Re: Kubota, New Holland, Kioti, can\'t decide which one
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Bob, in your opinion, what type of work are the
B2910 and the CK 30 designed for? </font>
Divide tasks into 2 types: Constructing & Maintaining
Constructing TYPE tasks: digging ditches, logging, box blading, grader blading.
Maintaining TYPE tasks: mowing, spreading mulch, snow blowing, tilling a garden
Just my opinion, but an ultra light tractor like the
B2910 is a great little estate tractor for maintaining the grounds. It is very small for the 30hp class of machines, and the lightest weight machine I know of (about 1/2 the weight of some of the heavy machines). Being smaller and lighter makes it a great lawn mower an with a 72" MMM it is a very hard tractor to beat at mowing, especially since its size lets it get into places that most other 30hp tractors only dream of fitting into. I feel the
B2910 is great for "maintaining" and marginal at "constructing" the grounds.
Again, just my opinion, but the heavyweight CK30 would excel at tasks requiring the FEL or any ground engaging work like box blading, grader blading, etc. The 130 loader is far superior to the
B2910's 402 in both capacity and visibility. The added weight gives it traction that the
B2910 simply cannot match so blade work would be far more efficient wth the CK30. I feel the CK30 is great for "constructing" and marginal for "maintaining" the grounds.
Now all that said, both tractors can take a BH, both can lift with the FEL, both can mow the lawn. One is better suited for some tasks and the other is better suited for other tasks. I think both are absolutely excellent machines. I think the choice of one versus the other should largely be based on the long term tasks of the user rather than budget because both are 20 year investments so the price difference starts to fade away when spread over time. However what doesn't fade away is appropriate and efficient use. If I had small trees to mow up to, I'd pick the the
B2910. If I had a mile long drive way that needed to be tended many times a year I'd pick the CK30.
Any tractor is a compromise. I think the best solution is to pick the machine that will "fit" the most long term tasks the best. Let me give you an analogy to hunting. Lets say you want to shoot a coyote or two, you'd pick a lightweight rocket like a 222 or 223, it shoots flat and with proper bullet selection you don't destroy the hide. But for deer hunting those cartriges are illegal in many states and realistically inadequate, so you jump up to a 30-30 and that works great. Then a black bear meanders onto your property so you pull out the 338 and he proptly is dispatched. And then your wife says YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE JUST ONE GUN for everything. What do you do? I'd suggest you compromise and pull out the trusty 308. Not the best choice for small game or large game but a reasonable compromise.
That is what I feel about tractors. Some folks NEVER mow their lawn with their CUT, other folks NEVER TAKE THE MOWER OFF their CUT. Pick the tractor that suits your LONG TERM tasks and that is the one you will be most happy with for the long time you are likely to own the tractor. Both the CK30 and the
B2910 will mow the lawn, and both will fill your pick up bed full of heavy rock. If your weekly chores include a lot of hours of one task versus the other, then pick your machine accordingly. I think many people mis-pick their tractors and end up trading UP or DOWN in size 3 to 5 years after their initial purchase because they didn't look at the LONG TERM tasks.