Kawasaki or Kohler

[rthacker7]

I'm considering the purchase of a new mower. I haven't been in the repair business for over 10 years so I am kinda
out of touch.
I think I would prefer a Briggs Vanguard but those seem impossible to find even if the mfg. website shows they use them.
Seems like the Kawasaki are plentiful with Kohler (7000 and Confidant) available. I don't know the differences between the two but remember the Courage problems.
I suppose the question is which engine to look for. How do you feel about the Kawasaki, or the Kohler 7000?

[madmantrapper]

I have not been in the business for many more years then you but I would use the Kohler. I have heard of too many stories and witnessed a few problems with the Kawasaki. Also I remember the days when the Kawasaki motorcycles were popular and fast, the only trouble was they were always broken.

[rthacker7]

I checked some more today. One mfg. ( don't remember who right now) charges the same for comparable size motors. However most
charge $400 - $500 more for the Kawasaki. I'm having trouble believing its worth that much extra.

[bgsengine]

Both are roughly about equal for reliability. So, if it were me, I would base the decision on the dealer I buy the machine from - what would his techs prefer to work on the most (some have favorites) , which do they maintain the best parts stock for? Which of their vendors that supply them either brand's parts do they prefer to order from most often?

If you got a good dealer you like working with, strike up that sort of conversation and actually listen to how they feel about either brand, rather than depending on someone else's opinion (which you will find are many and varied depending on who you talk to.. Some will swear by Kawasaki any day of the week, while another tech down the road might consider them the worst pieces of crap to ever come out of a factory.)

I actually do not care for EITHER ONE.. I'd rather have a good ol' Briggs - parts for briggs on just about every street corner or small shop you can find, they been around for years, I'd put them up against Kawi or Kohler for reliability any day, and generally (except for Vanguard series) Parts are much more reasonably priced...

[rthacker7]

I started looking with the intention of buying Briggs, They were my first choice. Gravely does not have a machine with a Briggs, at least
thats what the dealer tells me. Hustler has one model with a Briggs , which my local dealer will not carry because of other problems with
the machine. Bad Boy has a machine available with a Briggs but it cost around $14,000.00
Finding a Briggs on a higher end residential or entry level commercial is becoming a task.

Thanks for the help guys.

[KE4AVB]

Nearly all the larger ZTRs that I work on have either Kawasaki or Kohler engines with the Kawasaki being the more common of the two. The only ZTR I have seen with Generac engine is the Dixie Chopper. I don't remember working on a larger ZTR with a Briggs in the last 6 yrs.

[Luffydog]

This year the Briggs big efi hit some of the bigger mowers. Had a few tell me they like it better than the kohler and some didn't like it at all. Had one take it and try it out brought it back and traded for the ka. It has the power think it is 36-37hp i i hear it is much louder and hotter while setting in the seat was his two main complaints he traded it off after just 2/hrs.

[rthacker7]

Found a nice Ferris with a Vanguard yesterday, pricey but not terrible. Also a Husqvarna with a Endurance priced
a bit more reasonable.
I thought my neighbors Hustler had a Kohler, found out it a Kawasaki. Sounds like a F-14 taking off not all noise is
the motor but it is loud.