Koh vs Kaw

I have been looking at ztrs this week and I pretty much had narrowed it down to Scag or Exmark. In talking to a local dealer today I was more swayed to Exmark, not only because they are mostly what one sees around here, but he advised me that the parts for the Exmark would be cheaper in the long run than the Scag. They have the Cub 48"/19hpkaw for 6000 grand now, that's why I was looking at Scag. Anyhow, I was wanting to get a 48 or 52 deck HP but I was wondering why the difference in horsepower ratings with the Kaw and Koh units. Do you have to have more horsepower in a Kohler to get equal results that a smaller horsepower Kaw produces. Also, why does the Kohler come standard with the canister air filter. Does it need one more than the Kaw. I believe all models could use it. The dealer said they had an easier time with warranty issues with Kohler than Kawasaki. Did I even spell Kawasaki right? Thats why I have been abrieviating it. There was one 52/20Koh HP on the floor. I was concerned that the motor may not be enough for that deck. The dealer said it would but I have been told that before only to have a mower bog down in semi heavy stuff or slightly damp grass. So what I am really asking is a 17hp Kaw the same as a 20hp Koh in power? Or is the Kohler just a little cheaper in price? I had an easier time picking a wife than a mower. It's kind of funny. I have spent more time looking at 6-7 thousand dollar mowers than I did for my 40 thousand dollar truck. I need to be institutionalized.

 

Company5,

All good questions. When it comes to what brand of engine go with what the dealer recommends. He's going to recommend the one that gives him the least amount of headaches which translates into the least amount of downtime for you when there is a problem.

As far as canister air filters go, I agree all lawnmower engines could use them. Kohler was the first manufacturer to step up to the plate and offer the canisters air filters at a price we could all afford. They were just more "proactive" in this area of the engine than Kawasaki.

The 20 hp Kohler should handle the 52" deck for 95% of your needs just fine. Please keep in mind it wasn't that many years ago that the largest engine you could get on a 60" was a 22 and the 52" walk behinds were running 14 hp single cylinders. You may find that tall thick lush grass will work the engine but at that point you may getting into something that would require you to slow down to maintain the "finish" cut look you'll come to expect form an Exmark deck. The 23 is nice and it is a big leap over the 20 but it may not be necessary for everyone. That is really your call. A few years ago one of our best sellers was an 18 hp 52" full size Lazer Z. How much horsepower is really enough. If we put a V-8 on a Lazer we could probably sell it. That is if we could pry the engineers from the beast.

When in doubt demo. Often a dealer may not want to allow you to demo a "new" showroom machine but can arrange to have a demo unit brought in. It never hurts to ask.

Please let me know if we can be of any further assistance.

Thanks

Terry

 

Company 5
You Should also look At The clutch,This Will take the power From The Engine and Put It To The Deck. I Know The Lazer HP Has a 200LB Clutch I Think Tiger Cub Only Has A 125LBer. If You also Look At the Machine It Self The Lazer Is LOWER, SHORTER That Helps Out In Smaller Areas. Now You Can Add a Spring Bottom To the seat For a Better ride.

20 Kholers Have Been Around For a Long time. I Know It Has a Good Rep With the Mower Boys And Gal's. The Bigger Air Cleaner Is a Must And A Lot Less Oily Fingers Then The Older One.
John.

 

When I bought my Lazer z hp 52 23kaw. the nice man from Exmark told me to make sure the dealer installed the heavy duty air canister and explained how I could go through the "cheaper" paper type at a costly 12.98 a pop. I was very pleased when the dealer did it without charging me to.

 

Thanks everybody for the replies. Sorry I didn't get back sooner. It's Friday night and I am paying bills and checking my email (mostly junk mail as I have no friends. I had pretty much decided on an Exmark cause that is all you see around here. Today I saw 1 Great Dane (only the second I have ever seen). One John Deere walkbehind. One Walker. The rest are Exmarks. When you look at the contractors mowing the reat areas ( I'd love to have that contract) or some of the median areas ( no thanks, could get killed) thay are all Exmarks. Some competing brand dealers would say that's because they were cheaply made, etc. I don't buy that. Why would anyone spend 6, 8, 10 grand on something that wouldn't last. I don't know why I even looked around. If anything I became more educated and a lot of education came from this board. I tell everyone I know that cuts grass about it and I can't believe how many don't know about it. I guess if they surfed the internet they just look for porn.
Maybe I'll have some time off next week and can get one before all the free money deals are up. Just have to decide between mulch kit (which I'll get either way) or stripe roller. Although I 've never backed over a curb with a roller deck, don't know if chains are better. Don't really anyone laying stripes around here and there are a lot of LCOs in the Atlanta area, but there is a lot of work too. Well I didn't intend to write a book so that's enough for now.