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Grasshopper front-mount mowers

Posted on 5/9/22 at 1:53 pm
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/9/22 at 1:53 pm
Just sold my Bad Boy and looking to upgrade to something a bit bigger with an easier-to-access deck area. I'm about sold on a Grasshopper front-mount. Anyone have one and/or have recommendations on a particular model? I don't need a full-fledged commercial mower. I've just got about two acres of thick field/pasture grass in my backyard and Bermuda in the front. That said, the pasture grass was enough to choke out the Bad Boy's 726cc 22hp Kawasaki at times.
Posted by El Segundo Guy
SE OK
Member since Aug 2014
9999 posts
Posted on 5/9/22 at 7:07 pm to
A 22 hp is going to struggle in field grass. Whatever dealership that sold you that 691 Kawi to mow a couple acres of field grass wouldn't get my business ever again.
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/10/22 at 11:42 am to
quote:

A 22 hp is going to struggle in field grass. Whatever dealership that sold you that 691 Kawi to mow a couple acres of field grass wouldn't get my business ever again.


I agree. I learned the hard way. That said, have any suggestions?
Posted by runningdog
Dawg Nation
Member since Jan 2011
800 posts
Posted on 5/10/22 at 12:41 pm to
I’ve owned a Grasshopper 725D, which is a mid deck mower, for 12 years. It is an absolute beast. I’d go with a diesel over gas, and I also recommend the twills over regular tires.
Posted by ImaObserver
Member since Aug 2019
2317 posts
Posted on 5/10/22 at 1:06 pm to
I have a pair of Grasshopper 729 mowers with 61" decks. The one with the bagger only gets used for cleaning up leaves etc. in the fall but the other does the rest of the job. I mow about 4 1/2 acres of grass including bluegrass lawn, bromus roadsides plus field drives and waterways and whatever else needs cleaning up. The 29 horsepower Kubota engines are beasts. I have only made one major modification and that is to mount two sets of blades on each rotor. The newer, sharper blade is on the bottom and an older used blade goes on the bolt above it at a 90 degree angle. Using a pair of blades does an excellent job of chopping up the thatch and at the same time it caused the heavy windrow to be thrown far out to the side and scattered broadly. The other thing that I have changed is to remove the grass chute to allow th windrow to spread more broadly. I initially just fastened it up but the darned thing kept catching on the fir tree limbs. If the new growth to be cut is less than 4" or so in height you can mow in "road" gear. I had to slow down a little bit in the road ditches yesterday as we have had a lot of rain and in the last 6 days the bromus had grown by 6 to 8" but it cleaned it up and scattered it well.
Posted by El Segundo Guy
SE OK
Member since Aug 2014
9999 posts
Posted on 5/10/22 at 2:05 pm to
I wanted to add that my dad has a 729D with the Kubota diesel as well. It's older but still cuts well and he loves it.

I would add that if you live in the south, the mid mount vs front mount won't be as pronounced. The front mount you can get under shrubs, etc. And it makes it so easy to do deck maintenance with the deck lift.

But a front mount really shines when you are talking about attachments like snow blowers, aerators and all of that.
This post was edited on 5/10/22 at 2:06 pm
Posted by Higgysmalls
Ft Lauderdale
Member since Jun 2016
6799 posts
Posted on 5/10/22 at 10:14 pm to
There's one for sale in st. amant area off of 431. They are really nice looking machines
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/11/22 at 8:53 am to
quote:

I would add that if you live in the south, the mid mount vs front mount won't be as pronounced. The front mount you can get under shrubs, etc. And it makes it so easy to do deck maintenance with the deck lift.


Yeah, for me it's mostly about the ability to get under the deck to clean it out. After one to two mows of my backyard, I consistently had caking under the deck that would significantly eat into the machine's ability to breathe. Thus, I had to jack it up every week or so to get all of that out. The flip-up option is a big draw for me. THat said, I've found the only dealer near me is jacking his prices up pretty high. A diesel is out of the question based on price and need (I've got a good bit of grass, but not that much).

I did locate a nother Bad Boy dealer closer to me with a 61" Rebel in stock, but it has the Kawasaki 850 engine with 27hp and I was really hoping to get either the Kawi 1000 or the Vanguard option at 35 and 36hp, respectively. I think either of those would work fine. Does anyone think the 27hp motor would do the job? Is the +5hp enough? I may be able to get a good deal on it (it's already priced well). I could also wait til he gets some more in and pick up one of the bigger motor options, but no way to know when or what he'll get until they arrive. He says supply has been tough of late, so I could be waiting a while (which means paying someone to do the yard in the meantime).
Posted by RobertFootball
SC
Member since Mar 2021
1337 posts
Posted on 5/11/22 at 8:59 am to
I think you can’t get the big Kawi or big
block Vanguard until you get to the Outlaw or renegade. But by then you’re within price of a 729D Grasshopper, and if you go Grasshopper I would get the rear discharge (you will love it when it’s windy and you’re mowing that field).
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/11/22 at 10:01 am to
quote:

I think you can’t get the big Kawi or big
block Vanguard until you get to the Outlaw or renegade. But by then you’re within price of a 729D Grasshopper, and if you go Grasshopper I would get the rear discharge (you will love it when it’s windy and you’re mowing that field).


Nah, you can get the following on the Rebel:

quote:

Kohler Command CV752 747cc

Kawasaki FX850 852cc

Kawasaki FX850 EFI 852cc

Kawasaki FX1000 999cc

Vanguard 993cc



The Rebel with 850 Kawi is coming in at $9,900. I want to say the Grasshopper dealer priced the 729D at $19,999, so that's well out of range of what I'm willing to do. They wanted $12,999 for the 526V-52.
This post was edited on 5/11/22 at 10:02 am
Posted by turkish
Member since Aug 2016
1970 posts
Posted on 5/11/22 at 11:26 am to
The GH is another class of mower completely.
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/11/22 at 11:47 am to
quote:

The GH is another class of mower completely.


Is that still true if I'm not buying a 600 or 700 series?
Posted by RobertFootball
SC
Member since Mar 2021
1337 posts
Posted on 5/11/22 at 2:39 pm to
Wow the price on the 729D has gone up! Last time I priced them I think they were around 16-17? But that’s everything these days. I run exmark and just the lazer z e is now 12-13 and when I priced one last year it was 11500.
Posted by StonewallJack
Member since Apr 2008
770 posts
Posted on 5/13/22 at 8:31 am to
What are your thoughts on the Bad Boy Rogue?
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/15/22 at 10:31 am to
So, went and tested out the Rebel with the FX850v yesterday and damn…..that’s a BEAST. No extras, it was priced at $9,980.

So against my earlier thoughts, I reach out to the original dealer who sold me the Magnum and he’s got one 61” Rebel…..with the Kawi FX1000v. Also has non-neumatic front tires (not sure yet if Tweels or something else) and a striping kit and he’s pricing at $9,699 cash or $10,669 if financing. I’m thinking this is now a no-brainer and I’m going to buy from the original dealer again.

Talk me out of it. And should I wait for a Vanguard engine that may never come or take the only Kawi 1000 I’ve found in stock?
This post was edited on 5/15/22 at 1:17 pm
Posted by StonewallJack
Member since Apr 2008
770 posts
Posted on 5/15/22 at 1:06 pm to
That's a good deal. I was looking at the rebel too. I moved onto the rogue because it has the suspension package on it. It may worth test driving both
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/15/22 at 1:19 pm to
quote:

That's a good deal. I was looking at the rebel too. I moved onto the rogue because it has the suspension package on it. It may worth test driving both


What is the suspension package, exactly, and do you know the rough price difference between the two? I’m already pushing more mower than I need. The seat having the air suspension on it is already a million times nicer than what I had with the Magnum (it would LAUNCH you on bumpy terrain).
Posted by StonewallJack
Member since Apr 2008
770 posts
Posted on 5/15/22 at 1:52 pm to
The rogue is about $2k more. It has the 3 link trailing suspension which is almost like an IRS. I'm just getting into commercial zero turns so I am stil learning
Posted by S1C EM
Athens, GA
Member since Nov 2007
11586 posts
Posted on 5/16/22 at 10:11 am to
quote:

The rogue is about $2k more. It has the 3 link trailing suspension which is almost like an IRS. I'm just getting into commercial zero turns so I am stil learning


I don't think I need to step up for that. As long as I have the air ride seat, I'm good. It's already night and day versus that arse-buster I was riding previously.

I'm honestly wondering if I should consider a drop down to the Maverick HD with the GXV800 Honda engine.......
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