I tried a demo Super Surfer

[jeffyr]

For those of you interested:

Last weekend I took a demo Super Surfer out for the day. I was not looking at this mower in particular, but the dealer had so I tried it. Not much to cut, but I got to see how it handled. I have read some threads in the past about the mower and thought I would share my experience with anyone wondering what they are like from a new perspective.

Good points: Handled real nice and had a good view of the cutting deck. Plenty of power (17 kawi) and it handled great climbed well on hills. There was not much to cut but it left a nice stripe @ 2 1/2 inches. I was impressed with the smooth handling and turning. It was also scary fast and scary scary cutting that fast standing up. There is a spring loaded platform that you stand on and I got bouncing pretty good a couple times trying to see what the mower was all about. The deck adjustment was great. raise a lever, move a pin, and you are done. Took longer to type how to do it than do it for real.

Bad points (for me): The deck is not offset so it was not possible to trim along a fence or wall, and couldn't do flower beds without putting the rear wheel in it. Also, because the rider stands so close to the deck, when getting close to small trees such as a dogwood or japanese maple the branches were poking my in the face. The last drawback for me was that I couldn't get it into some spots that I can with my walkbehind 48 because you can't tilt back and get the deck over a bed border or railroad ties without climbing (and crushing @ somewhere around 1,000lbs with me on it).

It was fun and I think everyone should have the pleasure for a day. I got a lot of looks cutting with it. It is definitely geared toward larger open areas (I know it is obvious). Two of the customers I went to with it (side by side) usually takes 35 min. to cut and I did them in 20 minutes, but the time spent trimming along the post fence that I couldn't stick the deck under, or the flower bed I couldn't get cut neat was lost. With some more practice I am sure I could eliminate some of the trimming. Like I said, if you can get one to try for a day, it was a blast ! The most fun I had cutting this season.
But not for me.

jeffyr

[toddman35]

thanks for the info, do you know if the larger decks are offset at all? I think it would be wierd standing on something like that, my dealer just started selling great dane. the super surfer has the floating deck, and the surfer is the fixed? or dont they make the surfer anymore. There was a thread on troubles with either the surfer or the supersufer but i cant find it. Thanks for the info, again.

[jeffyr]

The demo was a 52" and it was not offset...I would guess the 60" must be though. Yes, it is a floating deck. The Surfer was a fixed deck. if you search Surfer or Stander you will find a bunch of discussion on the problems.

[turfman99]

Speed triming was not one of the machinces strong points, but I found when I backed off the speed a little, triming was easier. If your having trouble staying on because your bouncing, then speed may be an issue. The Super deck is a floating suspension, and is porbablu one of the best I have seen for that type of mower. I like the spring loaded platform also. Most of the areas we will use it on are configured to accept that kind of cut. I did not demo or evaluate the 60 inch, but he 52 was not offset. Still the best mid mow product out there in my opinion. Review at my website.

Engineering and hydraulics seemed good. It got a lot of interest and demo's at our field day.

[jeffyr]

Turfman,

I was not having trouble staying on, and no I wasn't trying to speed trim. Trimming is not one of the mowers strong points....so far we have agreed. What I was saying about speed is that it is fast...and if I go for a demo, you bet I am gonna see how fast it is, as well as how it turns, cuts, etc.

[Greenkeepers]

Jeffyr-

What was the top speed and what price range did the dealer give you?

[Lazer]

No Super Surfers have offset decks.

[jeffyr]

Thanks Lazer--that was the unanswered question.

Greenskeeper,
the brochure from Great Dane states the Super Surfer will do 8.5 mph forward; 4 mph reverse. The 52" with the 17 kawi weighs in at 750 lbs dry--throw 6 gallons of fuel in it and a 200lb operator and there is the 1000lbs.

jeffyr

[turfman99]

jeffyr,

I was just throwing out a general idea about what was going on. What I like to do is take the machines on to an area of uncut grass, cut just a little bit more off than normal, and push the unit until I get jsut a little bogging on the motor. Not much, just a scratch. With the hydrostatic units, you want full rpm's to maintain hydrostat pressures and even power band. That gives you a real good idea of the capabilities of the machine. Good consistent rpm with little or no drop under load.

[greenland]

if anyone is thinking about a stand on mower, i reccomend looking at wright stander. my understanding is that wright was the first to produce one and great dane was copying.

[turfman99]

Who ever was the first one to produce and come to market does not automatically make it the best machine. It makes them first to market and first to get some money and the first to have all kinds of problems with a machine. When companies ruch a product to market, the invariably have problems with it and the production run.

This has been proven time and time again in the commercial equipment market. Get the product to market first, have a low price point established and get the first sales. That was Jacobsen and Textrons strategy for a number of years, and they have very few machines that can stand up to the others who came to market later and better engineered,and more prepared for longevity in the market, rather than short term sales. Not much market dominance that way.

Set the machines side by side, compare deck design and mounting, hydraulic line type and sizing, type and size of hydraulic motors, engine size. Operate and compare them. That's how you make decision'. Beware the first year product from any manufactuer.

Actually coming to market later allows the compitetiors to see the mistakes the first to market made, correct them, patent the corrections and have some one else pay the
R & D costs for them.

Competing manufactuers buy each other machines at reatil and disassemble tehm, put them back together and run them. Been there, and done that. Best way to find out where the product can be reenignered and improved, at some one elses expense.

[BRL]

Mr. Scag is also paying licensing fees to Wright for some of the ideas they stole for the Great Dane mowers. I guess they didn't reengineer enough ;) . The Wright is definitely a great machine to consider & they have made quite a few improvements from their first run years. I agree with Turfman, demo both & look at them side by side if you're considering them (or any other brands of mowers).