Bad Boy ZT 60

[pilot-werx]

After seeing all the opinions going back and forth about the bad boy mowers I decided to check one out. Being a JD person, I had little hope the mower would impress me.

First impressions....
-The deck was built as well as my JD
-front casters built better on the BB
-ergonomics, better on BB
-deck adjustments, easier on JD
-deck lift better on BB
-engine better on JD

Store manager finally came out to talk shop and to let me ride and test mow. At this point my opinion began to change. The hydrogear 3100 units were ultra smooth. The all metal pulleys provided a quite deck. Blade tip speed seems adequate for a clean cut. Using an linear actuator to adjust the deck is genius. Did I think it was worth the $4999 price tag, maybe. With winter coming, the manager mentioned if I was interested he had some room in the price. Long story short, for $3750 out the door it ended up on my trailer. For that price I feel I am getting more than my money's worth.

I will be sure to update the thread as I log more hours.

 

[john40981]

I have recently purchased a MZT 26 which is 48" cut base model here in Australia for $7150. I don't know why things are so much more expensive here. I would love to buy your ZT60 for $3750US.
I love the mower they are great and bullet proof. I droped it off the ramps while putting it on our truck for the first time, it went over sideways with me on it and all it did was a very slight bend to the arms that support the base (and a big dent in my ego). I was very lucky for the mower and me. Have never tried to put it on the truck since. My fault though, I didn't have the ramps tied down correctly, in a hurry:ashamed:

 

[djdicetn]

After seeing all the opinions going back and forth about the bad boy mowers I decided to check one out. Being a JD person, I had little hope the mower would impress me.

First impressions....
-The deck was built as well as my JD
-front casters built better on the BB
-ergonomics, better on BB
-deck adjustments, easier on JD
-deck lift better on BB
-engine better on JD

Store manager finally came out to talk shop and to let me ride and test mow. At this point my opinion began to change. The hydrogear 3100 units were ultra smooth. The all metal pulleys provided a quite deck. Blade tip speed seems adequate for a clean cut. Using an linear actuator to adjust the deck is genius. Did I think it was worth the $4999 price tag, maybe. With winter coming, the manager mentioned if I was interested he had some room in the price. Long story short, for $3750 out the door it ended up on my trailer. For that price I feel I am getting more than my money's worth.

I will be sure to update the thread as I log more hours.

Please do give us some honest owner feedback(hard to find on the Bad Boys). When you say "store manager'...did you happen to buy it at a Tractor Supply Co. store??? I looked at the Bad Boy Outlaw last fall at a Bad Boy dealer and then stopped at a TSC and looked at the ZT model. Night and day comparison but of course the Outlaw was a $7k machine too. Still, I too would consider the Bad Boy ZT an "upgrade" from a JD 455(I was even less than impressed with what my money would get me at a John Deere dealer...a $6K ZTR still had a "stamped deck":0(

 

[CCC52]

I've eyeballed these guys at TSC. Obviously didn't demo but with years and years of commercial experience they look really good. And I mean really good. For full retail I'd go for a Kawasaki powered Scag Freedom Z 48/52 to keep costs down. (what I'm considering now).

For your price, you stole that thing! I think ZTR's have been pretty well played out as far as reliable/useful improvements go. Figure Bad Boy's first commercial offering was similar or slightly less a mower...

Why I'm looking at the Freedoms. Sure it has the old school deck, it's low tech. For my money it's both what I want and need. I've run the Advantage and Velocity decks on walk behinds and didn't notice squat in improvement, I suppose it might be more noticeable at higher speeds? I don't think there's any major flaw in these older designs and I've read good things about the Bad Boys since their inception.

Tempted to go to TSC and try to pull one at $3750. Should cut and drive well plus last forever with maintenance. Guessing BB might be upgrading next years offering, but that's just a guess. I run an early 2000's Cub Commercial 52 that had been discontinued. Paid $2500 brand spanking new. Comparable Scag (Belt Drive walk-behind) was $3800, so was Exmark Metro etc. and it's as good a machine. I could nit-pick some small stuff but why?

I think you got a killer deal, congrats! I look forward to further review.

 

[CCC52]

Sorry, 2x post.