Agree, ZTs are great uphill and tractors are mediocre. However on sidehills or close to fences and ditches, the tractors were precise to to the inch, where ZTs are as likely to tangle one into the fence or slide down into the ditch.
FWIW, when I first got the Toro, I was complaining about not...
Since I added more front weight for mowing uphill, it started me thinking about removing the weights for flat ground and sidehills.
FWIW, I bought my machine with the bagger and wasn't aware the front suitcase weights were part of the package. The manual which comes with the bagger cautions...
FWIW, I've been mowing the same acre of ground for fifty years, so I know it pretty well.
The all-around best mower for the money was a Simplicity 30" 8hp tractor style. The little B&S ran for thirty years and was still running when I sold it.
Two Cub Cadet tractors, a 12hp and a 16hp Kohler...