In the interest of full disclosure, my evolving and negative views of R4 tires are contrary to conventional wisdom and practice. Most CUTs sold today are sold, lemminglike, with R4's. I will publish a rant against R4's separately when I finish my radial tire research. In short, my view is that they are not much better for traction on wet grass or slide-inducing diagonal slopes than turfs, they are just as bad (useless) in mud, get flats in the front like any other front tire, are usually cheap Titans, have no special virtue in snow, and mark up lawns the same as R1's (assuming R1's will mark a given dry lawn much at all, which is unlikely). Moreover, they are a profit pack for the dealer. Note how R4's cost $860 dollars more than than R1's for the Kubota 3130, half that for the 3830, and half that again for the 4630.
No, R1W tires are not offered by any CUT manufacturer that I am aware of. R1W's (the "W" is for wet soil) are wider and have much deeper lugs than R1's. CUT manufacturers all offer an R1 tire/wheel package (now mostly as a price teaser to yuppies and other weekend diggers), one or more overpriced R3 packages (a Galaxy Turf is a very wide, high flotation, shallow tread R3), and an extremely overpriced and usually low ply R4 package.
The BX is a great and nimble mower for 4 acres. The
BX22 is an especially clever multi-machine for people who need only modest fel and bh capability. I traded my BX for a 2910 because I quickly realized that the BX did not have the hydraulic capability, power, or size to do all the other-than-mowing chores I realized tractors could do (but only after I had bought one)--namely, cutting acres of very heavy woody brush and digging out stumps, logs and rocks.
I briefly considered getting a RMM for my 2910 when I bought it, but at that time issued a fatwah declaring jihad against myself for considering such heresy and blasphemy. Now, three years later, I am very seriously considering moving up to the 3130, one key reason being so I can use a blessed and sacred RMM mower (as well as installing custom R1W tires). The change in faith was caused by all the experience I have gotten driving backwards with my shredder and backblade, and by the type mowing obstacles I have to negotiate (the kind you have to mow under--like bushes, small trees, evergreens, and crouching supermodels--or the kind you have to mow over from a safe distance--like creek banks, pond edges, muddy holes, and cliffs).
I would get turfs in my current situation (now mostly lawn and field mowing about 7 acres) in a heartbeat were it not for my wet and muddy Oozama Ver Boten.
