If your shopping for a riding mower your probably looking for some comparisons of tight turning radius lawn mowers. If that’s what your here for you found the right place to be. Some of the top brands that will be featured in this article are, Walker Mowers Walker Model MB, the Toro TimeCutter ZX440, and the Kubota GR2100. These are all zero turn radius mowers, and will get the job done, but the features are what you care about right? So lets get down to it.
Walker Mowers Walker Model MB,
Hills and slopes,
When working on hills or slopes this mower will out perform many of the competing mowers on the market. The Walker MB never loses traction climbing a hill, unsightly ruts are a thing of the past. This rider can climb even the steepest hills and not lose traction due to it’s centered weight. This mower goes down and across slopes with ease as well.
Cruise control for a mower,
The Walker Model MB features smooth cruise control, that allows you to maintain a uniform cut on your lawn every time. By dialing the mower to a set speed you will never cut too fast or too slow to make an even cut again. This type of control promotes some of the cleanest cuts you can get with today’s technology.
Grass collection technology,
With the Walker MB you have the kind of grass cutting and collecting technology you have come to expect from a push mower, with the advantages of a tractor. Ride with ease and never have to rake up after your finished again.
Operator comfort,
With the Walker MB your ride is as comfortable as it can get on a riding mower. With your seat centered directly over the mid axle, you will feel very little of the effect of turning a sharp radius.
Speed and performance on the job,
While many tractors may have higher top speeds, faster cutting only means a dirty cut. While a slower steady pace will get you that clean cut every customer wants every time, and without all the hassles of a push mower, and weed eater.
Versatility in a rider,
The Walker MB was designed with your interests in mind. The Walker MB can cut the smallest lawns, like your grandmothers to the biggest lawns, like that of your local golf course. The sharp turning radius enables you to spend less time getting the push mower and weed eater, and more time focusing on the next job.
Price and availability,
Walker is a local run company and does not ship it’s mowers. Walker sells in house only to local operators. Prices, and availability are on an on call basis.
Toro TimeCutter ZX440,
Hills and slopes,
The Toro TimeCutter ZX440 doesn’t do well with hills, not having it’s gravity centered it has the capacity to tilt or roll on slopes, and hills. Expectations should be limited in this area.
Cruise control,
Again the Toro TimeCutter ZX440 doesn’t perform in this area at all. On a scale from one to zero for the purposes of this article this is another zero for the Toro TimeCutter ZX440.
Grass collection,
The Toro TimeCutter ZX440 performs well in this area working both as a grass cutter and mulcher. The Toro TimeCutter ZX440 features a bagger expansion to keep you from having to get off the mower and rake.
Operator comfort,
While the Toro TimeCutter ZX440 doesn’t do slopes very well, for it’s purposes the operators comfort is as best as to be expected on a riding mower. With the seat being placed at the gravitational center of the mower, the operator can comfortably maneuver the Toro TimeCutter ZX440 With little impact to his comfort.
Speed and performance on the job,
The Toro TimeCutter ZX440 performs well in terms of speed and features a tight turning radius, yet lacks the capacity to do well on slopes. Because of this it scores low in the speed and performance area, the lack of ability to handle slopes reasonably costs you time in the end, as you spend more time pushing a mower then on your rider. For smaller jobs around the house the Toro ZX440 will perform exceptionally well, but it’s not recommended for the larger jobs where you may find yourself riding up down or across slopes and hills.
Versatility in a rider,
The Toro TimeCutter ZX440 is extremely versatile in most aspects however it’s lack of capacity to handle hills again comes into play. Despite it’s zero turn radius allowing it to be used on most household lawns it’s lack of a capacity for hills prevents the actualization of it’s potential for a commercial mower.
Price and availability,
The Toro TimeCutter ZX440 was originally priced at 4,400$ and has since been discontinued, perhaps due to the lack of features mentioned above.
Kubota GR2100,
Hills and slopes,
The Kubota GR2100 features top of the line performance in traction capabilities, and can handle nearly any hill or slope. Cutting your lawn or even a golf course with this mower is a breeze. With the Kubota GR2100 you’re sure to never have to get off your seat to push a mower again.
Cruise control,
While this rider doesn’t feature cruise control this is nothing more then a very nice bonus, and one can live without it. By being more attentive to the amount of throttle you give the mower you can maintain the same level of efficiency as a cruise controlled rider.
Grass collection,
The Kubota GR2100 excels in the area of grass collection making a good mulcher, grass collector, and more. The Kubota GR2100 will ensure you don’t have to get off your seat to collect that grass.
Operator comfort,
The Kubota GR2100 places you the operator on the back of the rider. Because of this it scores low on comfort, and will require you to use better handling to compensate. Every sharp corner you make you will feel the gravitational pull.
Speed and performance on the job,
The Kubota GR2100 has the speed and efficiency seen in only the best of riders, and as such it can be expected that wether mowing a golf course, your yard, or a commercial lawn, you will have the speed and performance of a push mower, with the comfort and ease of a riding mower. The Kubota GR2100 lets you get the job done faster then ever before. You will certainly be pleased with the Kubota GR2100 in this area.
Versatility in a rider,
The Kubota GR2100 handles exceptionally well, features excellent traction, and maneuverability. Because of this the Kubota GR2100 therefore receives a high score in the area of versatility in a rider. The Kubota GR2100 seems to be an excellent rider for any use you can imagine.
Price and availability,
The Kubota GR2100 has a price tag of between 6 and $10,000, but is widely available. Another factor to consider before purchasing, is that many of the early models had problems with the transmissions leaking or otherwise being faulty. This has caused many owners additional expense above and beyond the purchase price.
Final observation,
All and all the mowers that rank the highest amongst these three are, the Walker MB and the Kubota GR2100. While the walker isn’t available to everyone, the Kubota is and is incredibly powerful, if a bit pricey. So in the interests of a competitive review process, I would have to say the Kubota GR2100 comes out on top, and is ready for your approval.
