GR2120 or G21

[Cheib]

Hi, I live in the UK and am about to move to a house with a couple of acres of land that means I now have the excuse to buy a ride on mower!

The land is roughly an acre of garden and an acre of what we call paddock here in the UK. The latter will probably have the grass cut once every six weeks or so.

The grounds have not been looked after at all so I am anticipating using the Kubota to pull a trailer and maybe some other implements as some of the areas of garden are in a shocking state!

I went to a Kubota dealer yesterday and he either didn't really seem to know much about the GR2120 and was very keen on selling me the G21. He said the G21 would take everything I want it to do totally in it's stride and said the GR2120 might struggle with cutting grass that has been growing for six weeks (thought it might get clogged).

Here in the UK the price differential is about £1000/$1500.

I'd be very grateful for anyone's opinion on the above!

Many thanks.

 

[ShaunBlake]

Well, I don't know anything about the G21, and can't find it in the products Kubota offers in the U.S. Nor do I have any experience with the GR2120, though I have been researching it with the intention to buy one, despite the 9k U.S. price tag. However, now I've almost talked myself out of the GR2120 due to its ancestor's (GR2100) horrible problems with mower parts failures and tranny problems and failures. Also some complaints in this forum and numerous complaints in another forum about problems with the GR2120 HST.

For my small (1/3 acre) steeply sloping lot, I'm leaning toward an articulated mower with AWD. However, the size of your lot and the assumption I make about your terrain (flat and open) make me thing that a SCUT would be a better choice for you. Perhaps with a belly mower or pull-behind, or even a push. You'd have a 3 point hitch and would be able to tow considerable loads, should the need arise. (With a GR or even G, your towing capacity would be very low, perhaps a garden wagon.) Additionally, you would be able to pull implements that would serve in your food plot -- all those ground-engaging tools like plows, tillers, harrows, or whatever.

Certainly a SCUT is far more £ than a GR... I suppose more on the order of ££,£££. However, the nice thing about Kubotas is the tired old machines that can be found for a song, so to speak, generally still have many years of service in them. (That's only a good suggestion if you don't have a bias against buying used equipment.)

Hope that helps, and best wishes in your purchase. I hope you "go orange", and of course I mean Kubota orange, not one of the sickly imitations. In any case, please keep us updated on your progress and outcome! Oh, and as many folk here say: "Without pictures, it didn't happen!"

 

[Cheib]

Many thanks for your reply...I wasn't aware they didn't sell the G21 in the US though I did search the forum and didn't find any threads so maybe that should have told me!

Just looked on the US Kubota website, does seem like they don't sell the entire G series range in the US. This is the brochure for the

G21 http://www.kubota.co.uk/brochures/g21-e/#1

And the G series range is here

http://www.kubota.co.uk/product-range/groundcare/ride-on-mowers/g-series/

These are seen ( I am told) as being the start of the commercial ride on mowers here in the UK. Certainly the HD (High Dump) would generally be a commercial use.

 

[skeets]

MHO, if I were to go the route you want to I would take a look at the BX series. Yes it is easy spending someone else's money, but from the sounds of it pulling a trailer and so on a SCUT might be the better way to go and if you are planning on tilling/plowing up an acre of garden I don't think the G series would be your best bet. It is very reminiscent of a yellow tractor that was sitting out in the barn, looked like a beast but did not preform like promised. Welcome aboard and really look to the BX line, I don't think you would be disappointed at all

 

[b12]

Well, I don't know anything about the G21, and can't find it in the products Kubota offers in the U.S. Nor do I have any experience with the GR2120, though I have been researching it with the intention to buy one, despite the 9k U.S. price tag. However, now I've almost talked myself out of the GR2120 due to its ancestor's (GR2100) horrible problems with mower parts failures and tranny problems and failures. Also some complaints in this forum and numerous complaints in another forum about problems with the GR2120 HST.

For my small (1/3 acre) steeply sloping lot, I'm leaning toward an articulated mower with AWD. However, the size of your lot and the assumption I make about your terrain (flat and open) make me thing that a SCUT would be a better choice for you. Perhaps with a belly mower or pull-behind, or even a push. You'd have a 3 point hitch and would be able to tow considerable loads, should the need arise. (With a GR or even G, your towing capacity would be very low, perhaps a garden wagon.) Additionally, you would be able to pull implements that would serve in your food plot -- all those ground-engaging tools like plows, tillers, harrows, or whatever.

Certainly a SCUT is far more £ than a GR... I suppose more on the order of ££,£££. However, the nice thing about Kubotas is the tired old machines that can be found for a song, so to speak, generally still have many years of service in them. (That's only a good suggestion if you don't have a bias against buying used equipment.)

Hope that helps, and best wishes in your purchase. I hope you "go orange", and of course I mean Kubota orange, not one of the sickly imitations. In any case, please keep us updated on your progress and outcome! Oh, and as many folk here say: "Without pictures, it didn't happen!"

I've owned my Kubota B7800 since 2005 and it's been a great tractor.
So when I was looking to replace my two Wheel Horse GTs, it seemed sensible to look at a Kubota product.
I have some steep slopes to mow, that my Wheel Horse GTs had traction problems with, so the 4wd GR2120 looked like a good replacement candidate. I then started reading about the history of the earlier GR transmission issues, and felt the GR2120 might be too much of a risk, especially for $9000 +.

I ended up getting the Husqvarna R322T AWD,with the Combi 103 deck and it's been great for handling my steep slopes, and it's much more enjoyable to use than my old Wheel Horse GTs were. It also produces a great cut. I fortunately came across a super great deal on another R322T, so now my wife and I both have a mower to use, just like when we had the two old Wheel Horse GTs.

Edit...As it turns out the two Husqvarna R322Ts with Combi 103 mowing decks came to $9346 before taxes.

I noticed you mentioned you were leaning toward an articulating AWD mower for your steeply sloping 1/3 acre lot, if it's the Husqvarna R322T AWD you are think about, I think you would be very happy with it.

 

[ShaunBlake]

...I wasn't aware they didn't sell the G21 in the US ... This is the brochure for the G21
...

And the G series
...

Many thanks, Cheib! Although I prolly couldn't smuggle one into the states, I'm an info addict and love to read up on innovative machines, particularly Kubotas.

... started reading about the history ... and felt the GR2120 might be too much of a risk, especially for $9000 +.

I ended up getting the Husqvarna R322T AWD
...
I noticed you mentioned you were leaning toward an articulating AWD mower for your steeply sloping 1/3 acre lot, if it's the Husqvarna R322T AWD you are think about, I think you would be very happy with it.

Thanks, b12; I didn't want to detour the conversation into brand or model exclusions, but that is exactly the machine that I believe will best serve my mowing needs. (Which makes me sad, as I really like the GR2120's little diesel... but 9k would wipe me out, and moreover, I can't see the justification of that price, related to other Kubota machines.)

...
... I fortunately came across a super great deal on another R322T, so now my wife and I both have a mower to use ...

Not to be too contrarian, but honestly, for me to be 'very happy', I would have to stumble onto a super great deal, which is proving very difficult. Even the eBay vendors hold to the MSRP, and for some strange reason, the puppies aren't showing up in my auction or CL searches.

 

[Daren Todd]

Not to be too contrarian, but honestly, for me to be 'very happy', I would have to stumble onto a super great deal, which is proving very difficult. Even the eBay vendors hold to the MSRP, and for some strange reason, the puppies aren't showing up in my auction or CL searches.

Unfortunately finding a great deal on a mower is hard to find. Gramp did pretty good on a couple zero turns. But they figured out what they wanted and started stalking the used equipment dealers in town until something showed up that they liked most of the time they don't hold on to them long enough to make it on a site.

 

[Cheib]

MHO, if I were to go the route you want to I would take a look at the BX series. Yes it is easy spending someone else's money, but from the sounds of it pulling a trailer and so on a SCUT might be the better way to go and if you are planning on tilling/plowing up an acre of garden I don't think the G series would be your best bet. It is very reminiscent of a yellow tractor that was sitting out in the barn, looked like a beast but did not preform like promised. Welcome aboard and really look to the BX line, I don't think you would be disappointed at all

I'd love one of the BX line but they are a lot more money here in the UK....maybe twice as much once they have a mower etc attached. Having re-read my original post I think there is perhaps only one part of the land that needs tilling...say 1/4 of an acre and then hopefully only once! I think the other towed attachements I would use would be relatively lightweight and hopefully either the GR2120 or G21 would be up to that.

I suppose my main concerns are would the GR 2120 be up to cutting grass that has grown in the paddock for say six weeks and is perhaps a foot high ? I am told the G21 can but it's a bigger and heavier machine and probably less manouverable.

 

[btong]

Hi there,

I'm also based in the UK and recently purchased a GR2100 on ebay, only to find that when delivered it had problems with the transmission (should have seen that coming)..... It's being collected and I'm in the market for something else, and I think I can stretch to a GR2120.

Interested to know whether you ended up going for the GR and if so how it worked out for you? I have an acre of mostly lawned grass, no need for tiller etc as I practise no dig, and have a 2 wheel Husqvarna tiller if I do need one. I will need to pull a trailer (not particularly heavy loads - sub 200kg I would say)

Thanks for any insight - looking to buy one in the next few weeks so any information gratefully received! I have looked at the BX too, but I really want something that will collect the grass clippings.

 

[PaulL]

On grass length, one option is to just mow more frequently. A BX would probably be better, but for $9,000, if you mow every 3 weeks instead of 6, that's 8-9 more times a year. $1,000 a mow?

 

[PaulL]

Thanks for any insight - looking to buy one in the next few weeks so any information gratefully received! I have looked at the BX too, but I really want something that will collect the grass clippings.

You can get a bagger for a BX. But I tend to just mulch with mine, and so long as I mow reasonably frequently, it mulches very well. In spring growing season that means mowing twice a week, but I'd rather mow twice than bag once.

 

[marchanna]

Hi all, I’ve had my GR2120 for two years now, and I have to say, it’s a solid performer that has exceeded my expectations. The 20hp diesel motor is more powerful than the entry level BX series, and I have mowed grass that is 16” long or more with it. It’s true that you have too slow down a little in grass that long but I wouldn’t say the machine struggles. I can also mow up a 45-degree incline.

I also blow snow in the winter with it. I have a couple of apartment buildings in town that I blow the parking lots and the sidewalks. I always get there after the plow, so there’s usually an extra 12 - 24” of extra snow piled up on the sidewalks. But this little tractor pushes through. My only real complaint is that the snow blower hydraulic lift doesn’t lift as high as I want it, only about 4 inches, which makes it difficult to load in a trailer.