As a youngster, dad started me mowing our yard w a push mower. A couple of years later, he bought a riding mower. This was in the 60s. My first time using it without him watching me, I thought I could mow higher on this bank we had. Nope, it rolled over, and the muffler burned my leg really good. Carried a scar there for 15 years. My brother mows my yard now w a Toro zero turn. I've never even been on a zero turn. I think it's awesome that your channel has the opportunity to share products with us. UA-cam is a truly great thing for entertainment and help/how to. Today's video was very informative. Thanks.👍🚜❤️🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸
Mike thanks for your comments about zero-turn mowers and your experiences. I own Skag Turf Tiger with a 61" mower deck. I too experienced the sliding down the ditch hill as well as around the pond. The problem is the tires on the rear of the mower. They are generally pretty smooth-treaded. I changed to cleated tires and it is a totally different machine. It will go just about anywhere and through wet grasses and even some mud. You have to just be careful when turning around because it has a possibility of tearing up the sod some, depending on how quick you want to turn. As far as stopping or slowing your forward speed going down a steep bank people have the tendency to panic and pull back on both steering levers and actually are putting it in reverse. All this does is spin the tires and you will slide downhill fairly rapidly. What a person should do is let the levers come back to the neutral position and let the mower slow itself down. You can control your direction by slightly pulling back on one of the levers depending on which direction you want to go. I mow some pretty steep ditch banks going up and down as well as sideways. This is my second SKAG and I have just over seven hundred hours on it and my first one had over nine hundred hours on it. IT IS ALL IN THE TIRES, and fighting the desire to pull back too much on the levers. Thanks for your videos, I really enjoy them! I think you should try out the Skag Tiger with a cleated tire. The factory tires on most of these mowers are meant for level ground with limited exposure to banks or hills. J.R.
I have a Scag Wildcat which has been trouble free for ten years or better. It's due for rear tires. What tire brand, tread are you running and where did you purchase them? Thanks.
I use Discount Tire. Just tell them that you want a cleated tire similar to a tractor tread. Know your tire size and they can fix you up. They ordered them and it took just two days to get them. Good luck! J.R. @@bruushbuster50
Have had my JD 997 for 10 years and have been very pleased. It is not only used to mow 5 acres of lawn, but I use it to clip my pasture fields. It has a very dependable Yanmar diesel engine that fits right in with all of our other diesel powered equipment. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles the Stihl has, but it has been very dependable and very easily maintained.
Hey Mike, Ferris is making this mower for Stihl. Ferris has the patent on the suspension on each "corner". This is great for Stihl and Ferris and it's made in America. I've had my Ferris for almost 10 years now and it's a great mower . Enjoy it!!!!
Love my zero turn mower. I bought mine about 18 years ago when we had a business plus our house to mow. It is a Dixie Chopper commercial mower. Still running strong. Paid over 6000 for it and the only repairs ive done other than the maintence items (bladed, belts, fliuds) has been 1 deck spindle and a couple rollers on the deck. Had to get the carb rebuilt within the first two years and have only used non ethanol gas in all my equipment since then. I dred the day i have to shop for another one.....
Hello! 😊 First thing I would do with that mower is fit one of those aluminum dock plate bridges on to the ROPS in order to keep the sun off of me. They work great and are strong enough to not get all bent when you run into tree limbs. When mowing slopes with a zero turn you do well to go up and down the slope but you have to be careful because they can roll over backward going up a slope. My choice would be a Kubota with a diesel engine if I wanted to put out megabucks.
@@davidmorse8432 yes sir doing well. Been on vacation but working like no tomorrow around house. Lol. Hope that you and your family are well also. It's been hot here but a bit of a cool down I believe is settling in starting today. Thank you sir.
@@Hallnout We are recovering from a bad storm that passed thru a couple weeks ago. Many trees toppled over on power lines. We were without power for 3 days in hot weather. Power company did an awesome job getting things back up and running. Kudos to those teams that came in from out of town to help with the work.
@@davidmorse8432 sorry to hear and glad your powers back on. We got hail about the size of golf balls a week ago or so. Beat my car pretty well. Uggh. Have a great day.
I started off with a tractor style lawnmower and it was just okay. Then I bought a simplicity zero turn and it made mowing so much easier. I did have one problem with it, on the front end it had a bolt going through to pivot and it broke. In 2014 i bought a new Gravely commercial zero turn mower and only problem I've had with it was a spindle wear out. It was around $10,000. with tax. At the time I was ready to buy i was thinking about Scag but the salesman talked me out of it. First time cutting with the Gravely, i was mowing under an oak tree and didn't realize that a branch was too low to go under. The rops caught the branch and it picked me up with the mower, then I backed off and came back to the ground. It spooked me.
Yep, looks identical to my Ferris. You will find that in addition to the best ride on a mower you can possibly have, that suspension will also allow the machine to hold better on hills then what you're used to.
the reason it looks like a Ferris is because both are manufactured by Briggs & Stratton, the only minor difference is that the Stihl has a few more additions like USB chargers and so on, price wise they are the same
Proud to see the Kawasaki, I worked at the plant that builds them in Maryville mo for 16 years. I was the team leader for the crankshaft machining line.
@@charlesjlatimer6249 Any particular years? I will look for more info. Al block? Cast Block? Allot depends on Heat soak from hard max power and no cool down before shutdown. Same as Any air cooled engine.
We have finally got some rain here in S. Wisconsin, so I will mow grass for the second time this year after April. Did mow the tall weeds a few times, any thing over five inches, but not much grass was that tall. Keeping the grass tall saved it and it did not burn out, just didn't grow much. Now I'll get to set the mower back to 3.5 inches and finally use some weed killer and fertilizer. Using an Ahrens Pro 60" Model for about 4 acres and two miles of trails in about two hours.
Toro and another company still makes a 3 wheel but it is a sand trap rake. Fun to operate how u start in the center and rake and turn around and just keep doing it and then go around the edge to smooth everything out.
Ive been eying up stihl mowers from first time i saw them at my local dealership. Better options than other mowers. They are farris built but with more options from stihl. Im glad to see stihl with everything product line for your lawn/ property management. I have never drove a zero turn always had a tractor style cheap box store type but im to the point to getting a more prosumer/professional type mower. Im looking towards the RZ261 to go with my rs 261 chain saw 😂
Love the suspension on the mower. I am presently cutting about 4 acres with an Ariens, 52 in. Prior to that I used a Gravely 44 inch which was my first zero turn that i bought in 1994. Still runs like a top and has a Kohler 21 hp. engine. Love my zero turns and like you indicated it saves time. Great to Stihl get into the market.
We live in the mountains. We can't grow a traditional lawn. What grass we have is natural prairie grass. We have 3 acres and I now mow about 1 acre of it. A couple of years ago I picked up a very old SCAG Turf Tiger at an auction for around $1500. It has 6000 hours on it and the motor was replaced at some time with a Kohler Fuel Injected. The Hyrdro motors really need to be rebuilt. There's a lot of slop in them and maintaining a straight line is a challenge. I mow about 800 feet of bar ditch where I'll drop one wheel into the bottom of the ditch. It gets' pretty steep in places and at first it made me nervous mowing at that angle, but it handles it well. This thing is a beast and I could never justify buying one new. It weighs just shy of one ton.
We mow a 10 acre cemetery some properties in town. I have two Kubotas a 48 and a 54" cut and love them both. They are heavy enough to have good traction with the dry weight being 1000 and 1200#'s. Had a dixie chopper 48" and had to sell it nearly new because it had hardly any traction backing and turning. It would get stuck on level ground trying to mow headstone sometimes cause you couldn't go forward and not enough traction to rotate the front tires and backup. I like the suspension on the sthil and the two stage air filter which is really important if it's really dusty like that cemetery. Love your channel, watch every vid. Keep'em coming.
Hi Mike, I had a John Deere mower that lasted me 25 years, if you take care of them properly they last, I preformed all the maintenance myself. That looks like a real nice mower, and you did a great job showing all the features. I purchased a new JD rider from my local dealer, it’s a S240 i only have a 1/2 acre. I’ll be 71 soon and need to use a rider because of my knees.
I had an Exmark center discharge. I really liked that mower. No grass on the driveway, beds, or sidewalk without having to start cutting from one direction.
Morning All :) That last little thing that looks like a chain saw is exactly that. I bought one last year with 2 batteries and I am telling you that little thing is the ticket. If you make a circle with your thumb and index it will cut anything that size and smaller in a hurry. I'm way out in the county and I have those volunteer trees that try to grow in my flower beds and along the tree lines and that little thing just eats them. You can also trim up bushes and such. I also used it on my Lilac bush and Rose of Sharon tree. My husband said Trina I think you could build a house with that thing lol
White had a front mount with a single caster in the rear in the early 80's. It seemed to get stuck pretty easy. My 220 Grasshopper that I bought in 2001 is light years ahead of the White, and has given me 22yrs of mostly trouble free service. I had one spindle bearing fail, a bungee on the engine cover break and a "ball joint" (tie rod) on the steering linkage wear out. Also, I've only replaced the battery once.
The white brand was built like a tank back in the day. I still have a white gt1855 garden tractor with hydraulic lift and 3 point hitch. I believe they eventually got bought out by mtd. I just got a deines front deck mower built in Kansas I believe. My cousin got it for free and was going to scrap it. I haven't had time to mess with it but looks like a nice mower. Have a great day.
Me and my brother run 3 Grasshoppers. A 2006 mid mount 223, a 2008 front mount 729 and a 2012 front mount 725. The 2 front mounts have a Kubota 3 cylinder engines with the 725 being a diesel. The 223 was bought new and the rest used with varing hours. The '06 and '08 have over 2400 hours on them and the 2012 has 950 on it. All have a 61" deck.
Good morning Morgans and friends. I suppose time will tell with the stihl mower. 20 years ago it was taking us the better part of a whole weekend to mow. We now have been running, two cub cadet 54" zeros and finish around 4 hours if mowed weekly or a bit sooner. Hope everyone has a great day. Vacation is flying bye like i knew it would. Be safe & God Bless. Give Hunter a big high 5 please.
@@oldmanfred8676 hey Fred. I've only got 5. Started out mowing here with a little rider. We planted most all of it to trees 18-20 years ago. Now we have to mow around most all of them. I'll send you an aerial shot photo.
I wondered about a Zero Turn versus a small John Deere lawn tractor. I ended up with the lawn tractor so I could pull a trailer, a fertilizer spreader, a lawn sweeper, and a tank sprayer around my property in addition to cutting the grass. The Deere X320 with a 48" deck goes pretty fast but not nearly the speed of your zero turn. I think the Deere was also half the price of a zero turn. So for me the decision was based on cutting speed versus general usability. Thanks for the videos! Love following your adventures!
Thanks for showing the new machine. Agree with you on the z turn pros and cons. I have a 72" Gravely commercial and really like it. It has the carb version of that same Kawasaki engine. Strong motor but does like the fuel. I like the suspension on the Stihl. My Gravely rides a bit rough but is very easy to maintain.
I just have a box store Cub Cadet XT1 42" lawn tractor with the 18HP Kohler. Does everything I need it to do. On my 6th season with it, no issues, change the oil/filter once a year and the air filter if needed. Been running Gator G6 blades on it the past 3 years. I changed the oil in the Hydrostatic transaxle a couple years ago that everyone claims the Tuff Torque K46 transaxle isn't serviceable, it is, and you gotta make the time to do it for them to last. I've got 124 hours on it. Would probably have around 130-135 hours on it if I didn't have the Kubota BX2680 and mid mount mower as I've used the Kubota a few times for mowing my property. If I recall last year I replaced the original battery on the Cub Cadet, I also run a snow blower on it occasionally when we actually get snow LOL....something the zero turns can't run.
Another one for the dislike column is turning around to quickly can make some bare spots. There’s a learning curve that’s for sure. Your pivoting on the inside wheel. It takes some getting used to 😁
I have a 1998 Sears Craftsman Riding mower DLT-3000. Has a Kohler 20 hp dual cam engine...42 inch cut. Oil is still clean...cranks right up. I have rebuilt the deck. Pulleys, belts...blades tires....oil changes. Maintenance like you would on any power equipment...but still using it...runs and cuts like a bush hawg. Its all in how you take care of and the maintaining of the equipment for longevity. I.M.O. This mower is made out of tuff metal...not the plastic and tin junk out there today...and I can work on it myself...simple maintenance for a simple guy 😂🤣✅💯👍✌
Nice mower, thanks for the video. I have a Cub Cadet ZT that's pro grade with 800 hours. It has the steering wheel setup which allows you to turn the the front wheels like a regular riding mower. It automatically links to the drive wheels to match the steering input. It also has treaded front tires, not slicks. It's is flawless on hills and just as fast as a regular ZT.
I remember zipping around in the 80s on a Yazoo commercial mower and it was great unless you dropped that rear wheel in a hole. I absolutely love my Spartan ZT mower now. I keep 5-7 acres mowed per week. 75 % is hillside mowing. This mower ranked high on hillside use. $7K 5 years ago. Works great but couldnt replace it for that much now.
Nice looking mower and like the suspension. I have a 9 year old Gravely as that’s the dealer nearby. I researched them before spending the 4500 9 years ago and was pondering between gravely and bad boy. I went with closest and most helpful dealer which was Gravely. I wanted the welded deep deck that they both had…same as the Stihl. This eliminates the JD as they were stamped shallow steel decks at the time (don’t know about now). My mechanic brother said get the kawasaki motor which gravely had. Been a great mower and I progressed the same way using an old craftsman rider for years. I too mow around 2+ hours.
A lot like my ferris. Bought it new in 2003. Very comfortable ride with suspension like my ferris. My ferris has a heavier gage steel on the deck. It has two recurring problems. The fuel lines get eaten out by the alcohol containing fuel. There is an idler pulley that is part of the drive for the drive pumps. It is a stamped pulley and it has been replaced twice.
Enjoy Your insight into product reviews. Always seem to fare and balanced! After countless hours of mowing starting in My pre teen years. This Old Geezer has found a pleasure in mowing. Not an obligation! the perfect place to clear My mind. Mike as You get older a 72" mid mount rear discharge mower deck for Your LX. Would give You a smoother ride in an AC cab!
in 1989 I bought a new Honda HT-3813 lawn tractor/mower. It has a V twin, water cooled engine. I bought a new snow blower attachment for $400 from a neighbor that got the same model used and didn't plan to use the blower that came with it. What a bargain that was and it sure saved me a bunch of shoveling.. That tractor is still in use but since I have a Kubota B-2601, I use that front bucket to clear snow, due to the fact that some years I spent more time changing the Honda from mowing grass to snow throwing, than I did removing snow.
Looks like a good mower. We run the commercial Gravely with the Kawasaki motors. We e also put directional tread tires on them for the sidehills. Cuts down on sliding immensely. Only drawback is you have to be careful when turning because they will dig a hole quick. Another great video, have a good one.
the biggest negative to a zero turn for my own personal use is getting under trees and fence lines. The deck doesn't extend to the front or sides far enough. Getting under pine trees with low limbs isn't fun or possible without the limbs encroaching into my feet, lap and Face 🤕. But you are right on the money with speed and maneuverability.
Mike, Check and see if Grasshopper mowers will set you up with a demo. They are built like tanks and have diesels in their lineups!! Just a fantastic mower, but pricey. Enjoy all your videos. It`s going to be a good day when you start out with a Morgan`s video.
The worst zero turn I had was a snapper, the best one I have is a Kubota 1211 Diesel. It is a beast. This is the second Kubota Zero Turn I have owned. The first one I kept for 17 years and still running strong.
I still have my John Deere LX266 that is 23 years old, it runs great bought it at Hartville Hardware The new zero turn mowers look great, just a little hard on a retired income
What do folks recommend for a pretty hilly yard less than an acre? I don’t need a zero turn, I’m talking more of a push unit to upgrade from my 21” snapper that performed great for years on a flat Florida 1/2 acre lawn. Now I’m in north Georgia and am looking at a bigger deck, perhaps a Honda or Toro - I am good with spending north of $1000
I think that zero turn’s are a great thing . Also in my opinion you need a larger plot of grass the justify the purchase . But Mike you better prepare for the “ It must be nicer’s” !
Nice overview on the zero-turn, Mike. I gotta brag, though, on my Kubota TG-1860 diesel garden tractor w/ 54" mower deck. It's 23 years old with 1150 hours on it. I mow, pull an aerator, spreader, and, in the late fall, a CycloneRake to pick up all the leaves from the oak trees that encircle my property. I'm anal about preventive maintenance, and it has served me well.
I have been watching your channel for some time and I love what you do. Todays video about the Stihl Zero Turn reminded me of another piece of equipment called Ventrac. This is a piece of equipment which has 30 different attachments for use from mowing to taking down thick brush to making roads and will operate on a 30% grade safely, that I think would be ideal for your properties both in Pa and WVa. Take a few min and look at some of the different possibles that this piece of equipment can do.
Venny's are awesome I have watched them on tractor time with tim plus the WV highway dept has them that they use to mow the steep areas around the entrance and exit ramps
I have a CubCadet zero turn with a steering wheel, and it will mow steep banks. Wheel aren't casters back wheels work as zero turn. Front stays where you want it. I've been watching since RK days . Used your fire starter it works well..
Enjoy your videos. Ferris is where it's at when it comes to mowers. They've had 4 corner suspension for years. And, their suspension seats are so comfortable. Nobody compares to Ferris. Hands down, the very best.
When my son in law got his new zero turn, he was cutting next to the ditch by the road. He sneezed. His wife , giggled the whole time she was pulling him out with his pickup.
It’s made by Ferris for Stihl. Some of the Ferris dealers were frustrated because Ferris didn’t deliver some of their mowers on time this spring because they had a commitment to deliver a specific amount of the dressed up Stihl versions
Missing the remote control. Before leaving for NC in 2020, I equipped a zeroturn to mow remotely. My dad or wife would fill it with gas, check the oil, and get it out of the garage. Let me know by cell phone it was ready and I would mow the yards from NC using hotel internet. Only got one comment from State Trooper that saw the mower running without an operator. He calmed down when I saw him coming and shut down. Talked through the internet connection to him. Home is western PA. Best part great allergy season.
Hey Mike, As one of your viewers pointed out it looks a lot like a Ferris knock off. Many folks in my neck of the woods Upstate NY own Ferris mowers as the company is located close by in Sherrill NY. I myself have an old craftsman 1998 Gt5000 that has been a workhorse mowing 2-1/2 acres of land for the last 20 plus years. As you stated you almost have to buy professional grade equipment nowadays or old school well built to last any length of time. Thanks MM
Mike, I have a John Deere 930M with a Kawasaki not a EFI ( Great Engine, make sure you use only Kawasaki Oil when you change the oil. I cut 7ac and I love it. It takes me about 2.5 hours, with a floating seat I am not beat up at the end. I think I am going to put a canopy on it.
Nice zturn. You commented that zturns don't do well on hills. When I was in the business and owned zturns there were different tires available from the dealer. One of the tires was a more aggressive tread to correct the slippage on hills. Don't know if they still available.
I’ve got a Toro recycler that’s probably 35 years old and I used it today. It’s definitely showing it’s age but so am I. A shot of starting fluid and it off like a bullet. Was going to buy a new one because the frame is not the best any longer but it still starts and runs good so maybe next year! Thanks much for the video.
Bought a new 2023 commercial kubota Z726XKW-3-60 with 60 inch deck and 25.5 horse kawasaki. Just love it. Nothing slows this thing down, even 18 inch tall grass. I does one thing very well like mike said.
Cub cadet came out with the zero turn mower with a stering wheel and you can mow alot more slopes with them bc you can control the front wheels to.where they won't slide down the hills...And plus they have ones that have the dual wheels to help stabilize them.on the hillsides
I just purchased a kubota Z412 to cut my parents' yard. Normally, it takes 1 hour with their old Craftsman ride-on mower yesterday it took 20 min. I just love my new zero turn. I should have bought one years ago.. The only downside so far is $$$$$.
I hope that you have recovered from your injury. So you feel better. Where I live they had a municipality where they had a display on Tuesday night and they had a similar experience with the fireworks. It injured two workers that were doing the same thing
I bought a craftsman 46 inch rider back in 2014 has served me well had to replace the transaxle and deck belt. I mow a little over 2 acres .had a white before that and you cant beat the deck belt on them, never replaced it but wore the rider out. It all comes down to how you take care of your stuff.regular maintenance will make them last .
Let’s be very clear, and Mike pointed this out. These mowers are not designed, tooled, and manufactured by Stihl. They are Ferris mowers (owned by Briggs & Stratton) with a few minor design changes - mainly frills - and different paint. Like so many other products, sometimes the names are representative of the manufacturer. That said, Ferris makes good zero-turns, so a buyer will get a quality product. My local Ferris dealer wasn’t happy this spring, though, since Ferris was late and short on their mower orders because of their commitment to produce the new mowers for Stihl. Those delays, and the fact that Ferris branded mowers will now compete with Stihl branded mowers, doesn’t bode well for the independent dealers that sell Ferris.
Hmm Great Suspension. That may be a game changer. Wheel horse made a suspension, for the deck it was on chains and the deck floated over the ground. It was a old wheel horse when I was a kid, I would love to have that little tractor again 1940 ish 50 ish all red and all steel .
Not a fan of Zero turn mowers. Not that they are bad, but they are single-taskers. They are costly but only cut grass. A lawn tractor has many uses. I had only about 1 acre to cut and bought a used lawn tractor and used it for 10 years with minimum maintenance. You are right a zero turn is faster but I had a ditch to cut and I doubt you could cut it as you say they are not really good on side hills. I got really good at the side straddle to compensate for the step-side angle. If it fits your uses they are good. But I want something that has more than just one trick. Personally, I would have a Ventrac if I had a bigger property to mow. It is like a regular tractor in that it has like 30 different attachments for all your lawn and landscape issues. And side hills are no issue up to 30 degrees. I don't have one because my current lawn is small. Just a dream.
Hey Mike. That looks like a great mower with lots of great features. You did a great review on it. I have a Kabota ZD 326 that I bought used and it’s been a great mower. I do own several Stihl products and love them. Cool video. 👍❤️
I have a Hustler and a Bad Body, both bought used and both 42" decks. They had been serviced consistantly but they were used by commercial mowing companies. I think the Hustler is probably close to tweny years old and the Bad Boy is less than five years old. I use them both a couple of days a week. They are both so well built that I doubt I will ever be able to wear them out. I even use the older Hustler to maintain my mountain hunting campsite which is about 2 acres and is very rough. U can't imaging using anything other than a zero turn mower after using these.
I cut just over 2 acres. I have a 2009 Ferris that is still going strong. I do have it serviced by the dealer every year. It is a small price to pay to keep it running like new. I have some side hills that I can't cut if it is too wet. We use my wife's 1996 John Deere 425 all wheel steering garden tractor for that.
I find it odd B & S own Ferris and this unit is powered by Kawasaki rather then Vanguard! Haven't been in the business for several years now but Grasshopper was the front-mount and Scagg was the mid-mount, never owned or sold either! Worked in a JD store and had the opportunity to travel to Sarasota, Fl every winter and drive them all! Suspension is a true answer to enjoyment!! Electric solenoid on throttle would not be my desire, and the all time most important phase-CUP HOLDER!! There will come a day when cell phones have a cup holder! Have both fuel tanks FULL when mowing at Mom's! As always, thanks for the video!
MIKE, been watching your channel for YEARS and it definitely costs me money! From chainsaws, leaf blowers, to Tractors and attachments. I'm in my later stage of life, so I think the next big ticket item I purchase?.... Patio Home with no maintenance!!! Lol (but I sure would like a zero turn!!)
I freakin love Outdoors with the Morgan’s! I’ve been kicking around buying a new mower. It just so happens I love Stihl products. Here’s the kicker,,I’m as old as dirt so a comfortable ride means a lot to me. Guess where I’m heading as soon as I can get my shoes on. Stihl,,,y’all can thank Mike Morgan if I end up owning a new a Stihl zero turn mower. PS. Mike, I’m still upset that you got hurt the other day. Kind of like having a little bother getting hurt or something.
Love the mower. I currently run an ex mark like yours, but love my stihl products. Was wondering if they would ever get into mowers. I am going to check this out
I cut grass for a living. Bad boy mowers aren’t really commercial. People also forget it’s more to maintain too. Anybody with a slippery yard can get Carlisle AT101’s. They’re pretty good on hills and rarely get stuck. I have them on my little 52” exmark. My 72” snapper pro has 1800hrs and it’s my daily runner. Main thing about buying a mower is dealer service and how good they are otherwise it doesn’t matter what brand if it’s commercial. About 20 people die every year from flipping zero turns so it’s definitely possible. I almost roll mine once a month from hills but what I cut in a week most people won’t cut a month or so. I’m not a fan of suspension systems on mowers. They make you lean too much. Suspension seats are awesome to have
I have a Commercial zeroturn from Cub Cadet and it has a steering wheel allowing you to control the front wheels unlike most lapbar zeroturn mowers. It is like a Billy goat on hills. My model is Cub Cadet PROZ60 w/ steering wheel. They are about 13k. I no longer use my ExMark and Scag mowers and have sold them both.
I have a Ferris and the Stihl are made by them. Love my Ferris. I expect you will enjoy it. I also still have my Craftsman DYT-4000 riding mower (bought in 2005). and it's at about 500 hours. It's been a great mower, only needed to replace a few deck parts and the fuel line. Kept inside garage for the most part, and kept the deck cleaned every fall and painted to keep rust away. It lasts as long as the care you give it.
Still running my 2001 yazookees with a 61" deck. 23 years still running strong . Cuts fast , cuts clean . Only changed the starter 2 times and the battery 3 times. Still runs like a beast. Ill never sell this machime
I always hear people say MTD Yard Machines are no good, but I've owned one (42" with a single cylinder B&S) going sixteen years and other than routine maintenance the usual belts and one spindle it is steadfastly reliable and just keeps going; and believe me it gets flogged. We live on six acres with a combo of lawn bracken ferns and rough bushy terrain with lots of ruts and sticks (of all sizes) and this thing eats it up. The only thing I wish it had is a fab deck rather than pressed steel as it needs to be bashed back into shape occasionally.
Thanks for sharing this Stihl zeroturn mower with us. Fine looking machine and cuts great too. Stay safe and keep up the fun ariund there. OLD DAWG DREAMING Fred.
that's some serious suspension! I'm a little surprised your demo doesn't have some air-less tires on it... the Twheels. That's a must for my property! Too many trees with needles to run over!
@@hooverssmallengineservicel1123 Stihl does not own Briggs, nor did they invest money in them , they entered into a manufacturing agreement for mower production.
It is not a refurbished baris it is made like a ferris it is not the same people stihl n Briggs & Stratton teamed up. Everybody says that because of how it is made but the decks are different there is different things they are different mowers I have demoed them both at my dealer
Coming from the lawn care world. That is a rebranded Ferris mower. Suspension, gas gauge, deck height selection. And Ferris is owned by Briggs and Stratton.
Mike, wondering why you haven’t haven’t used your equipment to smooth out the top of the bank that you show at 16:00. Seems like it would make it much easier to mow.
Nice mower but my yard is too rough to take advantage of the speed capabilities. I will run my JD 260 & 265 lawn tractors until parts are no longer available. They are built solid and dependable. I had a Craftsman DLT2000 that was gifted to me and that thing ate belts like candy and I was constantly working on it. The most dependable part of that unit was the 22hp Kohler engine which was bulletproof.
I saw ya sliding on that 1st hill lol. I fixed that problem, I put coarse tread on mine, some serious diggers. Yes, they will dig a hole if not careful if on wet ground but, it beats sliding off a hill uncontrollably. Where did you hide your lawn sweep, no mower can hide the clippings. I might look into one of its under $10k
Looks fast I have to say, but I'll stick with my JD tractor style because I have a 60inch deck and Powerhead with bagger for the clippings , I found the bagger catcher on Zero's makes them even easier to get stuck on hills and slick grass.
As a youngster, dad started me mowing our yard w a push mower. A couple of years later, he bought a riding mower. This was in the 60s. My first time using it without him watching me, I thought I could mow higher on this bank we had. Nope, it rolled over, and the muffler burned my leg really good. Carried a scar there for 15 years. My brother mows my yard now w a Toro zero turn. I've never even been on a zero turn. I think it's awesome that your channel has the opportunity to share products with us. UA-cam is a truly great thing for entertainment and help/how to. Today's video was very informative. Thanks.👍🚜❤️🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸
Mike thanks for your comments about zero-turn mowers and your experiences. I own Skag Turf Tiger with a 61" mower deck. I too experienced the sliding down the ditch hill as well as around the pond. The problem is the tires on the rear of the mower. They are generally pretty smooth-treaded. I changed to cleated tires and it is a totally different machine. It will go just about anywhere and through wet grasses and even some mud. You have to just be careful when turning around because it has a possibility of tearing up the sod some, depending on how quick you want to turn. As far as stopping or slowing your forward speed going down a steep bank people have the tendency to panic and pull back on both steering levers and actually are putting it in reverse. All this does is spin the tires and you will slide downhill fairly rapidly. What a person should do is let the levers come back to the neutral position and let the mower slow itself down. You can control your direction by slightly pulling back on one of the levers depending on which direction you want to go. I mow some pretty steep ditch banks going up and down as well as sideways. This is my second SKAG and I have just over seven hundred hours on it and my first one had over nine hundred hours on it. IT IS ALL IN THE TIRES, and fighting the desire to pull back too much on the levers. Thanks for your videos, I really enjoy them! I think you should try out the Skag Tiger with a cleated tire. The factory tires on most of these mowers are meant for level ground with limited exposure to banks or hills. J.R.
I have a Scag Wildcat which has been trouble free for ten years or better. It's due for rear tires. What tire brand, tread are you running and where did you purchase them? Thanks.
I use Discount Tire. Just tell them that you want a cleated tire similar to a tractor tread. Know your tire size and they can fix you up. They ordered them and it took just two days to get them. Good luck! J.R. @@bruushbuster50
Have had my JD 997 for 10 years and have been very pleased. It is not only used to mow 5 acres of lawn, but I use it to clip my pasture fields. It has a very dependable Yanmar diesel engine that fits right in with all of our other diesel powered equipment. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles the Stihl has, but it has been very dependable and very easily maintained.
Hey Mike,
Ferris is making this mower for Stihl. Ferris has the patent on the suspension on each "corner". This is great for Stihl and Ferris and it's made in America. I've had my Ferris for almost 10 years now and it's a great mower . Enjoy it!!!!
Nice mower, it's a ferris just with a Stihl logo on it! Ferris are the best mowers on the market 👍😎
Love my zero turn mower. I bought mine about 18 years ago when we had a business plus our house to mow. It is a Dixie Chopper commercial mower. Still running strong. Paid over 6000 for it and the only repairs ive done other than the maintence items (bladed, belts, fliuds) has been 1 deck spindle and a couple rollers on the deck. Had to get the carb rebuilt within the first two years and have only used non ethanol gas in all my equipment since then. I dred the day i have to shop for another one.....
Hello! 😊
First thing I would do with that mower is fit one of those aluminum dock plate bridges on to the ROPS in order to keep the sun off of me. They work great and are strong enough to not get all bent when you run into tree limbs.
When mowing slopes with a zero turn you do well to go up and down the slope but you have to be careful because they can roll over backward going up a slope.
My choice would be a Kubota with a diesel engine if I wanted to put out megabucks.
Good morning David
@@Hallnout Hi Michael! You doin alright?
@@davidmorse8432 yes sir doing well. Been on vacation but working like no tomorrow around house. Lol.
Hope that you and your family are well also. It's been hot here but a bit of a cool down I believe is settling in starting today. Thank you sir.
@@Hallnout We are recovering from a bad storm that passed thru a couple weeks ago. Many trees toppled over on power lines. We were without power for 3 days in hot weather. Power company did an awesome job getting things back up and running. Kudos to those teams that came in from out of town to help with the work.
@@davidmorse8432 sorry to hear and glad your powers back on.
We got hail about the size of golf balls a week ago or so. Beat my car pretty well. Uggh. Have a great day.
I started off with a tractor style lawnmower and it was just okay. Then I bought a simplicity zero turn and it made mowing so much easier. I did have one problem with it, on the front end it had a bolt going through to pivot and it broke. In 2014 i bought a new Gravely commercial zero turn mower and only problem I've had with it was a spindle wear out. It was around $10,000. with tax. At the time I was ready to buy i was thinking about Scag but the salesman talked me out of it. First time cutting with the Gravely, i was mowing under an oak tree and didn't realize that a branch was too low to go under. The rops caught the branch and it picked me up with the mower, then I backed off and came back to the ground. It spooked me.
Yep, looks identical to my Ferris. You will find that in addition to the best ride on a mower you can possibly have, that suspension will also allow the machine to hold better on hills then what you're used to.
Agreed. I also have it’s twin, the Ferris ISX800z. Great mower.
I was going to say “Ferris re-skin” but everyone beat me to it 😅
I love using my son's diesel Ferris....I have a BobCat sub compact, with bucket and mower deck...old fashion way, lawn and pasture
@@jameshalliday412 It is way bigger, the RZ 960 is the same size as the Ferris ISX3300!
A re-branded Ferris. Great machine.
the reason it looks like a Ferris is because both are manufactured by Briggs & Stratton, the only minor difference is that the Stihl has a few more additions like USB chargers and so on, price wise they are the same
Manufactured by Briggs & Stratton with a Kawasaki engine ?
Ha
Look it up I did that’s why I said it
Not a diesel??? 😮
@@FredD63correct, multiple Ferris models come with Kawasaki options
Proud to see the Kawasaki, I worked at the plant that builds them in Maryville mo for 16 years. I was the team leader for the crankshaft machining line.
Best Engine Made. I have 2 still going. One 1995 One 2010
Kawasaki mowers were known for bad valves did they ever resolve those issues ? Exhaust valve seats would come loose in the head
@@charlesjlatimer6249
Any particular years?
I will look for more info.
Al block? Cast Block?
Allot depends on Heat soak from hard max power and no cool down before shutdown. Same as Any air cooled engine.
@@jamesbegley2700Good engines. I have the FX801V on my mower. Truthfully though, I wanted the Briggs with the Oil Guard system.
We have finally got some rain here in S. Wisconsin, so I will mow grass for the second time this year after April. Did mow the tall weeds a few times, any thing over five inches, but not much grass was that tall. Keeping the grass tall saved it and it did not burn out, just didn't grow much. Now I'll get to set the mower back to 3.5 inches and finally use some weed killer and fertilizer. Using an Ahrens Pro 60" Model for about 4 acres and two miles of trails in about two hours.
Toro and another company still makes a 3 wheel but it is a sand trap rake. Fun to operate how u start in the center and rake and turn around and just keep doing it and then go around the edge to smooth everything out.
Ive been eying up stihl mowers from first time i saw them at my local dealership. Better options than other mowers. They are farris built but with more options from stihl. Im glad to see stihl with everything product line for your lawn/ property management. I have never drove a zero turn always had a tractor style cheap box store type but im to the point to getting a more prosumer/professional type mower. Im looking towards the RZ261 to go with my rs 261 chain saw 😂
Love the suspension on the mower. I am presently cutting about 4 acres with an Ariens, 52 in. Prior to that I used a Gravely 44 inch which was my first zero turn that i bought in 1994. Still runs like a top and has a Kohler 21 hp. engine. Love my zero turns and like you indicated it saves time. Great to Stihl get into the market.
We live in the mountains. We can't grow a traditional lawn. What grass we have is natural prairie grass. We have 3 acres and I now mow about 1 acre of it. A couple of years ago I picked up a very old SCAG Turf Tiger at an auction for around $1500. It has 6000 hours on it and the motor was replaced at some time with a Kohler Fuel Injected. The Hyrdro motors really need to be rebuilt. There's a lot of slop in them and maintaining a straight line is a challenge. I mow about 800 feet of bar ditch where I'll drop one wheel into the bottom of the ditch. It gets' pretty steep in places and at first it made me nervous mowing at that angle, but it handles it well. This thing is a beast and I could never justify buying one new. It weighs just shy of one ton.
We mow a 10 acre cemetery some properties in town. I have two Kubotas a 48 and a 54" cut and love them both. They are heavy enough to have good traction with the dry weight being 1000 and 1200#'s. Had a dixie chopper 48" and had to sell it nearly new because it had hardly any traction backing and turning. It would get stuck on level ground trying to mow headstone sometimes cause you couldn't go forward and not enough traction to rotate the front tires and backup. I like the suspension on the sthil and the two stage air filter which is really important if it's really dusty like that cemetery. Love your channel, watch every vid. Keep'em coming.
Hi Mike, I had a John Deere mower that lasted me 25 years, if you take care of them properly they last, I preformed all the maintenance myself. That looks like a real nice mower, and you did a great job showing all the features. I purchased a new JD rider from my local dealer, it’s a S240 i only have a 1/2 acre. I’ll be 71 soon and need to use a rider because of my knees.
Precisely take care of the maintenance...and it will last you many 🌙 moons.
I had an Exmark center discharge. I really liked that mower. No grass on the driveway, beds, or sidewalk without having to start cutting from one direction.
Morning All :) That last little thing that looks like a chain saw is exactly that. I bought one last year with 2 batteries and I am telling you that little thing is the ticket. If you make a circle with your thumb and index it will cut anything that size and smaller in a hurry. I'm way out in the county and I have those volunteer trees that try to grow in my flower beds and along the tree lines and that little thing just eats them. You can also trim up bushes and such. I also used it on my Lilac bush and Rose of Sharon tree. My husband said Trina I think you could build a house with that thing lol
White had a front mount with a single caster in the rear in the early 80's. It seemed to get stuck pretty easy. My 220 Grasshopper that I bought in 2001 is light years ahead of the White, and has given me 22yrs of mostly trouble free service. I had one spindle bearing fail, a bungee on the engine cover break and a "ball joint" (tie rod) on the steering linkage wear out. Also, I've only replaced the battery once.
The white brand was built like a tank back in the day. I still have a white gt1855 garden tractor with hydraulic lift and 3 point hitch. I believe they eventually got bought out by mtd.
I just got a deines front deck mower built in Kansas I believe. My cousin got it for free and was going to scrap it. I haven't had time to mess with it but looks like a nice mower.
Have a great day.
Me and my brother run 3 Grasshoppers. A 2006 mid mount 223, a 2008 front mount 729 and a 2012 front mount 725. The 2 front mounts have a Kubota 3 cylinder engines with the 725 being a diesel. The 223 was bought new and the rest used with varing hours. The '06 and '08 have over 2400 hours on them and the 2012 has 950 on it. All have a 61" deck.
Good morning Morgans and friends. I suppose time will tell with the stihl mower.
20 years ago it was taking us the better part of a whole weekend to mow. We now have been running, two cub cadet 54" zeros and finish around 4 hours if mowed weekly or a bit sooner.
Hope everyone has a great day. Vacation is flying bye like i knew it would. Be safe & God Bless.
Give Hunter a big high 5 please.
How many acres is that and why so much?
Michael must have a huge yard!😊
@@oldmanfred8676 hey Fred. I've only got 5. Started out mowing here with a little rider. We planted most all of it to trees 18-20 years ago. Now we have to mow around most all of them. I'll send you an aerial shot photo.
@@Hallnout,
A lot of mowing, trees sure do take longer.
Went with my friend to Arkansas, still in Texas for a while longer.
It's a Ferris with a creamsicle paint job. Looks good!
Lol Creamsicle 😂
😂
Halloween edition
I wondered about a Zero Turn versus a small John Deere lawn tractor. I ended up with the lawn tractor so I could pull a trailer, a fertilizer spreader, a lawn sweeper, and a tank sprayer around my property in addition to cutting the grass. The Deere X320 with a 48" deck goes pretty fast but not nearly the speed of your zero turn. I think the Deere was also half the price of a zero turn. So for me the decision was based on cutting speed versus general usability. Thanks for the videos! Love following your adventures!
You can pull all that stuff with a zero turn also
Thanks for showing the new machine. Agree with you on the z turn pros and cons. I have a 72" Gravely commercial and really like it. It has the carb version of that same Kawasaki engine. Strong motor but does like the fuel. I like the suspension on the Stihl. My Gravely rides a bit rough but is very easy to maintain.
I just have a box store Cub Cadet XT1 42" lawn tractor with the 18HP Kohler. Does everything I need it to do. On my 6th season with it, no issues, change the oil/filter once a year and the air filter if needed. Been running Gator G6 blades on it the past 3 years. I changed the oil in the Hydrostatic transaxle a couple years ago that everyone claims the Tuff Torque K46 transaxle isn't serviceable, it is, and you gotta make the time to do it for them to last. I've got 124 hours on it. Would probably have around 130-135 hours on it if I didn't have the Kubota BX2680 and mid mount mower as I've used the Kubota a few times for mowing my property. If I recall last year I replaced the original battery on the Cub Cadet, I also run a snow blower on it occasionally when we actually get snow LOL....something the zero turns can't run.
This mower is legit. I bought one and my back no longer hurts when I mow.
Another one for the dislike column is turning around to quickly can make some bare spots. There’s a learning curve that’s for sure. Your pivoting on the inside wheel. It takes some getting used to 😁
I have a 1998 Sears Craftsman Riding mower DLT-3000. Has a Kohler 20 hp dual cam engine...42 inch cut. Oil is still clean...cranks right up. I have rebuilt the deck. Pulleys, belts...blades tires....oil changes. Maintenance like you would on any power equipment...but still using it...runs and cuts like a bush hawg. Its all in how you take care of and the maintaining of the equipment for longevity. I.M.O. This mower is made out of tuff metal...not the plastic and tin junk out there today...and I can work on it myself...simple maintenance for a simple guy 😂🤣✅💯👍✌
Nice mower, thanks for the video. I have a Cub Cadet ZT that's pro grade with 800 hours. It has the steering wheel setup which allows you to turn the the front wheels like a regular riding mower. It automatically links to the drive wheels to match the steering input. It also has treaded front tires, not slicks. It's is flawless on hills and just as fast as a regular ZT.
I remember zipping around in the 80s on a Yazoo commercial mower and it was great unless you dropped that rear wheel in a hole. I absolutely love my Spartan ZT mower now. I keep 5-7 acres mowed per week. 75 % is hillside mowing. This mower ranked high on hillside use. $7K 5 years ago. Works great but couldnt replace it for that much now.
Nice looking mower and like the suspension. I have a 9 year old Gravely as that’s the dealer nearby. I researched them before spending the 4500 9 years ago and was pondering between gravely and bad boy. I went with closest and most helpful dealer which was Gravely.
I wanted the welded deep deck that they both had…same as the Stihl. This eliminates the JD as they were stamped shallow steel decks at the time (don’t know about now). My mechanic brother said get the kawasaki motor which gravely had. Been a great mower and I progressed the same way using an old craftsman rider for years.
I too mow around 2+ hours.
A lot like my ferris. Bought it new in 2003. Very comfortable ride with suspension like my ferris. My ferris has a heavier gage steel on the deck. It has two recurring problems. The fuel lines get eaten out by the alcohol containing fuel. There is an idler pulley that is part of the drive for the drive pumps. It is a stamped pulley and it has been replaced twice.
Enjoy Your insight into product reviews. Always seem to fare and balanced! After countless hours of mowing starting in My pre teen years. This Old Geezer has found a pleasure in mowing. Not an obligation! the perfect place to clear My mind. Mike as You get older a 72" mid mount rear discharge mower deck for Your LX. Would give You a smoother ride in an AC cab!
Super excited to see Stihl get in the market. The suspension makes it look like it should have a really comfortable ride.
Repainted ferris
It’s a Ferris.
in 1989 I bought a new Honda HT-3813 lawn tractor/mower. It has a V twin, water cooled engine. I bought a new snow blower attachment for $400 from a neighbor that got the same model used and didn't plan to use the blower that came with it. What a bargain that was and it sure saved me a bunch of shoveling.. That tractor is still in use but since I have a Kubota B-2601, I use that front bucket to clear snow, due to the fact that some years I spent more time changing the Honda from mowing grass to snow throwing, than I did removing snow.
Looks like a good mower. We run the commercial Gravely with the Kawasaki motors. We e also put directional tread tires on them for the sidehills. Cuts down on sliding immensely. Only drawback is you have to be careful when turning because they will dig a hole quick. Another great video, have a good one.
Good looking mower. I’m all about comfort the older I get and seeing that suspension working as well as the suspension seat makes me a fan already.
the biggest negative to a zero turn for my own personal use is getting under trees and fence lines. The deck doesn't extend to the front or sides far enough. Getting under pine trees with low limbs isn't fun or possible without the limbs encroaching into my feet, lap and Face 🤕. But you are right on the money with speed and maneuverability.
Mike, Check and see if Grasshopper mowers will set you up with a demo. They are built like tanks and have diesels in their lineups!! Just a fantastic mower, but pricey. Enjoy all your videos. It`s going to be a good day when you start out with a Morgan`s video.
I was at my local dealer Monday and saw them. I don’t remember the model numbers, engine size or deck sizes, but I do remember the $18K price tag!
Lol! That is change for This dude lol
$20k drive out price.
With 350k subscribers Mike gets a mower and Stihl gets an advertising write off. Win, win. Go Mike!
My Diesel Kubota was 18k and it is way bigger than this Stihl. Big wide rear tires and a 60" cut
Saw one of these the other day at my kubota dealership at 20k and a first run model I'll will stick with my ex-mark
The worst zero turn I had was a snapper, the best one I have is a Kubota 1211 Diesel. It is a beast. This is the second Kubota Zero Turn I have owned. The first one I kept for 17 years and still running strong.
I still have my John Deere LX266 that is 23 years old, it runs great bought it at Hartville Hardware
The new zero turn mowers look great, just a little hard on a retired income
What do folks recommend for a pretty hilly yard less than an acre? I don’t need a zero turn, I’m talking more of a push unit to upgrade from my 21” snapper that performed great for years on a flat Florida 1/2 acre lawn. Now I’m in north Georgia and am looking at a bigger deck, perhaps a Honda or Toro - I am good with spending north of $1000
I think that zero turn’s are a great thing . Also in my opinion you need a larger plot of grass the justify the purchase . But Mike you better prepare for the “ It must be nicer’s” !
Nice overview on the zero-turn, Mike. I gotta brag, though, on my Kubota TG-1860 diesel garden tractor w/ 54" mower deck. It's 23 years old with 1150 hours on it. I mow, pull an aerator, spreader, and, in the late fall, a CycloneRake to pick up all the leaves from the oak trees that encircle my property. I'm anal about preventive maintenance, and it has served me well.
I have been watching your channel for some time and I love what you do. Todays video about the Stihl Zero Turn reminded me of another piece of equipment called Ventrac. This is a piece of equipment which has 30 different attachments for use from mowing to taking down thick brush to making roads and will operate on a 30% grade safely, that I think would be ideal for your properties both in Pa and WVa. Take a few min and look at some of the different possibles that this piece of equipment can do.
Venny's are awesome I have watched them on tractor time with tim plus the WV highway dept has them that they use to mow the steep areas around the entrance and exit ramps
I was watching and I said to myself, that looks just like my Farris. I’ve had mine for 8 years now. I love it.
I have a CubCadet zero turn with a steering wheel, and it will mow steep banks. Wheel aren't casters back wheels work as zero turn. Front stays where you want it. I've been watching since RK days . Used your fire starter it works well..
Enjoy your videos. Ferris is where it's at when it comes to mowers. They've had 4 corner suspension for years. And, their suspension seats are so comfortable. Nobody compares to Ferris. Hands down, the very best.
I'm surprised you haven't tried the Kubota zero turn.
When my son in law got his new zero turn, he was cutting next to the ditch by the road. He sneezed. His wife , giggled the whole time she was pulling him out with his pickup.
That Stihl mower looks a lot like my Ferris iS2100Z. Almost mechanically identical.
Same thought here
Bingo!
Its a lot bigger though, the RZ 960 would be similar to the ISX3300 Ferris
Exactly what i was thinking
It’s made by Ferris for Stihl. Some of the Ferris dealers were frustrated because Ferris didn’t deliver some of their mowers on time this spring because they had a commitment to deliver a specific amount of the dressed up Stihl versions
Good Morning Mike. I enjoyed the history and the pic of the Zero Turn mowers. It reminded me of the old golf carts with a single wheel on the front.
Missing the remote control. Before leaving for NC in 2020, I equipped a zeroturn to mow remotely. My dad or wife would fill it with gas, check the oil, and get it out of the garage. Let me know by cell phone it was ready and I would mow the yards from NC using hotel internet. Only got one comment from State Trooper that saw the mower running without an operator. He calmed down when I saw him coming and shut down. Talked through the internet connection to him. Home is western PA. Best part great allergy season.
I like all the suspension. Looks like it is a comfortable ride. Good review Mike. Stay safe.
Hey Mike, As one of your viewers pointed out it looks a lot like a Ferris knock off. Many folks in my neck of the woods Upstate NY own Ferris mowers as the company is located close by in Sherrill NY. I myself have an old craftsman 1998 Gt5000 that has been a workhorse mowing 2-1/2 acres of land for the last 20 plus years. As you stated you almost have to buy professional grade equipment nowadays or old school well built to last any length of time. Thanks MM
Mike, I have a John Deere 930M with a Kawasaki not a EFI ( Great Engine, make sure you use only Kawasaki Oil when you change the oil. I cut 7ac and I love it. It takes me about 2.5 hours, with a floating seat I am not beat up at the end. I think I am going to put a canopy on it.
Nice zturn. You commented that zturns don't do well on hills. When I was in the business and owned zturns there were different tires available from the dealer. One of the tires was a more aggressive tread to correct the slippage on hills. Don't know if they still available.
I’ve got a Toro recycler that’s probably 35 years old and I used it today. It’s definitely showing it’s age but so am I. A shot of starting fluid and it off like a bullet. Was going to buy a new one because the frame is not the best any longer but it still starts and runs good so maybe next year! Thanks much for the video.
Bought a new 2023 commercial kubota Z726XKW-3-60 with 60 inch deck and 25.5 horse kawasaki. Just love it. Nothing slows this thing down, even 18 inch tall grass. I does one thing very well like mike said.
I put ATV tires on my zero difference of night and day ,no more side hill slide ,but will leave a mark in the grass sometimes,love those tires.
Cub cadet came out with the zero turn mower with a stering wheel and you can mow alot more slopes with them bc you can control the front wheels to.where they won't slide down the hills...And plus they have ones that have the dual wheels to help stabilize them.on the hillsides
Have a Cub Cadet with the steering wheel , you can mow banks so steep you can nearly hold your self in the seat .
Thank you Mike, I am a poor guy don’t think I will ever get a expensive toy. But it’s all ways fun to dream ❤
Nice Mower Mike with The Suspension!!
And WOW!! That Grass Came In Well And Looks Thick!!
Keep Smiling On!!
😄👍👊❤
I just purchased a kubota Z412 to cut my parents' yard. Normally, it takes 1 hour with their old Craftsman ride-on mower yesterday it took 20 min. I just love my new zero turn. I should have bought one years ago.. The only downside so far is $$$$$.
I hope that you have recovered from your injury. So you feel better. Where I live they had a municipality where they had a display on Tuesday night and they had a similar experience with the fireworks. It injured two workers that were doing the same thing
I bought a craftsman 46 inch rider back in 2014 has served me well had to replace the transaxle and deck belt. I mow a little over 2 acres .had a white before that and you cant beat the deck belt on them, never replaced it but wore the rider out. It all comes down to how you take care of your stuff.regular maintenance will make them last .
Let’s be very clear, and Mike pointed this out. These mowers are not designed, tooled, and manufactured by Stihl. They are Ferris mowers (owned by Briggs & Stratton) with a few minor design changes - mainly frills - and different paint. Like so many other products, sometimes the names are representative of the manufacturer. That said, Ferris makes good zero-turns, so a buyer will get a quality product. My local Ferris dealer wasn’t happy this spring, though, since Ferris was late and short on their mower orders because of their commitment to produce the new mowers for Stihl. Those delays, and the fact that Ferris branded mowers will now compete with Stihl branded mowers, doesn’t bode well for the independent dealers that sell Ferris.
Hmm Great Suspension. That may be a game changer. Wheel horse made a suspension, for the deck it was on chains and the deck floated over the ground. It was a old wheel horse when I was a kid, I would love to have that little tractor again 1940 ish 50 ish all red and all steel .
Not a fan of Zero turn mowers. Not that they are bad, but they are single-taskers. They are costly but only cut grass. A lawn tractor has many uses. I had only about 1 acre to cut and bought a used lawn tractor and used it for 10 years with minimum maintenance. You are right a zero turn is faster but I had a ditch to cut and I doubt you could cut it as you say they are not really good on side hills. I got really good at the side straddle to compensate for the step-side angle. If it fits your uses they are good. But I want something that has more than just one trick. Personally, I would have a Ventrac if I had a bigger property to mow. It is like a regular tractor in that it has like 30 different attachments for all your lawn and landscape issues. And side hills are no issue up to 30 degrees. I don't have one because my current lawn is small. Just a dream.
Hey Mike. That looks like a great mower with lots of great features. You did a great review on it. I have a Kabota ZD 326 that I bought used and it’s been a great mower. I do own several Stihl products and love them. Cool video. 👍❤️
I have a Hustler and a Bad Body, both bought used and both 42" decks. They had been serviced consistantly but they were used by commercial mowing companies. I think the Hustler is probably close to tweny years old and the Bad Boy is less than five years old. I use them both a couple of days a week. They are both so well built that I doubt I will ever be able to wear them out. I even use the older Hustler to maintain my mountain hunting campsite which is about 2 acres and is very rough. U can't imaging using anything other than a zero turn mower after using these.
I cut just over 2 acres. I have a 2009 Ferris that is still going strong. I do have it serviced by the dealer every year. It is a small price to pay to keep it running like new. I have some side hills that I can't cut if it is too wet. We use my wife's 1996 John Deere 425 all wheel steering garden tractor for that.
I find it odd B & S own Ferris and this unit is powered by Kawasaki rather then Vanguard! Haven't been in the business for several years now but Grasshopper was the front-mount and Scagg was the mid-mount, never owned or sold either! Worked in a JD store and had the opportunity to travel to Sarasota, Fl every winter and drive them all! Suspension is a true answer to enjoyment!! Electric solenoid on throttle would not be my desire, and the all time most important phase-CUP HOLDER!! There will come a day when cell phones have a cup holder! Have both fuel tanks FULL when mowing at Mom's! As always, thanks for the video!
MIKE, been watching your channel for YEARS and it definitely costs me money! From chainsaws, leaf blowers, to Tractors and attachments. I'm in my later stage of life, so I think the next big ticket item I purchase?.... Patio Home with no maintenance!!! Lol
(but I sure would like a zero turn!!)
Mike, maybe Kubota will get jealous and have you demo their zero turn? lol Nice mower!!
I freakin love Outdoors with the Morgan’s! I’ve been kicking around buying a new mower. It just so happens I love Stihl products. Here’s the kicker,,I’m as old as dirt so a comfortable ride means a lot to me. Guess where I’m heading as soon as I can get my shoes on. Stihl,,,y’all can thank Mike Morgan if I end up owning a new a Stihl zero turn mower. PS. Mike, I’m still upset that you got hurt the other day. Kind of like having a little bother getting hurt or something.
Love the mower. I currently run an ex mark like yours, but love my stihl products. Was wondering if they would ever get into mowers. I am going to check this out
I cut grass for a living. Bad boy mowers aren’t really commercial. People also forget it’s more to maintain too. Anybody with a slippery yard can get Carlisle AT101’s. They’re pretty good on hills and rarely get stuck. I have them on my little 52” exmark. My 72” snapper pro has 1800hrs and it’s my daily runner. Main thing about buying a mower is dealer service and how good they are otherwise it doesn’t matter what brand if it’s commercial. About 20 people die every year from flipping zero turns so it’s definitely possible. I almost roll mine once a month from hills but what I cut in a week most people won’t cut a month or so. I’m not a fan of suspension systems on mowers. They make you lean too much. Suspension seats are awesome to have
That’s one sweet mower and you did a great job reviewing it.
I have a Commercial zeroturn from Cub Cadet and it has a steering wheel allowing you to control the front wheels unlike most lapbar zeroturn mowers. It is like a Billy goat on hills. My model is Cub Cadet PROZ60 w/ steering wheel. They are about 13k. I no longer use my ExMark and Scag mowers and have sold them both.
I have a Ferris and the Stihl are made by them. Love my Ferris. I expect you will enjoy it. I also still have my Craftsman DYT-4000 riding mower (bought in 2005). and it's at about 500 hours. It's been a great mower, only needed to replace a few deck parts and the fuel line. Kept inside garage for the most part, and kept the deck cleaned every fall and painted to keep rust away. It lasts as long as the care you give it.
Still running my 2001 yazookees with a 61" deck. 23 years still running strong . Cuts fast , cuts clean . Only changed the starter 2 times and the battery 3 times. Still runs like a beast. Ill never sell this machime
I always hear people say MTD Yard Machines are no good, but I've owned one (42" with a single cylinder B&S) going sixteen years and other than routine maintenance the usual belts and one spindle it is steadfastly reliable and just keeps going; and believe me it gets flogged.
We live on six acres with a combo of lawn bracken ferns and rough bushy terrain with lots of ruts and sticks (of all sizes) and this thing eats it up.
The only thing I wish it had is a fab deck rather than pressed steel as it needs to be bashed back into shape occasionally.
The zero turn market of today reminds me of the snowmobile market of the early 70's.
You couldn't buy a snow day in WI, but the few we had were a riot. Artic Cat with slides beat the boggies off others.
@@eddeetz493 Yes. My first sled, with my own money was a 76' Arctic Cat Jag 2000.
I like it, more options creates more competition. More competition means better mowers
word bruh !! 😂
I have a Cub Cadet zero turn with the front steering wheel, and it is the best thing on side hills since sliced bread.
Thanks for sharing this Stihl zeroturn mower with us. Fine looking machine and cuts great too. Stay safe and keep up the fun ariund there. OLD DAWG DREAMING Fred.
that's some serious suspension! I'm a little surprised your demo doesn't have some air-less tires on it... the Twheels. That's a must for my property! Too many trees with needles to run over!
Good morning, seen this at my Kubota dealer. It’s a rebranded Ferris
Which is disappointing, Stihl is better than that. My dad has a ferris and it's identical just different paint.
Its actually a lot more than that, Stihl basically owns Ferris and Briggs in whole now.
@@hooverssmallengineservicel1123 Stihl does not own Briggs, nor did they invest money in them , they entered into a manufacturing agreement for mower production.
It is not a refurbished baris it is made like a ferris it is not the same people stihl n Briggs & Stratton teamed up. Everybody says that because of how it is made but the decks are different there is different things they are different mowers I have demoed them both at my dealer
Coming from the lawn care world. That is a rebranded Ferris mower. Suspension, gas gauge, deck height selection. And Ferris is owned by Briggs and Stratton.
Mike, wondering why you haven’t haven’t used your equipment to smooth out the top of the bank that you show at 16:00. Seems like it would make it much easier to mow.
Nice mower but my yard is too rough to take advantage of the speed capabilities. I will run my JD 260 & 265 lawn tractors until parts are no longer available. They are built solid and dependable. I had a Craftsman DLT2000 that was gifted to me and that thing ate belts like candy and I was constantly working on it. The most dependable part of that unit was the 22hp Kohler engine which was bulletproof.
Excellent explanation of the pluses and minuses of a ZTR. You hit that nail right on the head IMHO.
I saw ya sliding on that 1st hill lol. I fixed that problem, I put coarse tread on mine, some serious diggers. Yes, they will dig a hole if not careful if on wet ground but, it beats sliding off a hill uncontrollably. Where did you hide your lawn sweep, no mower can hide the clippings. I might look into one of its under $10k
Mike: my f-i-l, in Denison, TX, had a Ride King, that he used for 20 or 30 years !!! re-built / worked on it, to keep it going !!!
Looks fast I have to say, but I'll stick with my JD tractor style because I have a 60inch deck and Powerhead with bagger for the clippings , I found the bagger catcher on Zero's makes them even easier to get stuck on hills and slick grass.
Nice suspension on that thing! Still using a traditional riding mower as I only have a half acre at the house.
Wish it had a roof/half roof to block the sun 🌞 ☀️ 🌤
Love it. I need one