Comparison Zero Turn Mower Shopping

[EP Crew]

I have 3 acres to mow and looking for a zero turn to get the job done quickly. I have the search narrowed down to:

1. Kubota Z122r
2. Bad Boy ZT Elite

I know the this Kubota has a 42' deck verse the 48 of the Bad Boy, but they both can come with a Kawasaki engine. The Kubota is $1,200 cheaper, and has a better warranty. I just can't find much info on the Bad Boy line of zero turns. Any thoughts?

 

[dragoneggs]

I love my Z122R. Added the mulch kit for $139 and it chews up long grass... I mean long without bogging down! Like 1ft tall! On it's second season now and no complaints mowing a little more than an acre... could easily handle more. I'm a fan of Kawasaki engines as my old Deere lawn tractor I bought around 1990 is still kicking and never had an issue, ever! Definitely recommend the engine. I don't know anything about the Bad Boy but I don't think you will be disappointed with the Kubota. Good luck with the hunt!

 

[RSKY]

I have the Bad Boy Elite with the Kawasaki and a 54" deck. Price and dealer were the deciding factors. It has been a tank so far. Only one problem solved under warranty.

I was set to buy the Kohler with a 60" deck when the owner's daughter, who works at the dealership, came out to talk to me. She went to school with my youngest daughter and I always talk to her and her little ones. She said I would be better off with the 54" deck because the 60" tended to scalp the yards on rough ground. She also said the Kawasaki would outlast any mower and used a LOT less gas. I took her advice and have been well pleased. Mower starts quickly, sips fuel, and gives a great cut. I agree with dragoneggs on the Kawasaki. It is great.

My last mower had a Kohler Courage engine. That is supposed to be a 500-hour engine and sure enough, at 502-hours it self destructed into a pile of junk.

Something that people sometimes ignore is seating comfort on their mower. The Bad Boy is comfortable for my wife and OK for me. Sit on both mowers and see which feels best.

Perhaps the one single item that made me buy the Bad Boy was the electric deck lift. My wife loves to mow, but is short and had trouble changing deck height on our old smaller mower. The Bad Boy raises/lowers with the push of a button.

Either mower will give you years of service with proper care. Price, dealer service, comfort, and location of dealer should help you make the choice. Kubota has a great reputation. But in my area Bad Boy has taken over in the homeowner market and a lot of commercial mowers use them. I looked at the manufacturers websites and the Bad Bod cuts 12" more and looks to be a slightly heavier duty machine. By that I mean wider tires, etc..

Don't think you could go wrong with either one.

 

[MESSMAKER]

The Bad Boy does appear to be more heavy duty, but I am sure both are fine.

 

[5030]

I have neither. I own a Cub Cadet 60" Tank. What I looked for was how many grease fittings all the machines I looked at has, especially on the spindles. Far as Kawasaki engines go, mine has one and I had an issue early on with the flywheel alternator but it was handled without an issue. I don't believe any of them are miserly on gas. If I did it again, I'd opt for a diesel.

 

[Qapla]

I have no personal experience with the Zero Turns - but have done work for several lawn maintenance people (I do irrigation). Most of them use gas. Several said they tried diesel and that they did not have the same "climbing power" as the gas - said they has trouble getting up hills and out of ditches.

Like I said, I have no first hand experience - can only pass along what they said.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have the Bad Boy Elite with the Kawasaki and a 54" deck. Price and dealer were the deciding factors. It has been a tank so far. Only one problem solved under warranty.

I was set to buy the Kohler with a 60" deck when the owner's daughter, who works at the dealership, came out to talk to me. She went to school with my youngest daughter and I always talk to her and her little ones. She said I would be better off with the 54" deck because the 60" tended to scalp the yards on rough ground. She also said the Kawasaki would outlast any mower and used a LOT less gas. I took her advice and have been well pleased. Mower starts quickly, sips fuel, and gives a great cut. I agree with dragoneggs on the Kawasaki. It is great.

My last mower had a Kohler Courage engine. That is supposed to be a 500-hour engine and sure enough, at 502-hours it self destructed into a pile of junk.

Something that people sometimes ignore is seating comfort on their mower. The Bad Boy is comfortable for my wife and OK for me. Sit on both mowers and see which feels best.

Perhaps the one single item that made me buy the Bad Boy was the electric deck lift. My wife loves to mow, but is short and had trouble changing deck height on our old smaller mower. The Bad Boy raises/lowers with the push of a button.

Either mower will give you years of service with proper care. Price, dealer service, comfort, and location of dealer should help you make the choice. Kubota has a great reputation. But in my area Bad Boy has taken over in the homeowner market and a lot of commercial mowers use them. I looked at the manufacturers websites and the Bad Bod cuts 12" more and looks to be a slightly heavier duty machine. By that I mean wider tires, etc..

Don't think you could go wrong with either one.

I wish my old JD lawn tractor had an hours meter on it... I am really curious how many hours me and now my tenants have racked up with no major service. I hate to say it but I don't even remember the last oil change! I got to get over and to that. 25+ years for that Kawasaki and still going... I think.

 

[RSKY]

Keep the oil and filter changed. Change the air filter regularly. And they will outlast the mower.

I also buy Honda engines for everything else, power washer, tiller, etc.

 

[big bubba]

I just can't find much info on the Bad Boy line of zero turns. Any thoughts? EP Crew

you're wise to look @ Bad Boy's top of the line which will probably hold up better than my neighbor's consumer grade Bad Boy. i've had to help him countless times (he's a terrible mechanic & hard on machines). imho a worthless machine....
in terms of size, even with just 3 acres i'd look at a 54" cut with that kind of investment. big time saver. agree with kawi over kohler.... best of luck

 

[JJT]

I'm a big fan of the Kubota zero turns, my ZD21 has 500+ hours on it and my only regret is not buying it sooner.

 

[astrohip]

I have a Bad Boy. It's about 6-8 years old, 52" deck I think, Kawasaki 31HP gas engine.

This thing is built like a tank. I'm pretty hard on my equipment, mowing areas that probably should be shredded with a tractor. Rough terrain, heavy brush, the occasional big branch (yikes!). And this thing just keeps on ticking.

Only a couple of repairs needed, other than routine maintenance. Drive belt broke once (it was getting worn anyway), and a bolt sheared on one of the blades. Again, I'm really hard on this mower, so that's actually a pretty good record!

I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

 

[astrohip]

One of your deciding factors should be the dealer. Whatever you buy should have a dealer in the area, that sells that brand on a regular basis. And preferably for some time, so they have a track record with it.

Bad Boy has a large dealer here in my area, so if/when I have issues, they can handle it. But if they didn't, I would look at another brand. I want a repair shop that knows what to do with something I buy.

 

[coralhead]

I have neither. I own a Cub Cadet 60" Tank. What I looked for was how many grease fittings all the machines I looked at has, especially on the spindles.

I had the same requirement when I bought the JD 190 lawn tractor. Spindle bearings still went bad. When I took it apart to rebuild the bearings, they were sealed bearings and the grease I was pumping into them could not get into the bearings. When I put new bearings in I removed the seal on the bearings that are towards the inside and have not had any trouble since. I ended up doing all three spindles that way.

 

[batwing]

I also have a Kawasaki engine in my old Deere lawn tractor and has been great but have heard the new ones run to hot and are not lasting if you are mowing a lot in a warm climate.
Ron

 

[man00]

Take a look at Spartan Mowers, the same guy that started bad boy mowers now owns this company. Right now their prices are pretty good, I guess they trying to get the market going. I do believe that Kawasaki recommends 20w-50w oil in all their mower engines.
Spartan SRT Series Mower - Spartan Mowers - Zero Turn Mowers

 

[MESSMAKER]

Take a look at Spartan Mowers, the same guy that started bad boy mowers now owns this company. Right now their prices are pretty good, I guess they trying to get the market going. I do believe that Kawasaki recommends 20w-50w oil in all their mower engines.
Spartan SRT Series Mower - Spartan Mowers - Zero Turn Mowers

They do look interesting.

 

[5030]

I also have a Kawasaki engine in my old Deere lawn tractor and has been great but have heard the new ones run to hot and are not lasting if you are mowing a lot in a warm climate.
Ron

Interestingly, you can increase your oil capacity by a full pint by using the Generac Extended life oil filter (the orange one). It not only fits Generac standby genset engines, it fits the Kawasaki V twin as well.

 

[5030]

Take a look at Spartan Mowers, the same guy that started bad boy mowers now owns this company. Right now their prices are pretty good, I guess they trying to get the market going. I do believe that Kawasaki recommends 20w-50w oil in all their mower engines.
Spartan SRT Series Mower - Spartan Mowers - Zero Turn Mowers

tell you what, I don't care for the front spindle to wheel arrangement at all. Looks flimsy. More than once I've gotten up against a fence post or tree with the front wheels of my M60 tank and I was glad the front spindles were stout. I've even rolled a front tire off the rim with no damage. Those spindles don't look to me like they would take much of an impact. Neat looking....you bet. Stout, I don't believe so. The other thing I don't care for are the aluminum 'mag' rear wheels. I've learned over the years that grass cuttings are acidic. That aluminum will go to heck real quick. I'll take my low maintenance steel rears anyday.

Cub Cadet sells a pile of Professional Lawn Care Zero Turn mowers for a good reason, they last and are easily serviceable. Mine is over 5 years old, mowing 7 plus acres every summer with only minor repairs and new Gator Mulcher Blades every year. The Tank ain't cheap (depending on power options with the Kubota Diesel being the expensive option), but my Kawasaki has been bulletproof though it's not miserly on gas.

BTW, I run Shell Rotella 5-40 Synthetic in my Kawasaki and always have. Last time I checked, the hour meter was showing just under 700 hours.

 

[MESSMAKER]

tell you what, I don't care for the front spindle to wheel arrangement at all. Looks flimsy. More than once I've gotten up against a fence post or tree with the front wheels of my M60 tank and I was glad the front spindles were stout. I've even rolled a front tire off the rim with no damage. Those spindles don't look to me like they would take much of an impact. Neat looking....you bet. Stout, I don't believe so. The other thing I don't care for are the aluminum 'mag' rear wheels. I've learned over the years that grass cuttings are acidic. That aluminum will go to heck real quick. I'll take my low maintenance steel rears anyday.

Cub Cadet sells a pile of Professional Lawn Care Zero Turn mowers for a good reason, they last and are easily serviceable. Mine is over 5 years old, mowing 7 plus acres every summer with only minor repairs and new Gator Mulcher Blades every year. The Tank ain't cheap (depending on power options with the Kubota Diesel being the expensive option), but my Kawasaki has been bulletproof though it's not miserly on gas.

BTW, I run Shell Rotella 5-40 Synthetic in my Kawasaki and always have. Last time I checked, the hour meter was showing just under 700 hours.

We have a great Cub cadet dealer near. He also sells Grasshopper. None of the commercial guys buy Cub Cadet. They all buy Grasshopper, even though the former are cheaper. You got to wonder why.

 

[man00]

last thing I read from Kawasaki is to use 20w-50w oil