Commercial grade - Lightweight 20"+ Roller mower recommendation please - Forum

Hi everyone. I have scanned through all the posts relating to mowers having just found this forum. I am looking for a good quality roller mower that is lightweight. 20” +. I know you cant have everything and there must be compromise. The decision would be easy for me from what I have read if etesia or rover did a rear roller machine. I have a 19" harrier pro 6 years old and still performing great. Well serviced and is used for 4 or 5 hours everyday 9 or so months of the year. The new harrier pro’s are rubbish. Bought one, sold it on and would not buy a Hayter again. A lawnflight 553 pro 21” I have has been used for 2 seasons now. Waste of money. Great Honda GCV160 engine but rubbish build quality, new bits fall off every day and im on the second gearbox. In the wet with a filling grassbag weighing 20 odd kilos with the machines weight of 58kg its not surprising my back hurts by friday. But this is part of its downfall. Because of the weight - as much as you try to avoid it - when you (or more usually someone else using the machine) hits something with it, you really hit something! Its not built to last. I cant wait to pour a gallon of petrol over it, cable tie the drive to the handle bars and set it in motion in flames along a short path off a high cliff. (anyone feel the same? (or is it just me? ))Help.Budget is around £700 but would pay (50%+) more if I knew I could rely on the thing. There are some lightweight Honda’s, and there are the Vikings but I know little about these. I know there are folks out there with good advice to give from what I have read on this forum and I know this is a bit of a repetitive thread but I have looked and cant find the answer.Any help greatfully received.

Replies

Alasdair @ TheGardenService Ltd October 12, 2009 at 10:10pm

Hi Colin. Thanks for your reply. Does it provide a good stripe to the lawn? A good finish?
Lawncare-4u.co.uk October 13, 2009 at 1:36am

i tried a viking at iog show and was pleasently surprised. i cant make my decision either .......i have a hayter 48 auto-cut with roller and its excellent - good build, starts every time , should i change it ?? i thought the pro- hayters were great like the old ones ? like mine - 1998?

im looking at etesia , as pro-guard swears by it and others - but im unsure of comparisons / living with either day-to-day
Gareth October 13, 2009 at 6:54am

Masports fit the bill. I dont use the roller models but always been pleased with the commercial grade models.
PRO

Stephen @ SJS October 13, 2009 at 8:43am

Have a Masport without a doubt the best cut out of the machinery we have (the only one with a roller - but heavy so need to get a set of ramps problem is we have a Navara which is a fair height off the deck) we also have a Rover 560 & Honda HRX no stripes there though.

Cheers
Alasdair @ TheGardenService Ltd October 13, 2009 at 8:08pm

Hi Stuart,

do you have a link to this nachine. Cant seem to find a 22" masport roller online...

Thanks!

Stuart Marler said:
Masport 22 inch, just come on market, pro standard £700
Alasdair @ TheGardenService Ltd October 13, 2009 at 9:53pm

Hi Pro Gard,

These machines seem pretty impressive from what Ive read. Doubt I could really justify the cost at the moment but if they are built to last some time then that investment is worthwhile. Do you not find the 70kg weight a bit much sometimes?

Thanks
Alasdair @ TheGardenService Ltd October 13, 2009 at 9:55pm

Thanks for your link Stuart. What other machines do you work with?