There are many stand-up zero turn lawn mowers out there, but the Scag V-Ride II is the best and only choice for Landscapers and Professionals who have to mow a lot of land quickly and efficiently. In this article we will give you five reasons to explain to you why the Scag V-Ride II is the best choice to purchase for your lawn mowing needs.
1.) Scag V-Ride II: Durability and Build Quality
Scag has been producing lawn mowers since 1983. Scag makes all of the "Scag Gold" parts on the V-Ride II from scratch (except for the wheels and ROPS). At one end of the factory, sheet metal and tube steel come in, and at the other end, the best commercial lawn mowers in the world come out.
Scag V-Ride II: Unmatched Quality
When you purchase a Scag V-Ride II you get what you pay for! You will notice the Scag V-Ride II is built to withstand heavy-duty use due to it's thick gauged tubular mainframe, complete and clean welds, and commercial quality Velocity plus cutter deck. Every single component on the Scag V-Ride II has been rigorously tested by landscapers all over the world, and refined year-after-year making it the pinnacle of quality and durability.
2) Engine and Power
Many of the Scag V-Ride II's competitors will build zero-turn lawn mowers with underpowered engines to save money, or because of availability. This can create a number of problems including slower mowing times and ground speeds, breaking of key components, and an overall shorter usable life.
Scag V-Ride II: So many Engine Choices!
When you build a heavy-duty zero turn lawn mower from scratch you must pair it with an engine of equal power and reliability. Scag has done exactly that. The Scag V-Ride II is available in Kawasaki, Kohler, and Briggs & Stratton Engines. Starting from the smallest Scag V-Ride II engine available: The 16 HP Kawasaki® 541FX and all the way up to the largest 40 HP Briggs Vanguard™ BIG BLOCK™ EFI – electronic fuel injection and everything in-between is built for commercial long term use.
3) Velocity Cutter Deck: Quality of Cut
The Scag V-ride II is equipped with the envy of the landscaping industry, the Velocity Plus Cutter Deck. (*Advantage Cutter deck is on 32" and 36" models) This innovative deck design gives a high-speed discharge and a superior, manicured cut, even at top ground speeds. The cutting chamber has been redesigned, and the discharge opening for the clippings has been made much wider. This gives you even better cutting performance with maximum clipping dispersal in any conditions.
Velocity Plus Cutter Deck: Custom Cut Baffles
The Velocity Plus cutter deck provides an excellent quality of cut due to it's adjustable custom-cut baffle The custom cut baffle and baffle chamber is located on the front of the Velocity Plus cutter deck and creates a suction which lifts the grass up before the blades cut it. This provides you with a straight, and flat cut with no straggling pieces of grass making it look uneven, or requiring you to make multiple passes for the perfect cut. In addition the Anti-Scalp Rollers located in straegic locations which provide maximum turf protection from scalping, and divots.
Velocity Plus Cutter Deck: Built Like a Tank
The Velocity Plus Cutter deck is built like a tank, you will not find a deck on a mower in it's class which is built to such high quality standards. This includes cast-iron spindles, The best spindle in the business, It has a 1 1/8" hardened shaft, tapered roller bearings. Many competitors use aluminum spindles which are much less durable and cannot hold up to repeated commercial use. The Super Rigid Tri-Plate deck tops which result in nearly 1/2" thick steel cutter deck top. Many competitors have much thinner deck tops resulting in a less sturdy overall build which can effect performance and reliability over time. This is why the Velocity Plus cutter deck comes with a 3-year "No Crack" warranty.
4) Maneuverability and Small Footprint
The Scag V-Ride II's front caster wheels combined with it's large rear wheels allow you to make zero-radius turns on a dime while having a sturdy, upright platform view of the lawn ahead. This lets you mow with precision around edging and obstacles and reach those hard-to-reach areas with ease. Unlike some of the Scag V-Ride II's competitors you won't feel those hard jerking motions when turning directions quickly. This is due to the high-quality Dual Hydro-Gear pumps (12 cc) and Parker wheel motors (14.5 ci) deliver dependable power and provides smooth and responsive controls.
Scag V-Ride II: More Trailer Space for More Equipment!
Unlike sit-down riding lawn mowers which have a large footprint and take up a lot of trailer or garage space the Scag V-Ride II has a much smaller and compact footprint. This allows you to save trailer space, letting you fit more mowers or equipment on your trailer. For example the typical riding lawn mower with a 52" deck is around 82" in length, The Scag V-Ride II 52" is 69.5" in length. This is a little over a foot in difference, it might not seem like much but when you consider trailer size this could make the difference of being able to fit two, or three units on a trailer.
5.) Comfort and Accessories
Stand Up Lawn mowers can be strenuous to drive for long periods of time, but the Scag V-Ride II's adjustable operator platform makes it one of the most comfortable rides in the lawn mowing industry. On the back of the Scag V-Ride II, there is a large operator platform with adjustable suspension springs that can be set to make the operator as comfortable as possible. This lets you lean forward on a very large and thick cushion, giving you maximum comfort even while mowing on uneven land.
The Scag V-Ride II allows you to skip raking and moving debris and be more productive with it's optional 2-Bag Spindle driven grass catcher. The Scag V-Ride II is one of the handful of zero-turn stand on mowers which has a bagging system! The grass catcher system provides a 7-bushel capacity giving you more than enough space for clippings and more time spent mowing and less time spent emptying clippings. The heavy-duty steel blower assembly is driven by a belt connected to a pulley on the Velocity Cutter Decks spindles giving wet grass and debris the extra "push" it needs to fly into the fabric bags even under wet conditions.
6.) Warranty and Service
An easy way to identify a low quality zero-turn lawn mower or any product for that matter is the after purchase support. The Scag V-Ride II comes standard with:
2-Year Commercial Machine Warranty
Frame and structural components including oil reservoirs, fittings, oil coolers, electrical switches and clutches, pulleys, hydraulic pumps and wheel motors are covered for two years of commercial use. This warranty covers manufacturing defects for two years, including parts and labor (excludes wear items).
3-Year or 500-Hour Non-Commercial Machine Warranty
Frame and structural components including oil reservoirs, fittings, oil coolers, electrical switches and clutches, pulleys, hydraulic pumps and wheel motors are covered for three years or 500 hours (whichever comes first) of non-commercial use. This warranty covers manufacturing defects for three years or 500 hours (whichever comes first), including parts and labor (excludes wear items).
Every Scag Outdoor Power Equipment dealer is an authorized Sales and Service dealer. This means you have support if something ever goes wrong. Giving you peace of mind even after purchase.
2023 Scag Engine / Deck Configurations
‣ 32" Advantage Cutter Deck, 16 HP Kawasaki® 541FX
‣ 36" Advantage Cutter Deck, 19 HP Kawasaki® 600FX
‣ 61" Velocity Plus™ Cutter Deck, 38.5 HP Kawasaki® FX
‣ 61" Velocity Plus™ Cutter Deck, 40 HP Briggs Vanguard™ BIG BLOCK™ EFI
Are You Ready to Join Scag Nation?
It's important to note that the Scag V-Ride II is one of our overall best selling zero-turn lawn mowers. We have sold the original Scag V-Ride and V-Ride II in multiple configurations and multiple deck sizes throughout the years. We have customers who own 2-3 Scag V-Ride II's in different sizes, because they are productive and quality grass cutting machines. Overall the Scag V-Ride II is the best choice for a zero-turn stand on lawn mower if you are looking to up your productivity.
If you are interested in purchasing a Scag V-Ride II you can check out our in-stock Scag Zero-Turn mower units here Note: As of 2/1/23 we currently have a handful of Scag V-Ride II's in-stock and ready to mow. Spring is coming up so availability could get limited. If you are looking to purchase a NEW scag lawn mower, now is the best time!
The Gilford Hardware and Outdoor Power Equipment blog posts exclusively reflect the views of Gilford Hardware and Outdoor Power Equipment and do not necessarily reflect those of the device manufacturers. Please be aware that product availability, specifications, and suggested uses are subject to change. For the most recent details, always refer to the manufacturer's website and product manual.