Best Commercial ZTR Engine Option

[blackandgold]

Who do you think makes the best engine to be used on a ZTR?

Kawasaki, Kohler, Honda, Briggs Vanguard, Generac

Does this vary by region? Dealer? Mower Brand? Parts availability?

What about performance, durability, replacement costs, maintenance, and down time?

People ask me this all the time and I would love to hear you oppinions....

[puppypaws]

Originally Posted by blackandgold

Who do you think makes the best engine to be used on a ZTR?

Kawasaki, Kohler, Honda, Briggs Vanguard, Generac

Does this vary by region? Dealer? Mower Brand? Parts availability?

What about performance, durability, replacement costs, maintenance, and down time?

People ask me this all the time and I would love to hear you oppinions....

My dealer sells a tremendous number of mowers, to give you an idea, I was talking with the Scag and Exmark rep for this area and he knows my dealer personally, (tried to get him to sell his line). I told him Chad had sold over 200 Bobcats, around 150 Hustlers, and 150 Bad Boys, not counting the other mowers from different lines he carries, this spring. The rep said, "I doubt if the largest part of my dealers put together, has sold that many mowers."

My dealer said it had always been pretty close between Kohler and Kawasaki with his sales, but this year the 31 Kawi had been a very good seller and pushed Kawasaki out in front of Kohler. He said both engines had been reliable, with very small numbers needing warranty work.

[titanup04]

I've done a lot of research between Kohler and Kawasaki and came to the conclusion it was about like Ford or Chevrolet (matter of preference). I did have one of the mechanics at my local dealer tell me (right after I told him I had a kawi) that I should have bought a Kohler because parts are cheaper for them than the Kawi's. I just got my first Kawasaki engine last year, but so far I love it. It's the 31 HP on a Super Z and it's a beast!!!! My smaller mower has a Kohler 23 on it and I have put it through everything imaginable over the last 7 years and had no trouble. I am also good about doing maintenance too though. The Kohler or Kawi engines are probably the two most widely used in my area (TN).

[djagusch]

Kawi's, rarely have any issues with them. Owned a Kohler once and it seemed to have issues (cold start and drank more gas).

Kawi's have a rep of being more expensive but when you look at replacement engines for a horizontal shaft 27HP engine they were about the same for a LC Kawi compared to a AC Kohler. For parts Kawi's do tend to cost more but they don't really break.

The dealer is an important piece in the whole deal though. If they don't like working on x brand I would stay away from it. Luckily my dealer likes both.

[la200o]

Any feedback on the Honda?

Bill

[lambdin]

I've got the honda 24hp on my super mini, great engine! runs strong and smooth, sips fuel and seems to be super high quality, on the other hand the kaws and kohlers have more torq, and are better suited to larger machines with bigger decks, it motors my mini 52" around like crazy, but I would go with Kaw on a larger machine, but then again the kohlers are great especially the efi models

[mowerconsultant]

Originally Posted by lambdin

I've got the honda 24hp on my super mini, great engine! runs strong and smooth, sips fuel and seems to be super high quality, on the other hand the kaws and kohlers have more torq, and are better suited to larger machines with bigger decks, it motors my mini 52" around like crazy, but I would go with Kaw on a larger machine, but then again the kohlers are great especially the efi models

I also would agree with this, 52" or 54" you would be ok with the 24hp, larger than that I would look at the Kohler and Kawasaki units.

Pj