Kubota G2160

csr0831 · Sep 30, 2009

Ok...there are others on this and other forums that will disagree with me, but if it were my money, I would not give one dime of it to Kabota for a GR. They make some really good stuff, but they missed the boat on the GR. I have owned one since 2005, it only has 120 hours on it and I have had NOTHING BUT trouble with it. The transmission has been supposedly upgraded to the later model and it still leaked oil. I have had to have BOTH glide stear cables replaced because of poor design and the thing has NO power. It cuts alright (although the quilty of the cut is not very good in my opinion), but if you are trying to drag a log or pull something and it won't move it, it won't even spin the tires over, which tells me alot of the power is never getting to the ground. Don't missunderstand, I do not advocate trying to spin the tires over, but the fact that it won't speaks volumes. I wish you luck with your decision, but like someone else said.....you did ask.

daBear · Sep 30, 2009

Not a problem and I appreciate your comments and taking the time to chime in. I also hope Kubota has made improvements in the past five years. I am not settled on anything, just gathering valuable information.

LBrown59 · Oct 1, 2009

bp fick said:
One step further in the logic. Push really hard and
1*you could almost buy a scut, a real tractor for that kind of money. About $8700 for a BX1860. bare tractor.
You never said whether you were going to pull, push or till with your tractor. If you are going to do any of those things, go BX. Zero down, zero percent too!
2* It's a no brainer.

1*About 2 years I paid $6300 for a new BX1500 bare tractor.
The BX1500 is the same comparable tractor to the BX1860.
2*The BX1860 1850 and 1500 is almost always a no brainer over the higher end high priced Garden tractors such as the Kubota G GT and GR and the JD x500 and x700 series garden tractors.
*********

bp fick said:
No 4x4 or AWD. No diff lock. Soooooooo,
1*I went with the BX1860 for a little more.
If all you are ever going to do is mow grass on a very level lawn, you will be fine. If you have need for more than one wheel driving the traction, pushing snow, doing any other kind of work, the G series isn't designed for anything more. Just sayin'

1*I have 2 BX1500s which are the same size as the BX1860.
One is new and the other one's used.
Paid 10825 for the both of them with out. attachments.

mjpalmer · Oct 1, 2009

I will second the comment on the GR. I bought one and had it for 6 months. I took it to the dealer 3 times for issues related to lack of power and oil leaks. After all the issues, I pushed Kubota to buy it back. The dealer helped me get 90+% of my money back and gave me a good deal on a BX2660. The BX to me is a far better option than the GR. The only thing the GR has over the BX is turning radius. That was very nice. I don't miss the GR one bit. It was a Gr2100 and not the new Gr2110. I still don't believe they fixed the "power to the ground" issue. It may not leak oil now but it won't pull a slope with a bagger. I have first hand experience with that.

Baucom · Oct 1, 2009

Since you need a grass cutter and have a tractor for all of your tractor tasks, is there any reason you're ruling out a good ZTR? Many excellent, new, commercial units with 54"-60" decks can be bought for about the same $$$ or less than the price you received on the G2160. With independent pumps and wheel motors, your traction control issue is resolved, and you won't find a ride-on mower that's much more turf friendly. Afterall, they're designed strictly with grass cutting in mind, and for that purpose it doesn't get much better.

daBear said:
My 20 year old JD 285 is about to croak a natural death and I need a grass cutter with a suspended deck and at a minimum 2WD with traction lock.

daBear · Oct 1, 2009

I am beginning to consider a ZTR but just slightly. I have one 30 degree hill. Impossible to go up without traction control and fun to go down. Sideways on a ZTR might be interesting. My 4WD L2800 does it nicely in either direction, up or down, but the 600 pound rear finish mower even with the nose wheel does a job on it even when dry.

bp fick · Oct 2, 2009

daBear

Someone did an independent comparison of the top riding mowers, and Kubota GR did not get a super review. Can't remember the review, Pop Mechanics maybe.

There are some great mowers out there. If you prefer 4x4, and it sounds as if you do, the number shrinks immediately to just a few and they just are so very high priced. If your hills are as steep as you suggest, a Zero sounds like a death sentence. A 4x4 is the only safe way to go up and down.

I own a BX1860, so yes, I am sure I am prejudiced. I also own a Craftsman lawn rider, a good enough machine in its own right. But my lot is flat and lawns aren't a huge part of what's important way up north where I live. If you really need 4x4 and diesel for long life and so forth, and if you can't see the price of green, then again, take a look at the 1860. Take the 3pt hitch parts off the back if you want.

It will just feel like a really big, really great GR!!! I honestly don't know another manufacturer making a 4x4 diesel for 9 grand. Zero down, Zero percent too.

Does anyone else?

LBrown59 · Oct 2, 2009

bp fick said:
daBear

Someone did an independent comparison of the top riding mowers, and Kubota GR did not get a super review. Can't remember the review, Pop Mechanics maybe.

There are some great mowers out there. If you prefer 4x4, and it sounds as if you do, the number shrinks immediately to just a few and they just are so very high priced. If your hills are as steep as you suggest, a Zero sounds like a death sentence. A 4x4 is the only safe way to go up and down.

I own a BX1860, so yes, I am sure I am prejudiced. I also own a Craftsman lawn rider, a good enough machine in its own right. But my lot is flat and lawns aren't a huge part of what's important way up north where I live. If you really need 4x4 and diesel for long life and so forth, and if you can't see the price of green, then again, take a look at the 1860. Take the 3pt hitch parts off the back if you want. It will just feel like a really big, really great GR!!! I honestly don't know another manufacturer making a 4x4 diesel for 9 grand. Zero down, Zero percent too.

Does anyone else?

The BX1500 BX1850 and BX1860 fills a void that no other tractor fits.

mc25a · Oct 5, 2009

For steep hills no rider is better than one of the three wheel outfront mowers like the gravely pm310. They have a wide track and cut great. Not a true zero turn, but nearly so.

daBear · Oct 5, 2009

Well this is just an aggrivating situation. I am still looking at the GR2110 for $8,878 and the BX1860 for $10,878, exactly $2K more by the web quote not dealer yet. I only have 3.5 acres with some wooded so I cut about 2.5 acres. I am almost finished with the box blade work and the heavy lifting which has been done by my L2800. Of course I will always find a use for the L2800 in the future especially since it is tricked out with TNT and the Delta Hook quick attachemnt device which is wonderful.

I could opt for the BX and sell the L2800 (already have buyer standing by) and if properly equipped the BX will probably do all the gound contact work I need. Or I can get the G2110 over the poor comments made above and keep the L. Or just say to heck with that and get a JD X540 for $7,000 even with the rebate being offered and keep the L.

I have done about as much forum reading as I can and web reserch as I can. Now it is time to head to the Kubota dealer and maybe the JD dealer even though I hate the electric clutch of the X500 series. I am the proud owner of three dead electric clutches on my JD 285.