A couple of years ago, I moved to my childhood home, next door to my sister. It came with a 2000ish 48" Husqvarna lap-bar ZTR. It was taking me about 2 hrs for my yard, and another hr for hers. So I wanted something with a bit more capability. There are also a decent amount of slopes around here, so I wanted a steering wheel model. My checklist was:
- 54" or 60" deck
- Steering wheel
- ROPS
- Suspension seat
- More power (per inch of cutting deck) than the Husqvarna, which was bogging on hills with thick grass.
This is what I found. A Cub Cadet Pro Z 154S. It has 27HP vs 17HP for the Husqvarna. It needed quite a bit of work, but I got it for a steal. It runs great, cuts great, and cuts fast. I've tested the cutting speed by making a pass at half speed, turned around, and made another pass at full speed. Then I got off the mower, and examined the grass. I couldn't tell the difference. The suspension seat works better than I expected, too. I still use the Husqvarna for leaf collection because it has a bagger. When I do, I remember how much I like the suspension seat.
Am I glad I got the steering wheel? Overall, yes. It has it's pros & cons. It works MUCH better on slopes, and I can mow much faster and accurately in a straight line. Which means that I can mow faster next to brick walls, and I don't have to overlap as much. But it doesn't make 180's as easily as a lap bar mower. Another plus, though, is that on the rare occasions that I want help with the yard, it can be used by others in the house who aren't comfortable with lap bars.