Scag V-Ride Review (pics included)

[DLAWNS]

Originally Posted by BestImpressions99

DLawns... or anyone else in the stander community for that matter. I was discussing demoing the scag with my dad and he asked one good question... HILLS. How is the stander on hills. I know with ZTR's if the grade is too steep or the grass is too moist from a previous rain going left to right on a grade can be just as bad as going down nose first. What we usually do is go from the bottom up the hill and back back down... only have a few lawns where we have to worry about this, so any input on going up a hill and backing down a hill stability would be great.

I don't have any really huge hills to worry about, but I have a few slopes that my Z or my Navigator always slip on and the V-Ride handled it like a pro. I made sure to use it on those lawns to see the difference and it was 10 times better than my other mowers. Hopefully someone that deals with some bigger hills will have some better input.

[DLAWNS]

Originally Posted by mowerbrad

I don't want to get too far off topic so I'll try and make this short...

A stand-on mower is "faster" meaning "more efficient" under certain circumstances. For example, a ztr would be faster mowing a football field where as the stand-on mower would be more efficient and faster while mowing a lawn with multiple obsticles to go around. Have you tried turing around a 60" ztr in a very small, heavily landscaped lawn?...not that easy without doing some type of turf damage. But turning around a small 52" stand-on mower is much easier.

These stand-on mowers excell on the heavily landscaped lawns or lawns with many obsticles to go around. They make up time when turing around especially. And typically, with a stand-on mower being lighter you can travel a little bit faster on these small lawns without worrying about turf damage.

You still may be confused. But the best cure for that is to actually go out and demo a stand-on mower and compare on the smaller properties. I have used a couple different stand-on mowers and they definately have their place and can easily save time on the smaller lawns.

Originally Posted by lawnjocky

"Can someone explain to me how a 52" stander is faster than a 60" z? Or even a 52" z? And other than the fact you can mow steeper hills, how it is better than a z? I have no doubt the scag v-ride is an awesome machine, but their is no way it can be faster than my lazer z. Plus I have read these stander threads before. I know a stander can mow steeper hills than a Z, but a true walk behind still beats a stander for it's ability to mow really steep stuff. I just ruined a great thread... My bad. Ha ha"

Since I made the statement about mowing faster with the 52" vs 60" I will try to defend it. But I'm sure most will need to see to believe.

On an average yard the smaller wheel base allows tighter turning and you can get into smaller spaces. I think everyone can understand that and it's an easy sell.

But even on large areas (football field size) we can match or mow faster than with the ZTR's. I didn't believe the guys or their times at the start so I ran the mower myself and found it to be true. Which got me to wondering why.

The reasons, at least for me, are;
1. Faster turns. If you can save even a second per turn on a big area that adds up to minutes. If you are impressed by a ZTR try a stander.
2. The Scag is over powered. 26 hp for a 52" deck. My older 60" ZTR's had 25 hp driving a 60" deck. Even newer ZTR's with bigger motor's do not have the power to deck size ratio of the 52" Scag when you add the extra 3-400 lbs of weight that a ZTR has.
3. Faster straight line ground speed when cutting. Yes the power mentioned above is important but the standing over sitting is also a big difference. You can actually mow faster standing by letting your legs act as shock absorbers vs sitting and bouncing out of the seat. On perfectly flat and smooth ground this may not be true, but I don't cut any of those. We do mow multi acre sites and my guys prefer the scags. Their idea, not mine.

There may be other reason's but those are the big ones.

I did buy a third 52" Scag and in time I will be trading out all my ZTR's in favor of standers.

The best advice I can give is to get a demo you can keep for a week (or even rent one) and really get used to it. Running one for and hour or up and down your dealers lot just won't do.

Great answers....I was having a hard time figuring out how to explain it. And I definitely agree. Take what you can get out of a demo. I was able to use one for about a week and a half and got to use it on all my lawns. It really helped me make a decision.

I have a question: I didn't really think about it when I demoed it, but does anyone know if you can put a side bagger on it (like a grass gobbler or accelerator catcher). I would probably rarely use it, but I'm just curious and would like the option.

Here are the only two pics I took. I should have taken more, but the last few months have been crazy around here and haven't taken many pics lately.

[P.Services]

i have the accelerator on mine. very nice set up.

[DLAWNS]

Originally Posted by P.Services

i have the accelerator on mine. very nice set up.

cool, thanks dude...

[P.Services]

i dont use mine that offend but its a must have.

[groundskeeperllc]

looks good!!!, just looked at Scag website and it looks like they added the 61" V-ride into the website info- says Coming Fall 2010, and even list it under model options

[Turf Dawg]

I keep coming back and reading these posts and looking at that mower.
I HAVE TO GET A DEMO

[balreadysaid]

it also says the 61 29hp 11mph ground speed and it should weigh a under 1000lbs. if it runs good size tires im in! there is no reason not to own one that is that small with that big a deck and when you need to mow some seriously tall grass it is great for it!

[JoeHop6299]

Originally Posted by BrunoT

I'm guessing it was the grammar and spelling crack that stuck in your craw. : )

thanks for the excellent video groundskeeperlc. I had checked there earlier and didn't find one from Scag.

BrunoT,
You are right,I should slow down and take time to check my spelling and grammar. I could be ugly, but I'm a nice guy;therefor I'm going to let it go. (Sorry I think that might be a run-on)

[groundskeeperllc]

went by dealer this morning and they don't carry the V-rides in stock- not many standers down here in south Louisiana, they said they would work on trying to get me a demo, quoted me $6,599 on the 36" V-ride, how's that compare to your areas prices? there is one on ebay for $5800, its a year end closeout price though