Bought my 1st Riding Mower

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Well, after 30 years of pushing a lawn-mower, I finally bought my first Rider.
Using the push-mower, it would take 1.5 hours.
I didn't mind but the lawn was sooo bumpy, it took the enjoyment out of using it.

I ended up buying a Simplicity with a 38 inch cut.
I'm hoping the large tires flatten out the ground somewhat.
It's going to take practice using because I have some low branch trees, boulders, various inside corners that I will have to maneuver around.
But I like it and look forward to using it.

Who ever came up with the idea of putting a seat on a lawn-mower was a Genius.
Stock photo off Internet.
 
Went to a self propelled push mower several years ago . Our yard is too small to work well with a rider .

Best of luck with it . Hope it serves you well & lasts a very long time . :)
 
OP,

Congrats on your new rider. Not trying to steal your thread here but your topic touched on something I've been pondering about lately and WyrTwister mentioned it.

Living in the mountains, I only have a small portion of our yard that can be mowed and most of that is sloped. Using a rider would not be smart. Mowing with my non self-propelled lawn mower is like competing in a 10 hour marathon. Often wondered if a self-propelled lawn mower would lessen the strain and be worth the extra money. If so, anything specific to look for in one?
 
Your mower won't smooth out the lawn much unless you like to cut in the rain, but you can get a roller to drag behind. I run my tires pretty soft which helps a bit on the bumps, but if you've got side hills it starts to lean and cut uneven.
 
Originally Posted By: Sierra048
OP,

Congrats on your new rider. Not trying to steal your thread here but your topic touched on something I've been pondering about lately and WyrTwister mentioned it.

Living in the mountains, I only have a small portion of our yard that can be mowed and most of that is sloped. Using a rider would not be smart. Mowing with my non self-propelled lawn mower is like competing in a 10 hour marathon. Often wondered if a self-propelled lawn mower would lessen the strain and be worth the extra money. If so, anything specific to look for in one?


I don't wish steal the thread as well, but while you are on the topic, I have about a third of an acre with lots of trees. I went to a self-propelled motor in 2003. I had rear wheel drive and a hand activated grip control. Rear wheel drive is much better that front wheel because if the grass gets too thick you can always tip it back. The hand grip control is OK, but can make your hand get a bit tired. In 2016 I bought a Toro self propelled with the "Personal Pace" push bar and rear wheel drive. The push bar gets rid of the sore hand syndrome. I like the push bar, but it takes a bit of getting used to. The self propelled mower is a good compromise if you don't want to spring for a riding mower. Maybe later, plus you can still convince your wife it's a workout.

Both movers have Honda GCV 160 engines and both have plenty of power. The newer one has an automatic choke that works perfectly. The old one, being 15 years old, still runs perfectly even with 10W30 oil, changed every few years. I keep it so one of my kids can help mow the lawn when they visit. Hope that helps.

Like that riding mower. Would like to hear more about it's engine.
 
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Originally Posted By: Sierra048
OP,

Congrats on your new rider. Not trying to steal your thread here but your topic touched on something I've been pondering about lately and WyrTwister mentioned it.

Living in the mountains, I only have a small portion of our yard that can be mowed and most of that is sloped. Using a rider would not be smart. Mowing with my non self-propelled lawn mower is like competing in a 10 hour marathon. Often wondered if a self-propelled lawn mower would lessen the strain and be worth the extra money. If so, anything specific to look for in one?


Not wanting to hijack this thread , if you wish to start a thread about self propelled mpush mowers , I will be happy to throw in my two cents .
 
Originally Posted By: MasterSolenoid
It's going to take practice using because I have some low branch trees, boulders, various inside corners that I will have to maneuver around.
But I like it and look forward to using it.

Made this transition at my mom's a few years ago.

What I did was cut the grass a few times and identified all those spots (low branches, tight corners, etc) that are inconvenient for the rider.
Then we spent a Sunday trimming trees, cutting wider radii on flower beds and generally cleaning up in the yard. This made mowing with the rider way more productive. It also kept me from getting jabbed in the eye with a low branch.

Well worth the time and effort!!!
 
Originally Posted By: Sierra048
OP,

Congrats on your new rider. Not trying to steal your thread here but your topic touched on something I've been pondering about lately and WyrTwister mentioned it.

Living in the mountains, I only have a small portion of our yard that can be mowed and most of that is sloped. Using a rider would not be smart. Mowing with my non self-propelled lawn mower is like competing in a 10 hour marathon. Often wondered if a self-propelled lawn mower would lessen the strain and be worth the extra money. If so, anything specific to look for in one?

Sierra048,
How about planting some kind of ground cover.
Once it fills itself in, you won't have to cut it (at least on the most sloped).
Go to a Nursery and see what's available for your area.
 
If today's Simplicity mowers and tractors are the same quality as they were 15 years ago, you made a wise choice. It will serve you for 25 years with routine maintenance. If your Simplicity dealer is close to home, so much the better.

I had a Simplicity tractor cart from 1960 until it finally got too rickety in 2003 and I gave it to a neighbor.
 
Welcome to the club. I too just got my first riding mower, a John Deere D130 with only 50 hours on it. I bought it for economic reasons. My lawn service cost $500 per year. It's not a manicured lawn, but between a lawn and a field. It really needs cutting only once a month, and takes me around 30 minutes.
 
Like the white belts...easy to see if they've been damaged. Getting ready to buy my first self propelled Honda tomorrow and then try it out tomorrow night.....may have to design a beer holder since I won't have to push a mower any more...
 
Nice. I think its called the Regent and I have your exact model purchased last year with same size deck. Simplicity stuff is well made and maintainable.

It replaced a prior Regent that was 20 years old however the steering rack on that fell apart and expensive to fix requiring welding beyond a tired motor.
 
I have the Troy-Bilt Pony which has been excelent despite bad reviews. I would have considered the mower from this post had I seen one. Which store sells this brand or is it available only at lawn mower dealers?
 
Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
I have the Troy-Bilt Pony which has been excelent despite bad reviews. I would have considered the mower from this post had I seen one. Which store sells this brand or is it available only at lawn mower dealers?


OP here,
I bought it at a local OPE Dealer.
Anyone interested would need to go to simplicity.com and find a local Dealer.
 
Originally Posted By: MasterSolenoid
Originally Posted By: TheLawnRanger
I have the Troy-Bilt Pony which has been excelent despite bad reviews. I would have considered the mower from this post had I seen one. Which store sells this brand or is it available only at lawn mower dealers?


OP here,
I bought it at a local OPE Dealer.
Anyone interested would need to go to simplicity.com and find a local Dealer.


May want to try this link https://www.simplicitymfg.com

Briggs appears to have maintained the overall quality of the Simplicity brand. My local farm supply handles Snapper Pro and Simplicity, both brands on display appear to be quality equipment.
 
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