Ive got a couple zero turn Cub Cadets with steering wheel. I have never used a stick machine, but I do like my steering wheel :nod: Drove my cousin's Rhino stick machine around the yard once and didn't really care for it.
The steering wheel gives me something solid to grab hold of getting on and off, to lean on while I'm running, and to hang on to on steep slopes. Also easy one hand operation so I can hold my beer in the other if i wish :mrgreen: I have found square Lipton ice tea bottles do not fit as well a they should in the round cup holder :lol: :lol: :lol:
Last year I bought a 50" with stamped deck and Kohler 23hp engine. I mowed stuff that is asking too much of any mower including a few grapefruit sized rocks and have had some extensive repairs done to the deck in 85 hours last season
It' s going again now and on loan to a neighbor.
About a month ago I bought a 54" formed deck with Kawasaki 23hp engine. Turned over 49 hours on it yesterday with zero problems so far. Gotta be careful when driving the 54" deck into the 6' wide stock trailer, with the plastic deflector it takes most of the trailer width
IMO, the $600 price difference in the bigger heavier built machine is worth it :idea:
I've done more mowing so far this year than all of last year. I've covered the church yard/cemetary and the community hall/fire hall 4X. Done a couple lawns in town for absentee owners 3X. A swipe down each side of a mile of my road ditch 3X. Yesterday I covered the whole yard here at home in one day. Had done all of it in sections 2-4X before, but never all caught up at one time
I am known at the local store/PO as a "mowin' fool"