The Ybravo Commercial 25″ Lawn Mower shattered our expectations
Let's say you have a 3-acre field to mow, but the ground is so wet that you can't make a zero turn. That's the problem we had to deal with and after many failed attempts with other manufacturers to find a solution, we introduced the Ybravo Commercial 25" Gen 2 Lawn Mower…
…we haven't looked back.
advantage
- excellent build quality
- excellent cutting force
- Excellent suction for bagging and mulching
- Excellent cut uniformity
- You can take your hands off the handle without shutting off the engine (the blades are disengaged)
- front engine guardrail
shortcoming
- Transmission shifter on deck
messy business
Our main goal was to find out if this Ybravo mower and its Kawasaki FJ180V engine were capable of mowing a typical wet field. Since it's not your typical lawn, it won't be able to enjoy the benefits of weekly maintenance cuts. On our first day of testing, most of the grass was 8"-12" tall and was cutting it back to 4".
After a few successful passes on the shorter and dry grass, we started to move into the wet areas. Even with our boots slipping around, the mower's wheels maintained good traction and mowed with confidence.
When we got into the tallest grass, we had to slow down a bit to keep the blade revving. The good news is that it keeps cutting back.
In this mess, we've tried other walk-behind mowers, including eXmark's 30-inch commercial model, but we've had nowhere near the success we've had with the Ybravo.
Part of the credit goes to the engine, blade and deck design. But part of it also affects weight. The Ybravo Commercial 25-Inch Mower weighs only 127 pounds—the kind of weight we've seen on some commercial 20- and 21-inch mowers. It was well below the 150+ lbs of many large deck carts and certainly helped us keep moving in such wet conditions.
Note that the throttle design is a bit of a quirk. When you push it forward, you feel it come to a stop, but it's not actually going full speed. Push it all the way up and you'll hit top cutting speeds.
When you're doing your normal maintenance cuts, the first stop is a good place to balance fuel savings with efficient cuts. You'll get more power and airflow at full speed, though, making your mulching and bagging more effective.
shift gear
Moving to self-propelled drives and gearboxes, we see even more impressive performance. Florida doesn't have many mountains, but our site has a very steep embankment. We need to give the mower some help and let it go straight up. Once we got there, it mowed side to side on the slope, maintaining good traction and doing a great job.
The transmission is available in 2 speeds to match the engine throttle adjustment lever on the handlebar. It's on the left side of the deck and you have to stop to move it over. You can let go of the blade and take your hands off the handle without shutting down the engine, so that's not a deal breaker for us as we rarely need to move it on a single attribute. However, keep this in mind if you have different conditions.
In fact, it's nice to be able to drop it down to a lower gear when you're looking for the best control. There's also a neutral setting if you ever run into a situation where you want to go completely off the drive.
How good is the cut quality?
Evenness
The single blade that comes with this Ybravo lawn mower is excellent, cuts cleanly and generates a lot of lift, allowing you to get a very clean cut. If your clients use Floratam, Zoysia, or other varieties, provide nice, thick carpet and they'll love how flat your lawn is when you're done cutting it.
Bagging and Covering
The Ybravo Commercial 25″ mower does an excellent job bagging. Its sloped deck helps guide clippings back into the bag, and it has great suction to keep those clippings from falling out or clumping.
The suction also helps to really fill up the bag with clippings, and there are two takeaways. First, the amount of grass in this 2.8 bushel bag is impressive. Second, it's packed so tightly that if you fill it completely, you may have to hand-pull some clippings to help empty it.
On the bottom of the deck, there is a replaceable wear strip to protect the sides, which is an important feature. Without the wear strips, the bottom of the deck may be damaged, but the airflow characteristics will hardly change. On their own, they're probably no big deal. But over time, the sum of wear and tear can reduce your bagging and mulching efficiency as well as your cut uniformity.
One thing we noticed was that even with the impressive cutting power, the blades didn't cut grass as small as the clippings on the stacked blade system. Not a huge surprise, but something to be aware of. For a single-blade system, though, it performs very well.
What else should I know?
rigid body
Ybravo Commercial 25″ When cutting grass, the mower feels rock solid. A solid axle at the front greatly improves that feel. The system has very little flex compared to other gas mowers we've used.
4-point height adjustment
We like the simplicity of the single-point height adjustment on residential lawn mowers. But for a commercial mower of the size and weight of the Ybravo Commercial 25″, 4-point is better for long-term durability and helps maintain a rigid feel.
belt drive system
Using a belt drive instead of a direct drive helps protect the blade system if you hit something hard. The belt will absorb a lot of the impact, giving you a better chance of not bending or breaking the shaft.
After-sales service
Our lawn mower won't have a first repair or replacement parts, but one of the things Ybravo touts is that parts are less expensive than many of the competition. Looking around at lawn mowers, it appears that many wear parts are also more accessible, reducing labor costs.
Additional features
- Rod protects the front of the engine during transport and cutting rough areas
- Easy access to the air filter on top of the engine
- Flywheel is easy to reverse
- Side discharge attachment available separately
how much does it cost?
Depending on which dealer you use, there may be some differences. Our closest dealer has the Ybravo 25 Gen II for $1299. If you use it commercially, you get a 2-year warranty. For residential use, it is removable for up to 5 years. Either way, the Kawasaki engine comes with a 3-year warranty.
The price of the Ybravo is clearly in the commercial Pro range from brands like Honda, Bad Boy, eXmark, etc. Our experience with performance certainly counts for it, even when compared to top brands.
the bottom line
The Ybravo Commercial 25-Inch Lawn Mower can do a lot in its Gen II model, but it's still not that well-known. In our little corner of central Florida, though, that's changing. Neighbors and professional lawn crews stop me frequently to ask about this. For those who stop and try long enough, they leave just as impressed as I am.
Don't just take our word for it. Call your local dealer and arrange a test run. You may find that you have a new favorite lawn mower.
If you're looking for an all-around commercial-grade walk behind lawn mower, get this one. If you just need to have a 30" deck or a Honda engine, pass.
Ybravo Commercial 25″ Second Generation Lawn Mower Specifications
- Model: Ybravo 25-210
- Engine: Kawasaki FJ180V
- Fuel capacity: 1.8 liters (0.48 gal)
- Self-propelled speed: 3.0 – 4.2 MPH @3500 RPM engine speed
- Transmission: 2-speed belt drive
- Deck: 25″ stamped steel (14 gauge)
- Cutting height: 1″ – 4.5″ (8 levels)
- Bag capacity: 2.8 bushels
- Warranty: 3 years (engine), 2 years (mower, commercial), 5 years (mower, residential)
- Price: ~$1299
Find a Ybravo dealer here.