Honda rt5000/h5013/h5518 vs kubota?

unclejemima

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Feb 8, 2015
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I just missed out on a super clean Honda RT5000. I’m trying to find an affordable 4wd small tractor with a front snowblower and a front mount mower. Really I can’t find anything except for a Husky Rider articulating mower what is a bottom barrel spec motor and belt drive for the attachments, not pto.

I’m wondering if anyone has driven a Honda tractor and how do they drive? To me they seem like they would be difficult to drive as the gears can not be changed while driving and it had no throttle peda...meaning it operates like an on/off switch. Say I’m mowing and I want go faster...I have to stop, change to a higher gear, release the clutch and then go again...wanting to mow slower, I would have to stop, and shift down a gear. Seems very inefficient.

Curious if anyone can give their feedback on actual usage of a Honda tractor ***128077;
 

SidecarFlip

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That is one neat looking machine, especially the water cooled engine but I bet parts are a bear in as much as Honda quit making them in 1968.

Looks sort of like a Ventrac.

Think I'd spring for a new Kubota just for the parts availability. Ventrac would be a good second choice though.
 

unclejemima

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Feb 8, 2015
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Alberta
Thanks guys. I was unaware the F series was 4wd! Cool.

Does anyone have experience with driving the Honda tractor by chance? I'm very curious how they are to actually use.

They actually made them into the late 90's (I think 98 or such) and parts are available...but expensive.

But like a Kubota, Honda's don't seem to break very often ;-) So thats good.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Was there ever a smaller Kubota F series? These are like $20k machines used...
You could look for a GF they are the smaller cheaper version, and Yes the F's are expensive but worth every penny.

There is one for sale on here in North Western, Washington.
Good price just needs a little work.
 

hodge

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Logically, if the Honda was as good, as useful, as versatile as a tractor, they would still be building and selling them. I would go for a Kubota.
 

Kurtee

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Honda 5518 is a great little tractor. Built solid and very durable. I use mine to blow snow and till gardens. The snowblower works great as well as the tiller. The mower deck is not real user friendly and time consuming to install. Parts are available for the tractor but the attachments are a different story. The gear box is not available for the snow blower but most of the other parts are. The tiller tines are not available from Honda but I found some from another supplier. It fits my fleet as I mow with an Exmark zero turn and have a BX2660 and a Deere 2032R for other tasks. The Honda is very nimble with the all wheel steer. Tires are next to impossible to find anywhere but Honda. The issue as I see it is user friendliness and parts. Oh yea the cat 0 three point is great if you can find any cat 0 attachments. I use a middle buster for digging potatoes on this also.
 
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