RK Tractor reviews???

[s219]

Not every is as highly skilled and experienced as you clearly are, but there are a lot of people that watch Mike’s channel to learn, or they just enjoy seeing him work on his projects. Fortunately, no one has to watch if they know so much already, and yes, Mike is a very nice man, and his family is great.

I will never consider myself an expert, I am a lifelong learner and ask plenty of questions the whole way along. If we're lucky I am 50/50 ask/answer questions here on TBN. As far as learning from a Youtube channel, there are some gems. One of the best instructional videos I have seen (in this case I know enough to say that) was from TBN member "daveknowshow": how to resurface a gravel driveway - YouTube . He won't win awards or get sponsored but he's the real deal and he understands the mechanics of the implements in ways most Youtubers never figure out.

 

[s219]

RK Tractor Guy,
I like your input, and wish this thread can get back to the original intention... RK tractor reviews. Since RK is so new to the market and with it's unique marketing approach, I'm sure a lot of the new RK tractor owners are first time buyers. Have you thought about becoming a sponsor on this site? Maybe there's a way for RK to promote this site with each new tractor sale so those new owners have a place to go to get a lot of good answers to their questions about farming, tractoring, how to use implements, etc. Just a thought.

I think this would also make your posts more legitimate and give folks the impression you're not just spamming the forums. My understanding from many years on TBN is that dealers and manufacturers and reps should register as a sponsor or advertiser so that their role is clearly visible. An example is the fellow from KTAC insurance who posts here periodically.

 

[Soundguy]

HST+ (and associated throttle controls) is nice to have and makes the tractor a lot nicer to use and enhances productivity. If you're used to mechanical HST controls you will start to appreciate some of the features of HST+ very quickly. But it's not a must have -- I'd say it's a luxury "pro" feature.

I will be honest, I am not a fan of that Youtube channel. I am sure some people get something out of it, but I have a hard time watching any Youtube channel where someone tries to make a show out of what I consider to be routine work. And I really have a hard time with some of the technique and lack of experience. As I have said before, I have dozens of farmers on my road who are loaded with life experience and know how to use tractors and equipment and figure out problems. I don't get anything out of watching an amateur on Youtube. Might be a perfectly nice guy and have good intentions, but it's not for me.

IMHO.. actually watching an amateur test out a tractor is in a way, very telling. How many people watching are amateur's as well. What someone farming for 20 years see's as routine work, someone who has never done it is watching for tips and pointers, or just to set expectations.

Ever watch people post how-to's on youtube? Ever see a pro mechanic show you a 30 second way to change a belt on a volkswagon bug? He's not doing it for the thousands of pro mechanics out there.. he's doing it for the guy that has a bug in his driveway that has a bad belt that needs to change it, and is barely comfortable putting oil in it.

Kinda nice to watch a few minutes of video on how-to and repair stuff right before you go do it if you have never done it before.

I've been working on tractors and small engines for a good while now, but when I put a timing belt on a friends ranger, a 6 minute video on how to retime everything sure made a huge difference.

 

[Soundguy]

To RKtractor guy.

Question on something you mentioned earlier. You mentioned pretty much that the prices were locked across the board, no promotions, no monthly ups and downs, but there would be a yearly bump to allow for price increases etc. Is that a january thing? Asking from a perspective buyers point of view. IE, for instance, if one were in the buying mode, and timing wasn't super critical, and one was thinking of a december to january window... if the yearly up-tic hits 1-1-xx, then that makes a difference... as in for the buyer.. buy in december.. etc. Or is it not a calendar thing?

thanks

 

[s219]

As previously stated, go get actual quotes, out the door including assembly, freight and the product itself and compare to RK, no one, not even TYM is close, and keep in mind that with the latest upgrades, the RK55 has many features not included in the T554. 3-pt Hitch control from the rear, high back leather seat for example, plus it has HST sensitivity control, stall guard and all of the 吐ly by wire features of the Grand L.

I wish you all had a store closer to me (closest is 3 hours away) because I would like to test drive a RK55 and make an honest comparison to a Grand L. If it truly is a match for a Grand L and $15K cheaper, I won't eat my hat but I will tell the truth and I'd probably buy one. I came close to buying a Grand L about a year ago in order to have a cab for field mowing. At the time it was by far the nicest cab tractor of any brand I looked at, including Deere (who has a dealer about 4 miles from my house). I also had looked at TYM and LS.

I do find it curious RK has no stores in southeast VA, where there is a ton of farming activity and rural life. I live in a town of only about 3,000 people, yet it's got a large Deere dealer and a TSC along with several feed&seed shops. Down the road is a Lowes and HD serving the larger area. Same type of market for 100+ miles in all directions.

 

[s219]

IMHO.. actually watching an amateur test out a tractor is in a way, very telling. How many people watching are amateur's as well. What someone farming for 20 years see's as routine work, someone who has never done it is watching for tips and pointers, or just to set expectations.

I think the best instructors are ones with life experience and/or training, but who are able to relate to regular folks and beginners. In fact, in my line of work, that would be a mark of expertise and maturity. If you can teach a complicated thing to a beginner, it means you're good at what you do.

I guess my aversion to some of the Youtube videos comes from the fact that a lot of the folks doing it are more focused on their camera equipment and video editing and money, and when I watch the actual content it's kind of flat or they are clearly beginners/amateurs and giving out bad information. I'd rather see a rough video done by somebody who has genuine experience. Either way they need to know how to relate to their audience, and that is not something that is automatic for a beginner or expert.

 

[Soundguy]

You are missing the point. Don't look at the guy as an instructor. Look at it as a person learning on the go. You can lead from what they learned. Ie, mistakes to avoid.

Also, watching the machine perform with a non skilled operator is a huge tell as to the robustness of the machine.

I've put a free worker on a brand new JD 544 loader and within a half hour the footrest was ripped off.

If equipment is designed to be easy to use by unskilled people, or at least SURVIVE, that tells you something.

I don't care much for what someone with 60thousand hours and 2 million years of experience can do with a piece of equipment... If my experience is not in any way compatible, then I'm not going to see the results.. I want to see what I can reasonably expect to get out of the machine.

When you hit the emergency room with a piece of metal in your hand, do you want a nurse and PA to give you a local, remove it, stitch you and hand you a script and give you a tet booster, or do you want a panel of doctors to explain all the functions of your skin, muscles, dynamics of injury, possible infection types, blah blah blah... ???

 

[kkilli]

I think this would also make your posts more legitimate and give folks the impression you're not just spamming the forums. My understanding from many years on TBN is that dealers and manufacturers and reps should register as a sponsor or advertiser so that their role is clearly visible. An example is the fellow from KTAC insurance who posts here periodically.

I don’t know how anyone with more than an ounce of reading comprehension could conclude that RK Tractor Guy has been doing anything remotely close to “spamming the forum”. He’s done nothing but answer questions and POLITELY dispel inaccuracies spewed forth by a few of the resident “experts”.

In reading some of this “expert” rhetoric though one might conclude that a few of these “experts” must actually be intimately involved in running a multi-million dollar tractor business.....instead of the other way around.

...but then again, what do I know. I’m just a fool who got tricked into buying an RK.....and couldn’t be happier!

 

[kkilli]

Oh, and just to be extra clear.....when I said “tricked” I was being facetious.

fa·ce·tious
fəˈsēSHəs/

adjective
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I don’t know how anyone with more than an ounce of reading comprehension could conclude that RK Tractor Guy has been doing anything remotely close to “spamming the forum”. He’s done nothing but answer questions and POLITELY dispel inaccuracies spewed forth by a few of the resident “experts”.

There's the right answer right there!

SR