# * * First Mow Report with Kubota Mower * *



## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

OK Guys, right on the heels of last weeks review on my new Honda HRC mower, I mowed today with my new Kubota mower to compare and contrast:

*Build Quality:*

This thing is a tank, The control knobs are metal and not plastic, the weight is around 130 pounds, and everything seems like it will last quiet along time.

*Engine Power:*

I let lawn grow to be a similar height to when I tried the HRC to have a fair comparison. Engine started up easily and was quit (though not as quiet as the Honda). The power is fine, though the Honda has more torque.

*Engine:*

Starts very easily as you would expect from a Kawasaki engine.

*Handling:*

Seems a bit less front heavy than the HRC. Tires gripped very well on slopes (maybe a bit better than the Honda - but just a bit). Three speed transmission is shift on the fly. I can't imagine using third gear unless sprinting. I mowed in first the entire time.

*Cut Quality:*

Outstanding. I think it bags more than the the Honda. One interesting point: both HRC and Kubota claim 0.75" mowing. I noticed the Kubota caught on a couple of places on my lawn the Honda did not. Comparing HOC with the Honda immediately after showed they both were in fact cutting at same HOC.

*Final Thoughts*

This is seriously one nice mower. Cut quality is at least as good as the HRC, and I do think it bags noticeably better than the Honda. As an example, the Honda let me cut the entire lawn and only filled up the bag 3/4 way - the Kubota filled the bag 1.5 times. I've attached pics so you can see quality of cut for yourselves and compare to my previous thread with Honda pics.

Would I buy again? Absolutely. This is not a homeowner grade mower with a decent cut - this is commercial/pro quality and performance of cut/bag through and through.

FYI these are tough to get mowers as they sell them as fast as they can make them. If you are are in the North Texas area, my Kubota dealer said he can get anyone interested one. Let me know and I can introduce you.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

I'm going to compare the spacing of the wheels on the Honda Commercial vs the Kubota to see if there is a difference and if that may account for the Kubota bottoming out and the Honda not bottoming out at 0.75" cut.


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## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> I'm going to compare the spacing of the wheels on the Honda Commercial vs the Kubota to see if there is a difference and if that may account for the Kubota bottoming out and the Honda not bottoming out at 0.75" cut.


Any chance you can raise them up to the same setting, say 2", and measure the "lowest point to the ground" on each machine? Wheel spacing is a great thought as well.

I strongly considered a Kubota Commercial when I got my Scag. Love my tractor, would definitely consider a smaller push from them.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Amoo316 said:


> DFW_Zoysia said:
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> > I'm going to compare the spacing of the wheels on the Honda Commercial vs the Kubota to see if there is a difference and if that may account for the Kubota bottoming out and the Honda not bottoming out at 0.75" cut.
> ...


We're thinking the same. My first thought was that the Kubota may be lower HOC than the Honda, but when cutting in the same area the HOC was the same between them both.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

How much for one of these critters?


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

MasterMech said:


> How much for one of these critters?


The one with the blade clutch is around the $1500-$1600 range. So MUCH less money than the Exmark version.

From what my dealer verified when I was comparing the Honda commercial to the Exmark and Toro Commericals a few weeks ago, the Exmarks are huge money and pretty poor reliability. The Exmark with the same Kawa engine as the Kubota run you close to $2K and the Toro commercial is at that $2K price also.

So the Kubota is significantly less money.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> MasterMech said:
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> > How much for one of these critters?
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Exmark is listing their 21" commercial machine at $1,600 on the website. Doesn't look like there is much to go wrong with it either. Was he referring to the 30" machines? I will say, back in the day, when they introduced the Metro 21 and Metro 26 machines, we were less than impressed as dealers with the performance and reliability. This was a significant departure from the rest of the Exmark line which was consistently excellent. Most commercial cutters were happy to go buy disposable 21" machines 2x a season. I knew a few guys that wouldn't even take on a lawn that they couldn't use a 36" walk-behind on.

So what's next? A Toro ProStripe 560? Project Farm style review video? :lol: :nod: :thumbup:


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

MasterMech said:


> DFW_Zoysia said:
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In the stores here they are all the exact same price regardless of dealer at $1799 with Kawa or $1899 with Honda engines. Nothing anywhere near $1600. That may be really old pricing on the Exmark site.

The issues tend to be extremely short belt life, mediocre bagging ability, terrible transmission reliability. So much so that the dealers I visited all had multiple Exmarks (21") on the floors and openly advocate steering away from them. Toro's use the same transmission but have a better hoc adjustment than the Exmark system.

They admit they only say that to people who ask and care, as many of the professionals come in and buy what they already have on their trailers - Toro, Honda or Exmarks.

The larger Exmarks are still excellent units. Just not their smaller ones. I have a couple of fiends that use Exmark commercials exclusively and both said the Exmark 21" mowers are complete junk and traded them in after only a few months of use with nothing but issues. They use the Honda 21" commercial and larger Exmarks mowers.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Here are some links on Exmark prices - the Kubota is a bargain in comparison.

https://www.weingartz.com//PD/4043069/Exmark-Commercial-21-X-Series-Walk-Behind-Lawn-Mower-ECX180CKA21000

https://www.gardenland.com/product/exmark-21-commercial-x-series-lawn-mower/

https://www.arlingtonpower.com/exmark-commercial-21-mower-self-propell-kawasaki-180cc-engine-1-3308


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Found the price discrepancy, the only 21" listed on the website is an S-Series 21". Your links refer to a 21" X-Series. Not really a big difference though as Arlington Power lists the S-Series at $1649.

https://www.arlingtonpower.com/exmark-commercial-21-mower-self-propell-kawasaki-180cc-engine-1


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

MasterMech said:


> Found the price discrepancy, the only 21" listed on the website is an S-Series 21". Your links refer to a 21" X-Series. Not really a big difference though as Arlington Power lists the S-Series at $1649.
> 
> https://www.arlingtonpower.com/exmark-commercial-21-mower-self-propell-kawasaki-180cc-engine-1


Ahhhh.....ok. Good catch. I've never seen an s-series around here.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

OK guys - my hypothesis was correct (that was my "use a big word today" hit).

The overall wheelbase of the Honda is about 2" SHORTER than the Kubota, and the wheels are spaced further out from the body on the Kubota vs the Honda HRC. That's what is accounting for the slight scalping at 0.75" on the Kubota and not on the Honda.


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## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> OK guys - my hypothesis was correct (that was my "use a big word today" hit).
> 
> The overall wheelbase of the Honda is about 2" SHORTER than the Kubota, and the wheels are spaced further out from the body on the Kubota vs the Honda HRC. That's what is accounting for the slight scalping at 0.75" on the Kubota and not on the Honda.


Good find on the wheelbase. I wonder if that contributed to your slight increase in performance on hills you saw with the Kubota as well.

Always a tradeoff somewhere.

The most interesting part to me was you talking about torque being higher on the Honda, but you got more grass in the bag with the Kubota.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Amoo316 said:


> DFW_Zoysia said:
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> > OK guys - my hypothesis was correct (that was my "use a big word today" hit).
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A complete guess on my behalf: I think it's a combo of 1) the Honda having twin blades and cutting clippings finer, and 2) better suction on the Kubota. My lawn looked freaking amazing after mowing with the Kubota - like I had run over it with a vacuum cleaner with the grass so perfectly even and all sticking up.


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## jdrop01 (8 mo ago)

@DFW_Zoysia Which mower do you prefer between HRC and Kubota? And why? Thanks.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

jdrop01 said:


> @DFW_Zoysia Which mower do you prefer between HRC and Kubota? And why? Thanks.


Tough call.......

If I were to cut at 0.75" I would say the Honda by virtue of the shorter wheelbase.

Any other height of cut and I'd say the great suction of the Kubota is a real winning point. I can't get over how freaking amazing the cut on the Kubota was. If the Honda was a 10, I'd say the Kubota was an 11 on cut quality.

But I'm splitting differences between two outstanding mowers.

The other think I do like is of all the MANY mowers I've owned and used, the only one that neighbors stopped to ask about the Kubota. I like not being like everyone else. The Kubota has a cool retro vibe going for it. I can't imagine ever selling it.

If you're interested in either I can hook you up with the dealers I used for each as I buy a lot from them. They will totally take care of you.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

OK guys. My neighbor is a nurse and she has been working 6-7 days a week lately. Her lawn was about 8 inches high so I mowed it for her today so she didn't have to worry about it.

I used the Kubota and her yard has a steep slope on the front so I was interested to see how the Kubota did.

It did very well.

Observations:

- Wider stance and longer wheelbase gave it excellent stability on the hill;
- Tire grip is fantastic. IT had ZERO wheel slippage in any condition - even when starting from a standstill uphill - which I find is not the case with homeowner model mowers. Even my Honda HRN would often have rear wheel slippage;
- Perfect cut with single pass - really is an exceptional cut quality;
- Zero bagging issues and zero anything not bagged due to excellent suction.
- Not a fan that it takes two hands to engage blades - one to release the lock and one to pull the lever.

Guys, this is a seriously good mower.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I just saw this mower listed for sale in the Marketplace subforum. Does that mean you're sticking with the Honda?


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Ware said:


> I just saw this mower listed for sale in the Marketplace subforum. Does that mean you're sticking with the Honda?


The Kubota cuts noticeably better than the Honda, bags better, has better traction, is built like a tank, and easier to change HOC.

However I cut at 0.75" and there is one spot on my lawn that is crested too much where the Kubota scalps and the Honda doesn't.

Since that limits its use for me, wife said it needs to go to make room in the garage for all the other toys.

All in all, the Kubota is the superior mower and I love it. It's that one spot and if I had the room in the garage I would keep both and I would use the Kubota on the rest of the lawn and the Honda on that part.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Ware said:


> I just saw this mower listed for sale in the Marketplace subforum. Does that mean you're sticking with the Honda?


He can't imagine ever selling it, as per the above, so probably not.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

FATC1TY said:


> Ware said:
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> > I just saw this mower listed for sale in the Marketplace subforum. Does that mean you're sticking with the Honda?
> ...


Yup. Then the wife made the call. LOL.


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## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

Our temporary kinda almost friendship is suddenly strained by this decision.


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Amoo316 said:


> Our temporary kinda almost friendship is suddenly strained by this decision.


What if I paint my Honda orange?


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## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> Amoo316 said:
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> > Our temporary kinda almost friendship is suddenly strained by this decision.
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That may at least put us back on speaking terms.

Also fwiw I'd buy that mower tonight if I was in DFW area or even within 6ish hours.

I'd do so after low balling you with $1000 and agreeing to $1200 of coarse :lol:


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## DFW_Zoysia (May 31, 2019)

Amoo316 said:


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For what it's worth, when my wife told me to sell it, I dropped to my knees, looked up at the sky, raised my hands and yelled "Nooooooooooooo!!!!! What about Amoo?!?!?!!?"

She shook her head, called me idiot, and walked away.


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## Amoo316 (Jul 8, 2021)

DFW_Zoysia said:


> Amoo316 said:
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LOL


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