Personally, I consider the suspension on the Ferris ZTR's, the massive rubber EZ-Ride systems on the top-of-the-line Bad Boy ZTR's and the Flex Fork attachment for the Hustler ZTR's to be more "gimmick" than "functional". They may "smooth" the ride out "slightly" on extremely rough terrain, but IMHO it is mostly a "placebo effect" just because you know the ZTR has "additional suspension". If the area you are mowing is rough enough for a noticable difference(if say you mowed the same area with a Husqvarna M-ZT 52 over the same area), then really you should consider a different machine than a ZTR for mowing that area(like a bushog & finishing deck on a real tractor). My Gravely commercial ZTR has "rigid front wheels" and I don't bounce around when I use it. My 1.5-2.0 acres is by no means "pasture" but has its somewhat rough/uneven areas. I focused more on machine durability, performance and longevity than I did "smooth ride" when I was looking. To me(again a personal opinion) I'm not going on a Sunday drive.....I'm mowing the yard. You won't find the bell & whistles suspension on the expensive top-of-the-line Kubota, John Deere, etc. tractors.....right???? My suggestion would be...don't mow at 9-10mph on a ZTR(slow down to 4-5mph which is still moving along) if the area is a little rough and you'll be fine.
