eBay/Craigslist Satoh S-650G - Hello -

[Compact Driver]

Hello,

Just joined the forum and there is no get to know the new guy section, so I thought I'd step in on a project tractor I'm going to buy. I found a Satoh S-650G on Craig's List and just couldn't pass up getting a little friend for my Kubota B8200D. This is really a matter of rescuing a little tractor and giving it a good home. I haven't taken possession of it yet, so I would like to know where I stand. Are there any opinions that anyone wants to share about the Bison?

I live in Vermont and we get plenty of snow and cold. We had about 45 days of frigid weather and it was a test of man and machine. I plan on using the Satoh with 3 point hitch attachments because I find myself keeping the backhoe on the Kubota instead of doing the on and off routine. I have a 5 ft back blade that came with my Kubota so I'm not starting with nothing. I would really like to get a used tiller to be able to blend areas of my lawn that are uneven and do more gardening. I don't think the simple things I need to do with this tractor would be too hard to accomplish. The Bison has a sickle bar mower with it that I'm going to immediately remove and probably sell, or trade for that tiller I want.

I guess I'll leave things there until I have tractor on my property. Things could go badly and I may have to talk about my Kubota.

Oh, I found the Newbie's intro page.

 

[Compact Driver]

So, now I have a problem. I now have a Satoh Bison (S-560G) and I need to find out what year it is, (Under 1000 serial number) and a good clear version of the service manual. It needs work! It is a restoration project that I hope can bear some fruit for this summer. If I can get it running and be able to use it while I'm doing parts of it that don't the affect operation then I can do the major work next winter, of I can make a place to do it. So here's some pictures.
Oh, and is there anyone who can make the Satoh decals on the sides of the hood?

 

[Sonny580]

A sickle mower!!! WOW!! My tractor was in pieces when I got it.--Didn't think it was all there, but it did go together well. Not sure about year of the numbers, gotta be chart somewhere!
Mine is also an S-650-G --Mazda engine 3-pt. hitch plus standard Dbar! thanks; sonny580

 

[Compact Driver]

Hi Sonny580 do you have any pictures of your project tractor? I am trying to make something work for a video log of the whole process, but the cameras I've used so far won't get the job done. I have an action cam with great video, but it has no audio while in the all weather case, so that didn't work well, and I tried a cheapo cam that had great audio, but poor picture quality and a really annoying narrow field of view. HD?? Not. So I will try a couple of other cameras around the house to find one that is acceptable. Maybe I'm just not supposed to do camera appearances.

 

[Sonny580]

This is one of the videos right after I got it running.--You can make it full screen for a better look.

thanks; sonny

 

[stingray1]

Welcome to the forum. I had a Satoh Bison 4x4 diesel,mine was blue and white with a the headlights in the grill. It was a fun little tractor.

 

[Sonny580]

Mine is not supposed to be black with orange wheels, BUT former owner was member of hells angles cycle club, SO,---He painted the poor ole 650 that color AND put harley-davidson decals on it! thanks; sonny

 

[Compact Driver]

Sonny,

I have to admit that I really wonder if those customizers think for a moment about what their results look like. Some have a real flair for making a tractor unique, and others just want to throw as many badges and colors as they can at something that shouldn't be messed with. The Satoh will probably never match a Mustang in regards to appreciation, but which is more versatile in the field and in the number of tasks it can perform? There's no doubt that anyone can afford a used Satoh and do whatever they can imagine with a little work. If you need to improve your property, or you feel the need to create your own little farm with haying and planting fields the size of the Satoh S-650G is surprising, and though I haven't had any experience with it yet I think I will be pleasantly pleased with being able to do what I intend to do with it.

 

[Sonny580]

I really like mine, it's narrow , turns good, light so it don't pack the garden dirt, yet powerful for it's size.
I will probably never get it painted to the factory colors, but it still works for me, Neighbors kinda scratch their heads when they see the HD decals on it!! LOL!!! thanks; sonny580

 

[Compact Driver]

Can anyone tell me what battery you are using in your Satoh S-650G tractor? I have been looking for the right battery and the shape best fits the Group 51R batteries The only problem is that you can only get a 500 CCA battery and my Kubota is still using a 800 CCA battery after about 7 years without more than a few jumps in extreme cold weather. She doesn't get babied. So, what are you using.