Kubota- the Harley of Tractors?

Jeff396 · Apr 27, 2002

I was just curious what year that was? Harley didn't really gain any respect for reliability until the Evolution motor came out in the mid eighties. The Shovel before that had a horrible upper end which would only last about 20k miles before needing a rebuild.

Some time back I bought a '76 Harley Liberty Edition Superglide to restore. Now I'm real uptight about oil leaks so I probably could have chosen a better project. Anyway, it had this leak toward the front of the motor cases that I just couldn't figure out. When I finally got disgusted and tore it down what did I find.....The oil was actually leaking out through the aluminum cases and not through a seal or gasket. Worst of all, the factory knew it as they had attempted to dribble some, I guess it was molten aluminum, in there to stop it up but it didn't work. The oil was coming out of one of the holes where the motor to frame bolts go so you couldn't see it's source until everything was disassembled. Definitely not Harleys high point.

Jeff

"If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand"/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

rmorgan · Apr 27, 2002

Bird--

I was going to say that if Kubotas was the Harley of tractorville, then the Boomer was the Bimmers of my youth, or some such nonesense. I had an R90S for years and then an R100RT, but a friend who works in an ER called it a "donorsickle" a few too many times . . . when I miss it now I go for some seat time. Did you ride BMWs on the force or off-duty? Oh--and did the Zundapp have pedals?/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Anonymous Poster · Apr 27, 2002

AMF days were the Middle Ages for Harley, and you got the worse of the bad.
They have definitely improved since buying themselves back in, I think, 1980. Quality is now probably 95% as good as the Japanese bikes. The Japanese tend to be obsessive about quality-that may be why I just sold a 1978 Kawasaki that never had a problem. Biggest argument Harley has had, and I might add very effectively, is that Harley has a sole. That topic is for another discussion board.
Not since after the war am I aware of any dog days that Kubota has ever had .Is anyone aware of "Bad years" for Kubota? Just for historical interest only.
I am glad that today Kubota enjoys an excellent reputation in the marketplace. Good enough for me to make a relatively large investment in one of their tractors!

Bird · Apr 27, 2002

Did you ride BMWs on the force or off-duty? Oh--and did the Zundapp have pedals?

Nope, never rode bikes on the force, but fleet management, research and development, and writing/revising specs used to be part of my responsibilities. My BMW was an '87 R80RT; nice bike, tremendously overrated and overpriced in my opinion, but nice in a lot of ways - I rode it up Pike's Peak on one trip to Colorado./w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif And the Zundapp was a little 250cc; my first bike and didn't keep it long./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

At one time, BMW claimed either 80% or 85% (can't remember for sure which) of the world's motorcycle officers rode BMWs and that they were going to take over the business in this country. They loaned us one to try out for awhile, and several of our motorcycle officers had personal BMWs they liked. But basically, for police use, the smaller guys liked it and the bigger guys didn't, but then BMW backed out of that market, and I never really found out why.

Bird · Apr 27, 2002

What, no Moto Guzzies?

Nope, never even knew anyone who owned one personally, but did know of some police departments that tried them. I heard both good and bad things about them, so really don't know, except that as far as I know, none of them ever bought a second one./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird · Apr 27, 2002

until the Evolution motor came out

Yep, they wanted to loan us one to try out for two weeks with the "new" Evolution motor. When it arrived at the station, the first drops of oil hit the pavement within 5 minutes and within 5 days, the motor seized, and they came and got it./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

tgello · Apr 27, 2002

ride a harley, ride the best. ride a mile and walk the rest... i have a little question i would like some input on! how come alot of harley riders (and there is a lot) ride harleys for that immage and american made but drive jap cars and trucks and chinese and japanese tractors? i don't have any thing against harleys, i paint alot of them but i would rather buy a kaw. or yamaha cruiser and have $8000-10000 left over for tractor imlpements. just my opinion...tgello

rmcess · Apr 27, 2002

"While they are both fine machines, you pay extra for having the name." 

No, I paid extra for Union Made in the USA!
Or was it just the law of supply and demand?
Anyway worth every penney.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 27, 2002

Like I have always said. When you buy a harley, you buy the best. You ride a mile and walk the rest... /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

rmcess · Apr 27, 2002

"how come alot of harley riders (and there is a lot) ride harleys for that immage and american made but drive jap cars and trucks and chinese and japanese tractors?"

tgello,
There are a lot of Harley riders, to many to put into one stereotype. Speaking for myself, I drive "American" cars and trucks and buy all products that are American made when there is an American made product of value to me. (no compact tractor made in USA to my knowlege) By value I mean worth the money for the quality. On a big ticket item such as tractors or motorcycles resale is also a factor.
As most of us do I work hard for my money and must buy what I can justify. If I ride an American made Harley-Davidson and park it next to my Kubota I don't think it makes me less or more of an American but a consumer with an eye for quality and value.