Masport utility mowers 850 series

[steveo]

Thinking of buying the Masport Ute 530 21inch cut with the 850 series briggs ($749.00).

Anyone have any experience with this mower? Would you recommend it.

With the flap on the side disharges, has anyone tried locking the flap down somehow (similar to a ride on chute flap) so that it kinda gives you a mulching option for ferals with the aim being to reduce time in cleaning up the rows of cut grass rather than for looks.

[Stump]

Thinking of buying the Masport Ute 530 21inch cut with the 850 series briggs ($749.00).

Anyone have any experience with this mower? Would you recommend it.

With the flap on the side disharges, has anyone tried locking the flap down somehow (similar to a ride on chute flap) so that it kinda gives you a mulching option for ferals with the aim being to reduce time in cleaning up the rows of cut grass rather than for looks.

The engine is heavy for the chassis. You need to clamp up the handle bars at the folding point, or they will forever come loose and drive you nuts. It will not mulch. THe blades produce alot of thrust though, and throws the grass a long way from the mower, and spreads it well. The wind produced keeps the flap open during operation. THe other thing I hate about it is the hard plastic wheels. They transfer too much vibration on rough ground. It does leave a top finish for a ute though, and the engine is strong.

[steveo]

Thanks stump, interesting about vibration, I have to keep that to a minimum, It is a pretty light mower at 32Kg, have you tried any other of the Masport utes? Also looking at the Masport460XM for $300 ($439)less. It is an 18 inch cut and has the briggs 625 primer engine. It's lighter at 27.5kg, the weight is important as i need to lift it on to the ute tray but I reckon 18inch might be too narrow.

http://www.masport.com.au/outdoor-ga...utility-460-xm

With the briggs motors there seems to be a stack of engine choices. For example in the 190cc you have the 625 primer, the 675 ready start, the quantam LSE series 650 IC ready start and then the 850 IC OHV ready start. What does the IC stand for?

Anyone recommend any other utes, I did look in to big bobs a while back but there were supply issues.

[Redeye]

a second hand victa 550/560, they're the ultimate side throw, but HEAVY, or a victa 460 is the smaller version

the IC stands for industrial/commercial which from memory means the cylinder is sleeved - a good thing with briggs, you want the IC as the minimum in their range

[Mow And Go]

x2 for the victa 460. got a 2 stroke mastercut and highly recommend it. I run 4 blades on the disc and it gives a good finish for a side discharge, have used it as a "mulcher" a lot this season and no ones ever mentioned anything ...

[Stump]

[QUOTE=steveo;130376]Thanks stump, interesting about vibration, I have to keep that to a minimum, It is a pretty light mower at 32Kg, have you tried any other of the Masport utes? Also looking at the Masport460XM for $300 ($439)less. It is an 18 inch cut and has the briggs 625 primer engine. It's lighter at 27.5kg, the weight is important as i need to lift it on to the ute tray but I reckon 18inch might be too narrow.

http://www.masport.com.au/outdoor-ga...utility-460-xm

With the briggs motors there seems to be a stack of engine choices. For example in the 190cc you have the 625 primer, the 675 ready start, the quantam LSE series 650 IC ready start and then the 850 IC OHV ready start. What does the IC stand for?


THe BB is a great chassis design, but the largest engine option is the Honda 160. Nowhere near the grunt of a briggs 850. Look for something with rubber wheels. Proscape with Kwaka ?

[steveo]

Hey Mow and go ' how do you mulch with the victa 460. It's specs say its side disharge only? The 560's ability to mulch and sidethrow is interesting. Victa have a pretty interesting range actually? Shame no-one seems to stock them round here. The only ones i ever see displayed are domestic ones.

[hjl]

Hi steveo
I have not used a Masport utility mower. Looked at one in shop and they come with lift blades which is interesting for a utility mower. I have used a Rover super ute and various big bob's. The rover with 2 lift blade and 2 flat blades seems to cut cleaner on shorter lawns. On the longer lawns it stalls more. This is where the big bob's come into play. I really like my big bob's. Did have a victa 550 but it only lasted about 5 lawns before it siezed the gearbox so I can't really comment on it. I do know I won't drive to the Sunshine coast to get another one. What supply issue is there with big bob's?
Cheers
hjl

[steveo]

Gidday hjl, last year I tried to buy one from allpower and they said they had none and to check all the dealers. I can't remeber what the issue was. There were none in the local area so I didn't bother. I probably should follow it up again. That's a bugger about the gearbox packing it in. I'll have to have a gander at the rover as well. It's funny with catching mowers the general consensus seems to be with the hondas or the rover. With utility's it doesn't seem to be as clear cut.

[Redeye]

the reason virtually every council in Australia has used 550's for the last 30+ years is because they're tough as nails - the only downside is they're heavy, being a true commercial mower....the 560 is great (does 90% of my lawns) but exxy at $1100-1400. The early big bobs were also pretty tough, don't know where they're sourced from these days, the kawa proscapes look good weight-wise and look at the supaswifts too ( I haven't looked at either of them in person)

[steveo]

Allpower website still say big bobs out of stock.

Proscape with the kwaka also out of stock http://www.pro-scape.com.au/componen...wer?Itemid=675

Might have to buy a goat.

[South East Mowing]

Allpower website still say big bobs out of stock.

Proscape with the kwaka also out of stock http://www.pro-scape.com.au/componen...wer?Itemid=675

Might have to buy a goat.

I am pretty sure the Pro Scapes are WeiBang mowers. Not saying they are not good just a Chinese make again! >http://www.weibang.com/en/

[Redeye]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pro-Scape...item56621f4145

[geoff]

I am pretty sure the Pro Scapes are WeiBang mowers. Not saying they are not good just a Chinese make again! >http://www.weibang.com/en/

have had proscapes and initially were ok infact served a good purpose..after a few years would not buy one.....not a good machine the kawa motor nothing like the old type with the oil filter...power doesn't rate i have plenty of mowers over the past 30 years and this one is always in for repair of some description...that was my experience

[BeetleJuice]

Looking at one to buy too,what sort of grass are we talking about here,knee high block clearing ??