange. Would I dare bring an Orange tractor back to my home town of the Columbus Cardinals?:footballhelmet:

 

[Scut 4 Big Bucks]

And another thing. The piece of plastic on the end of the throttle handle came off on the Kubota. I mentioned to the dealer how stiff the throttle was, he said it was normal. I didn't think it was normal. Upon shutting down the machine, it was like a small earthquake had just come through with the Kubota. Sounded like the old car x commercial, rattle rattle thunder clatter, boom boom boom. Plastic engine shroud below steel hood. Dealer mentioned plastic tabs breaking where the piece is fastened to the frame. Again, two great machines, but I chose Red.

 

[Clipse3GT]

I have been driving my neighbors Kubota every spring for the last 6 years or so for a food plot behind my house, so I was familiar with it. We have a JD345, which is more similar to the Massey as far as forward and reverse, so the wife should have no problems getting used to it.

I did notice that the Kubota drifted or rolled forward a ways after I let off the forward pedal. Reverse was just the opposite, would could to an abrupt stop when pedal was released. Also, the PTO lever on the left was "stuck" in one position at the start of my test drive. The dealer man had to crank on the level to get it to move into another position. When the machine was warmed up, it moved easily. Little things that swayed my decision to choose Red instead of Orange. Would I dare bring an Orange tractor back to my home town of the Columbus Cardinals?:footballhelmet:

That issue with BX was noted by a lot of people on various forums. They roll too much in Forward and stop abruptly in Reverse, basically it causes them to be dangerous to use. Even a well known youtuber Paul Short noted the issue. The previous BX's would stop quickly in forward/reverse, customers complained, so Kubota engineers over engineered the mechanism now. Problem is that very few dealers know how to fix it.

 

[plowhog]

Congratulation on your selection. I also looked at the BX25 Kubota and then chose a Massey GC1710. While the Kubota was the "safe choice," I chose the one I felt most comfortable with operating over a long period of time.

Years ago, IBM almost cornered the entire market when they introduced their very first PC. Businesses and consumers flocked to the IBM PC because it was the "safe choice." At the time, I offered a competing brand for sale, and I knew it had superior features and more bang for the buck. But many shoppers, especially business people, could not get past making the safe choice. Today, I don't know if IBM even makes a PC any more? And in the end, whatever the customer bought would have met their needs very well. Whether my product or the IBM. And the IBM product was priced much higher.

 

[AxleHub]

Some points to consider:

1. Turfs vs. R4 tires. R4s would have been my choice if I were doing more "field" work or flat pasture etc.. However I wanted Turf tires because in grass season I have lots of slopes and hills and imo turfs give much better grip on grass and slopes because there are so many sipes and fingers to "grab but not tear". And in snow season i have a sloped driveway and sloped sidewalks so again turfs penetrate into snow well for the same reason. Turfs load up certainly but they clean out easily too in snow or slush while in snow r4s tend to ride above a bit more imo.

2. In my testing of the beloved Kubota brand I planned for years to buy . . I found it good on slopes. Immediately after I tested the Massey on the same slopes and found it even more at home to inclines even though the gc1700s are a tad taller than the bx unit tested . . . and a second reason is its a little more seating area spacing to lever controls.

3. And the 3rd issue . . Many features are common to the bx and gc1700s that are not on most brands. But if you need legroom for a stiff knee or body height the separate massey pedals and brake/diff locations all made operation easier (especially with the very easy seat mod I discovered).

Buying a scut today is harder than it was when I first started looking in 2006. Why? More choices of brands and more improvements by many with only a few features lost (shift on the fly and position control on the 3pt).

 

[Scut 4 Big Bucks]

Good points, Axle.

Here is a video I found on youtube with a guy mowing using the R4's. Lots of turning, backing, etc. Solidifies my decision to go with the R4's.

Mowing with R4's Massey 1705

 

[Scut 4 Big Bucks]

Here is a very nice video of the controls of the Massey 1700 series. I like the separate controls for the mid and rear PTO engagement.

 

[jenkinsph]

Good points, Axle.

Here is a video I found on youtube with a guy mowing using the R4's. Lots of turning, backing, etc. Solidifies my decision to go with the R4's.

Mowing with R4's Massey 1705

Nothing wrong with the mower but the operator sure needed to get organized. Random operation at best.