Types Of Riding Lawn Mowers

The riding lawn mower is a great machine. Once you turn on the ignition, you just steer from one direction to the next to get the job done.

There are two types of lawn mowers in the market.

There is the conventional rider and the zero turn radius or ZTR. The conventional rider can take 4 to 28 inches to turn 180 degrees at the end of each directional cut. The ZTR does not even change direction or go a few inches forward or backward so you are sure that you are still on the right track.

The conventional rider is cheaper than the ZTR because the price ranges from $1,000 to $3,000. It is able to accept certain attachments making it capable to pull a wagon behind it. The only limitation with it is speed since it can only run at 4 miles per hour.

ZTR's are better because it is able to cut grass both quickly and efficiently. Their motor is also bigger which means more power. These are much faster than the conventional variety traveling at 9 miles per hour. One ZTR has even been able to travel at 15 miles per hour and at that rate, you can mow a football field in ten minutes.

But what will make you think twice about buying it is the price since the price tag ranges from $2,600 to $7,200.

Another difference between the two is the steering system. The conventional lawn mower only has one steering system which is located in front. The ZTR has two steering handles that separately control the two rear wheels. By mowing one forward and the other in reverse you have now rotated the mower to its next position.

If you are shopping for a riding lawn mower, you will notice that there are less conventional riding lawn mowers now compared to before. ZTR's are slowly replacing it and if you think that you will only find these in large golf courses, a number of homeowners have already bought this for themselves even if they have a small lawn.

When you look for a lawn mower, aside from the price, you will also want to look at the warranty. Many offer a 2 year warranty and this is only limited to parts and labor defects. If you look further, you may find someone who is willing to give a 3 year warranty that even includes pick up and delivery.

Since most problems usually occur after the warranty expires, don't buy your riding lawn mower from big chain stores or specialty shops since these are just offered to customers on a consignment basis. It will be better to buy it straight from the dealer that has a service department which you can call should there be a problem.

Riding a lawn mower is better than pushing it. You get to operate this machine like a bumper car or go kart which can be a lot of fun. Before you use it, be sure to read the safety instructions that are found in the manual and know how to properly take care of it. That way, you can take steps to prevent it from breaking down and also reducing the risk of injuries and accidents that have occurred to countless victims.