Hey Mike,
I didn't realize last fall when we decided to delay the introduction of the RFM 'til May how much of a blessing that delay would be. Although it causes us to miss much of the season and by extension, sales, we have been so covered up we couldn't have done it justice. Now we have the time to get the final details sorted out, shipping crates, manuals, etc. Several folks have asked for sneak previews, but we're waiting for the grand unveiling when we're ready to ship. Initally, we'll build 60" and 72", then add 48" and 84" models. Rest assured, TBN will get the first public viewing a couple of weeks in advance of the ship date. (I haven't even put it on the web site yet!)
As to the differences, there are several. The most noticeable is the gearbox. 50HP, spiral bevel gearsets - very nice box. The gearbox drives a single Kevlar reinforced belt with continuous tensioning. No more wondering whether the belt is tight enough. The spindles are ductile iron with sealed bearings. The deck is a fully baffled, rear discharge, 3/16 top with 1/4" sides. Probably the most overlooked feature is in the mounting of the gauge wheels. Rather than a box frame, where the wheelbase is the same regardless of cut width, the wheels move out with the width of the mower. This means less scalping on the edges. Blade tip speeds vary somewhat with size, but are in the neighborhood of 17,000fps. The hitch is fully quick hitch compatible with side float and front to rear ground compliance. Of course, it will be fabricated in the US and available in multiple colors.
Sorry to be so long-winded, but this has been a pet project for about 6 years and I'm rather excited to see it crank up.
