Anyone have a Billy Goat Brush Mower?

[ultrarunner]

My sister in law told me she wants a Billy Goat to keep vegetation in check... silly me, I though she meant a real live goat.

What she is looking at is the brush cutter with Honda Mower.

Brushcutters & Walk Behind Brush Mowers | Billy Goat

She inherited a YAZOO mower that I like very much... built like a tank but she finds it exhausting to use... said the drive wheels do not work well on the hillsides.

My question is good or bad regarding Billy Goat?

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I have used a Billy Goat, and now have a DR. The DR is much better IMO. She should get the smallest model that has removable deck, electric start and power steering, plus spec the heavy blade. The Pro-26 14 HP.

The Billy Goat is OK for grass and weeds up to about waist high, and light brush, maybe 3/4 inch bushes. In my experience. YMMV.

 

[ultrarunner]

Thanks John... really appreciate the quick reply...

The bulk is hillside and mostly grass about 30" high... in the middle of California where it dries out earlier every year.

The mower would be for places the Rotary Mower is too steep... my brother usually trims with his Stihl Trimmer... sister-in-law thinks it is too slow and if they bought the mower she would be able to do it.

 

[Buxus]

If you're buying, make sure you you look at the Orec Samurai. My rental place replaced their Billy Goats with these, and they are awesome. Seems indestructible. Still renting a tool that is going to take a ton of abuse makes more sense to me than buying.

 

[phiferpharm]

Sure a pair of these won't work????

 

[tomplum]

They work well but you may rethink the purchase wrestling it around on the banks and hills. If the terrain is something you could mostly see yourself jamming a push mower into if things were tamer than brush, it will work well. Rocks, dips and inclines above 15 or 20 degrees gets tough. Mine I kept one season and sold cheap.

 

[ultrarunner]

No rocks... or banks really... just lots of sloped hill with grass.

I can see where they buy it, try it and then get rid of it.

The Yazoo mower is very similar... but just wasn't getting the traction.

Will need to look into renting... but a lot of what can be rented elsewhere is hard to find in the SF Bay Area...

 

[ultrarunner]

Sure a pair of these won't work????

View attachment 566225

This has my vote and the place ran goats for years... with herding dogs.

 

[plowhog]

She should get the smallest model that has removable deck, electric start and power steering, plus spec the heavy blade. The Pro-26 14 HP.

The Billy Goat is OK for grass and weeds up to about waist high, and light brush, maybe 3/4 inch bushes. In my experience. YMMV.

I have the DR brush mower, older model. I looked *forever* to buy a used unit (Billy Goat) and the best I could ever do was to find one for $1,200-- beat to death. I found another Billy Goat -- also $1,200 -- also in poor shape. Then I found the DR mower from the original owner for $500 used. It's a good machine.

It IS like a large, much more capable rotary mower. At first, I thought it was so easy my wife could easily run it. But after driving it through a few ditches and some badly uneven terrain, I re-thought that. Smooth operation either side to side or up and down slopes would be no problem for her-- you pretty much walk behind it while it does the work, self-propelled. But if the terrain is not smooth you need to apply occasional muscle. My unit is hydrostatic with 4 (or 5?) forward speeds plus a reverse. I am often in 2nd or 3rd range. First gear is very, very low.

I like the DR and give a thumbs up to it. As long as there are not too many divots or obstructions a Billy Goat or DR would probably not be too difficult to operate at your property. If price is no object, you might consider the Orec model. It offers either wheel or track operation. I've never used one with tracks, but I imagine that would have the best traction of all.

 

[ultrarunner]

I keep encouraging them to add grazing stock which also requires adequate fencing... so far they have spent over 60k on deer fence to protect the Christmas Tree portion of the property.

Being an island of County surrounded by City on 3 sides and Parkland on the back they are subject to many compliance items... even more now that it seems California burns each year.