Analysis Paralysis L2501/LX2610SU…….B2601

[TomRC]

First post but as a researchaholic have been reading this forum and learning for the last year. Of all the brands Kubota and Kioti made it to the final tier, pretty sure I’m set on a Kubota unless the Kioti cost difference is MUCH more substantial than I expect. I’m a little gun shy about quality control on the Kioti. I think all the top brands are good tractors…..IF they are assembled well, but it's quite apparent Kubota’s quality control is notch above. I don’t have a big truck so minimizing back and forth trips to the dealer is a big consideration in choosing a brand!

Bought to get final quotes, decision shortly thereafter. I spent the last year looking for property all over central and western Ky, have bought land, driveway and septic complete, house construction starts in about 6 weeks. I had assumed that an L2501 would be the EASY answer but of the 22 acres I bought ONLY about 5 acres need to be maintained which is about half of what I figured I’d need to maintain. Basic tasks are maintain 200yd gravel driveway, bush hog 4-5 acres pasture, till garden and work on establishing trails through the wooded 16 acres where NO TRAILS currently exist. In all honesty the B2601 would probably get the job done and it's still in the running mainly due to watching the gpoutdoors website and what he accomplishes with his B2601. The LX2610SU (basic no mid pto) and then the old faithful utilitarian L2501 are the logical upgrades.

I’ve never heard anyone say they wished they had a smaller tractor, but the L2501 just seems overkill for 5 acres. I will be bush hogging 4 to 5 acres and while I know it's not an issue on the L2501 I’m skeptical about pulling a 5’ bush hog on the LX2610. I know it can pull a 5’ bushhog but is a 4’ bush hog the smart size due the LX’s smaller frame and weight?? Salesman will tell you, “oh sure the LX can take a 5’ bush hog” BUT can it really pull a 5’ bush hog in anything other than ideal conditions?? A bigger bush hog and bigger box blade to maintain driveway would save me time which the L2501 can handle. Obviously I'd be limited to a 4' bush hog on the B2601. Wanting to establish NEW trails though 16 acres of woods, does a smaller more maneuverable chassis count for more than the weight, larger bucket, torque of the larger L2501? Questions…..questions!!!

Got to make a decision shortly (30-45 days), paying cash but will take out KTAC policy (already spoken with them) BUT analysis paralysis has set in. Probably ought to just get a B2601 and be done with it as a guy up the road maintains his 4 acres with a little BX23s and has told me he loves the little tractor but my budget allows for something up to a L2501 just want the best tractor for my application and not sure which it is!

Sorry for the long post. Just want to spell out my circumstances so someone can tell me what to buy Appreciate any thoughts!

 

[UpNorthMI]

TomRC - Everyone is going to have a view on this!

First your options are all good machines.

My input is to go L2501, it's not that big a tractor but it has enough HP and lift capacity to be very useful. I use my smallest tractor L3200 for so many tasks, spreading, rototilling, chipping, light grading, it is a great size for woodland work along trails. Front bucket can carry reasonable amount of logs, rear carry all for tools and logs. I could not imagine going smaller unless I was working in a very limited area with just 1-2 acres.

The L2501 will handle a 5' brush hog very comfortably, better to have a little extra performance than be on the fringe. You will find so many tasks where you will think you made the right selection by going a little bigger with a little more weight and a little more loader capacity than other options.

Good look with your decision. Let us know what you decide to buy.

 

[TomRC]

Thanks for you input and I agree with everything you said. I wish I'd never seen the gpoutdoors site and what he does with the B2601. As I mentioned above there is a fella up the road that maintains about 4 acres with a little BX. I stopped by a couple of weeks ago to talk to him HOPING he would say how disappointed he was with his BX as his property maintenance requirements are VERY similar to mine and he just sang the little BX's praises over and over which pretty much convinced me a B2601 would suffice.......but the L2501 looms in my thoughts. This is probably a total NON ISSUE, but I like the analog dash on the B2601 or L2501. Not a fan of the digital dash (I may be misguided here) and wondering about issues with them 10 years down the road??

 

[dirtydeed]

Looks like you are right in the ball park with all three of your options. I think any of them would fit your needs. Look at it this way, there is probably no more than a $3K spread between those three machines. If you are looking for something with more weight/less creature comforts, go with the L2501. If you are looking for something on the lighter end (landscaping tractor) then go with the B. You have two choices with the B series (01, or new LX). The LX (or B2650) does have the creature comforts and is still quite maneuverable in the woods (and has slightly better ground clearance than the other two).

For woods work, get a set of pallet forks. Be sure to option the SSQA for the loader on any of those machines. I'd also suggest looking into a flail mower instead of a rotary cutter, especially if your going to try to maintain wooded trails. They are much lighter and way more maneuverable.

Best of luck to you in your decision.

 

[El Jefe]

Thanks for you input and I agree with everything you said. I wish I'd never seen the gpoutdoors site and what he does with the B2601. As I mentioned above there is a fella up the road that maintains about 4 acres with a little BX. I stopped by a couple of weeks ago to talk to him HOPING he would say how disappointed he was with his BX as his property maintenance requirements are VERY similar to mine and he just sang the little BX's praises over and over which pretty much convinced me a B2601 would suffice.......but the L2501 looms in my thoughts. This is probably a total NON ISSUE, but I like the analog dash on the B2601 or L2501. Not a fan of the digital dash (I may be misguided here) and wondering about issues with them 10 years down the road??

I was going through the same thing. I only have a couple acres with some tight spaces I wanted to be able to get the tractor into. In the end I went with the B2401 because the physical size of the L2501 would have been cumbersome on my property. However, in your situation I would go with the L2501 all day long. The B is very useful for its size but its very light so traction is always the limiting factor-even with filled ag tires it loses traction very easily. The L is only slightly larger but its considerably heavier, more robust and more powerful than the B. Another thing that I like about the L2501 is that it achieves 540 on the PTO at considerably lower RPM's. As for price, they're should be little to no difference in price between the tractors you're looking at. With the B you pay for the center PTO and some creature comforts that for me have zero value over the standard L, with the exception of the telescoping stabilizers that can be added to the L for little cost.

They're both great tractors and I think you'd be happy with either, but unless the B has something you want over the L, I don't think you'd ever regret going with the larger machine.

 

[greg86z28]

I just went through this. I too was paralyzed by the number of options and worry that I wouldn't be satisfied. I created a spreadsheet to compare specifications and cost (actual quote costs). Include your implements. Also create a list of the tasks you will be doing and what you expect/need. You want the machine to fit the 95% of your required tasks perfectly (in terms of size capability). You don't want to buy a machine for the 5% of tasks you "might" encounter and then be overkill for the 95% of the other stuff you do. One piece of advice I have is to hammer into your mind that no tractor you buy will be 100% perfect. No matter what you buy, it's going to come up short at some point and you'll have to improvise a solution that will help you get the job done.

Be careful on the internet - it's full of bigger is better. Before you know it you'll be hearing "don't settle for anything less than an L4701".

The machines you listed are all very nice - L2501, LX2610, LX2610SU and B2601. The B2601 is going to be smaller and more maneuverable (a plus for trail maintenance). You likely would run a smaller brush hog - but that just means more tractor time. That can be a good and bad thing - if you've got time to burn and you're retired, time in the seat is great! If you've got limited time then maybe not as great. The L2501 is by far a "beefier" tractor but lacks a lot of comfort features of the B2601 or LX2610.

I would try them all and pick the one that will accomplish 95% of the things you plan to do, fits your budget, and you like you feel of.

EDIT: You can also request to see if the dealer will deliver a unit for you to try out at your place before you buy. My dealer offered that. It doesn't mean you need to spend 20 hours using it, but if you're worried about it being too big to maneuver around, you'll be able to drive it around and test that out.

 

[TomRC]

REALLY appreciate all the input. I like the idea of a flail mower. While not being as good as either am I correct in thinking a flail mower could serve the purpose of both a bush hog and finish mower while possibly being better than a bush hog at cutting trails. I've going to have a VERY large front and back yard that I plan on manicuring as best as I can so the flail mower might be able to do double duty on my BIG yard and my pasture? Having such a large front and back yard is one factor I left out of my original post that has me thinking the lighter B2601 might be the way to go!

 

[Roadworthy]

If you plan to mow your yard with it a model offering a belly mower option may be a better choice. I don't know your yard layout but a pull behind mower may not work well. I went with the L2501 due to the simplicity and the weight being able to handle my five foot rotary mower on a slope. I didn't want the tail wagging the dog so to speak. I've also had a hundred plus yards of driveway done in asphalt - at a cost almost as much as the tractor, but no gravel to maintain.

 

[dirtydeed]

Tom, there is a catch to any equipment purchase. A flail can do double duty, but will still have limitations. For woods work, you'd likely need hammers instead of Y blades. While you can still mow grass with hammers, Y blades would be better suited for grass. Conversely, Y blades can handle brush up to approx 1" thick, but will suffer in the woods. I'd suggest searching for some youtube videos in comparisons between mower types (tractorMike has a few of such comparisons).

The main reason why I tend to suggest a flail mower (despite the fact that that is what I have) is that they do a reasonably decent job in almost all scenarios. Since they are lighter and more compact than a rotary cutter, their size negates the need to have the loader on the tractor while "flailing". That makes the whole rig much lighter and more maneuverable. You can also mow (or grind) junk down much lower to the ground with a flail than you can with a rotary cutter. They actually turn small sticks ect into mulch.

Depending on your yard size/configuration, none of the tractor "mower attachments" will ever outpace a dedicated mower like a large zero turn...It's not even close. Just keep that in mind.

Best of luck to you.

PS...If intending on using your new tractor to mow yard grass, I wouldn't consider an L series tractor for that purpose. They're just too heavy for that...in my opinion anyway. I have soft (wet) ground which was significantly important in my machine selection.

 

[Tornado]

Tom, first welcome to the forums here. Hope you will stick around here even after the purchase.

You are in the same exact boat, and considering the same exact tractors I was in just over 1 year ago. May 2019 is when I bought my tractor. I was torn between B2601 / B2650 / L2501. I spent hours upon hours upon hours watching youtube videos of each modem do work, reading forums like this, and other sources. I spoke to co workers at my job, some of which own lots of big equipment. The consistent message I always got was this : Buy as much tractor as you can afford, because in 5 or 10 years you never know what projects you will be wanting to do on your land, and you dont want to look back and wish you had spent an extra few dollars and got more power and weight. Im on 13 acres of land. I went to the dealer and looked at a B2601 and the L2501 side by side. The price difference between the two was very small....The B2601 had more comfort features - digital dash, flat floorboard with a nice mat, etc etc....

I went home that day with an L2501. Ive never regretted it. The L2501 is a lot heavier, and has more low end power, despite the same HP rating. I've since cleared 1 acre of woods, and I was so glad I had that extra power and weight in the woods. You will want to do something on your land 3 years from now you dont currently have planned. u will want the extra power. go with L2501

 

[UpNorthMI]

TomRC - I read your comment about lawn and pasture work and a possible concern over weight, If you are going to use one machine and have a large front and rear lawn to mow, I would suggest the use of turf tires on a L2501 with a rear finish mower, they will be much easier on your nicer finished ground. My latest tractor is an L3901 and I keep it down state for part of the year for unloading items with FEL, chipping, rear finish mower and snow clearing use. I was really concerned about buying this tractor with turf tires and then wanting to put it to use in my Northern woodland for many tasks including brush hogging, food plot planting, grading etc. I have to say that the turf tires were a great choice both in the nice and rough environment. If your ground is generally dry, turf tires and an L2501 will not damage your lawns.

 

[TomRC]

Again, great info to soak up and process. The other issue is Land Pride verses Woods for implements. I'm fortunate to have 4 Kubota dealers in relative close proximity and one dealer sells a lot of Woods. I know Woods implements are VERY good and they've been on my radar since I started this research project. I'm guessing the Woods will be at somewhat of a premium over Landpride. Worth the premium??

I have a bad back and leg (more than a few surgeries) so a quick hitch is a must. I'm guessing the Woods implements with the addition of bushings or something along this line would work with a Landpride quick hitch? From all I've read it looks like it would be hard to wrong with Woods implements. Oh.......and I'll be adding a third function up front and at some point when funds allow get the EA Grapple.

 

[ravensview]

I looked at a some of the same machines when I was tractor shopping with many of the same conditions except I am building a house on heavily wooded 46 acres and cutting ski, snowmobile trails through it and maintaining my 80 acres where my camp is, I finally went with a bx23s and have been happy with it, just takes more time for some of the larger projects, if money wasn’t an object I think I would’ve gone with the L series for its greater lift capacities, higher ground clearance and greater weight, but I am good with my bx23, good luck in your selection, look at what implements and attachments work with each one.

 

[PaulL]

I'd lean towards a machine with a belly mower if I was finish mowing. All the machines will do the other tasks, the L2501 will do many of them a bit better.

If I was cutting trails with a mower (rather than a chainsaw) then a bush hog will take far more abuse.

If I had enough money, probably an L2501 plus a zero turn is the better combination - better mowing, better work in the fields and woods.

How much of the 5 acres will be finish mowed, and how much bush hogged? When bush hogging, how often? If you're keeping it down pretty well then you can get away with a larger bush hog or a flail. If you're letting it grow and knocking it down twice a year, then a smaller bush hog will power through.

On trails, once established, and assuming they need ongoing mowing, a flail will be way more manoeuvrable than a bush hog. Depends what sort of trails you're making.

Summarise all that - a B2601 if you want a belly mower, an L2501 otherwise.

 

[Tornado]

Again, great info to soak up and process. The other issue is Land Pride verses Woods for implements. I'm fortunate to have 4 Kubota dealers in relative close proximity and one dealer sells a lot of Woods. I know Woods implements are VERY good and they've been on my radar since I started this research project. I'm guessing the Woods will be at somewhat of a premium over Landpride. Worth the premium??

I have a bad back and leg (more than a few surgeries) so a quick hitch is a must. I'm guessing the Woods implements with the addition of bushings or something along this line would work with a Landpride quick hitch? From all I've read it looks like it would be hard to wrong with Woods implements. Oh.......and I'll be adding a third function up front and at some point when funds allow get the EA Grapple.

I got the QH15 quick hitch with my L2501 in May 2019. It has never been taken off the tractor a single time. I use a box blade, an over sized disc harrow from john deere (frontier brand), and a hay spike. Everything fits it so far. You can check implements to know if they will fit by taking measurements of the left and right pins. If youre at the dealer and happen to be looking at an implement do a quick measurement between the pins. I forget the measurement but basically you can quickly tell if it will fit. Most stuff being made today seems to be quick hitch compatable. Woods and Landpride are both great higher end equipment I wouldnt have any bones about either one so long as it fit my quick hitch.

One thing I wanted to cover in my last post but ran out of time and had to quickly end my post, is that if youre torn between B2601 and L2501, I like to just take a sheet of paper and list out what each model gives you over the other model. Taking this approach is what led me to the L2501. I just found that the B2601 didnt really have any real advantage over the L2501 for me. Its a little smaller, but not drastically so. Having a slightly smaller tractor was of no benefit to me though - I have 13 acres, Im not on a small lot where I need to nit pick turn radius and tractor dimensions. To some the smaller little bit smaller size may carry some weight. Next was the comfort features - which were nice. Digital dash, flat floor board with a nice mat, I thinkthe seat even had arm rests on the one I was looking at. The dash and everything just looked more "up to date" The L2501 looks analog - needles and manual gauges etc. I asked myself though - does that REALLY matter to me? And ultimately I decided it didn't. As I went down the list I just found very few wins for the B series column on my paper. The mid mount PTO is a legitimate plus for the B series for many folks. For me again this was a non issue. I have no desire to run a mid mount mower on a tractor. I have a zero turn mower for all my mowing. I live in Florida, so I'm not doing any snow blowing either.

For the L however I had many wins. The bigger size DID matter to me, because it meant heavier. The L2501 is just over 1,000 LBS heavier than the B2601, this translates into a lot more pulling ability. The disc harrow I got for example which was essentially given to me by a work colleague is a 700+lb harrow that is 76" wide. Some folks on this forum told me I would struggle to pull it - it also exceeds the size limit for disc harrows listed in the L2501 manual in both width and weight. The L2501 pulls it just fine. I bet if I was in a B2601 however I wouldn't not be pulling it. At the most aggressive setting on the harrow my tires begin to spin - Going into 4wd allows me to keep pulling it at this most aggressive setting. Tire spinning - that's the problem you will run into with pulling, and its purely an issue of tractor weight. The B2601 would be half a ton lighter. Weight is a big deal as I'm sure you know, so the fact that the L2501 takes a big jump up in weight over the B series is substantial, so this was an important factor for me. If I'm going to spend 20k on a machine I want it to be able to do some serious work. I already have a lawn mower so I'm not looking for an oversized lawn mower. The L2501 also has bigger tires, which means more room for liquid ballast, further increasing the weight gap. As I listed out all these factors and thought about each item critically, the L2501 suddenly emerged to me as the clear winner for me. The fact that the two were so close in price also won me over. Had the L2501 been like $5,000+ more than the B series It would have made the decision much harder. However, now looking back, after having owned it and pushed it to its limits in the past year, Im so so glad I didnt go with my initial plan which was to get a B series. The weight of the tractor has been a clear issue with me - I wish the L2501 was even heavier, as I feel it is one of the limiting factors to it doing even more. It has plenty of engine power. The 25 horses on the L2501 are worth a lot more than the 25/26 on the B series. The L2501 has a much larger engine, and Ive read that it is essentially the same engine used in some 30-40HP tractors but has simply been tuned down to 25hp.

Given the amount of acreage you own, I would want the most tractor I could fit into my budget. I realize how you have no plan to work or do much with a lot of that acreage but what does the future hold in 3 years, 5 years, 10 years? If you are going to go with a lighter, weaker, slightly smaller tractor, then make sure it is deliberate for a real and important reason. There are legitimate and sound reasons for going smaller, but I think it would have to be very deliberate, and typically this is folks on much smaller acreages. You arent going to save much at all in money going smaller and weaker, so the other advantages have to be substantial - for example the Mid Mount PTO - this could be a game changer for some folks. The L series just flat does not offer this option so that is one of those big things that could force someone into the B series.

Be sure to let us know what you choose and share some pics!

 

[michigander]

I purchased my B2601 to mow with 100% happy with how it mows
My neighbor on opposite side of river has low ground he hasn't mowed with his L2501 and finish mower this year due to wet ground/weight.
My B2601 will be mowing it for 3rd time this year this weekend

I get to the area on a narrow UTV trail he says his L2501 wide for as another reason lol

 

[Oliver]

After considering a BX I started with a B7500 (similar to a B2301) with LA302 loader and 54" mid mower to help maintain my 49 acres which consisted of 2 acre lawn, small 2 acre meadow, 800' gravel driveway, with the rest being woods which I cut trails through. That tractor did everything I needed from plowing and scooping snow, mowing my lawn, moving logs, gravel, dirt. I mowed the meadow down a couple times a year just using the mower lifted up to it's highest position but a small flail would have been better. I really liked operating that tractor and was thankful to have it as my mower which gave me more time on it. The only reason I sold it was I acquired more property with a lot more material to move and grass to mow.
If I had similar property and tasks for it that you have I would go with a B2601 with 60" mmm, SSQA loader with bucket (also add 3rd function if you think you may want a grapple) and add a 54" flail such as https://www.woodmaxx.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=FM-54 and a tiller.
I have a 60" flail now for my L2501 which I mow down 4 meadows just once in the Fall. It does this well leaving the weeds mulched up rather than laying there like a RC does, but it doesn't give quite as nice a cut for a lawn as a mmm does.

 

[TomRC]

I REALLY like the B2601 but my hangup is being limited to a 4’ bush hog. Traced out on Google Earth this morning and I’m going to have a little over 4 acres of pasture to cut and my yard will be about three fourths of an acre. I’m out in the country so not looking for a highly manicured yard, just going to be KY31 manicured a tad better than the pasture. Some salesmen are telling me the B2601 can pull a 5 foot bush hog and it probably could under PERFECT circumstances. I could also pull a big boat with my Subaru I just couldn’t stop it when the light turned red The HUGE benefit to the L2501 is being able to easily pull a 5’ bush hog and being able to more efficiently move gravel and box blade to maintain my driveway (220 yds). I'm not going to have any low areas that will be overly wet but do have a couple areas fairly sloped and I'm thinking (maybe wrong) the L2501 will be much more stable than the B2601.

I wish there was some 5’ cutting solution (other than a belly mower) for the B2601 as bush hogging will be the most regular task. Tax tag and title there is about a $2.5k to $3k difference between a B2601 and L2501 if you are figuring in implements(box blade, tiller, bush hog, quick hitch), 3rd function, etc, etc. The L2501 and LX2610SU are basically a wash in price so if spending that amount I see no reason to go with anything other than the L2501. That doesn't seem like a lot of $ but when the B2601 is already about a 1k over budget of where I’d like to be TOTAL , I’m going to have to cut some costs on the L2501 to get closer to budget. If I go the L2501 route might have to forgo the 3rd function for the time being or go with another for vendor for implements like EA or KingCutter. Don’t want to but your budget is your budget!

HORRIBLE back and legs so don’t want to be dealing with hooking up belly mower and and concerned my pasture would beat up a belly mower or a finish mower . So what 5’ cutting solution am I overlooking for the B2601 to deal with my pasture?? 4 acres doesn’t seem like a lot to cut but a 4’ bush hog is no bigger than a riding lawn mower from Lowes…….going to be sitting on that B2601 a long time!

I’m not going to have a barn to store the tractor for probably 4-6 weeks so still some time to contemplate. On a side note dealers in my area with the exception of one salesman who owned one just are not up to speed on flail mowers and sales are FEW AND FAR between. REALLY surprising and this is in big farm country! Again, appreciate all the input!

 

[mdhughes]

I can't talk to using the L2501 for "yard" work, but it is the same size as my L3901DT that I use for cutting firewood, maintaining 2/10 mile driveway and about a mile private road. It works pretty good in the woods, but I went with the Ag tires. It gets muddy around here in the winter time and I don't think the other two tires types would work out very well. I also have used the tractor to till up the ground around our house to put a yard in, but I keep the tractor off the "grass". I find that it is pretty easy to get around in the woods and the trails that I had already made for my Ford 2000 with a carry-all mostly worked for the L3901DT and loader. There were a couple placed that I needed to made come turns a little wider because of the loader.

GP does do a lot with his tractor and when I started to read your post I thought to myself that you needed to watch his videos, but then I read that you have already done so. I would think that size tractor would work for you as long as you don't need the lifting capacity of the larger L2501.

I would get yourself a set of pallet forks, watch out for the weight of the forks, you don't want to use up a lot of your lifting capacity on the frame and forks.

Like someone else said, don't get to hung up on the size or bigger is better. Try to get what fits your needs. Sometimes I wish I would have gone with the L4701, but I'm very happy with the L3901DT.

Getting a KTAC policy is a really good idea, I got a new policy when I paid my last payment. I covered the tractor, loader and backhoe.

Don't know if any of this helps, I'm sure you will enjoy your Kubota which ever one you get.

 

[TomRC]

A totally agree about the B2601, I'm all on board just need a 5 foot cutting solution to deal with 4 acres of pasture. 9 out of 10 people I've spoken over the last year have said, "sure the B2601 can pull a 5' bush hog, but 9 out 10 had said they would not do so, stick with the 4 foot bush hog if you buy a B2601." Its been an across the board consensus from all be a few salesman. I hate the thought of spending this kind of money and cutting my pasture with a 4' bush hog the same width as the tiny riding lawn mower from Lowes.

I was leaving my property yesterday and standing at the front of my property and could see pasture for 275 yards (property is narrow though) and then another 150 yards of pasture to the right I could not see (hidden by tree line) and thinking about the value of the L2501's ability to pull a larger bush hog. I can always buy a used cheap riding lawnmower to deal with my yard. I don't know the answer and glad I've got a little more to make a decision.