Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/49497
GIE+EXPO 2011 RECAP working together to create unique and custom solutions to meet those ever-changing requests." Grasshopper fields team of turf experts Sporting a football theme for its indoor and outdoor booths of "More yards. Less downs." the Grasshopper Company hosted four turf enthusiasts and Grasshopper users led by legendary NFL coach Sam Wyche, who was available for photos, autographs and questions. He was joined by Hollis Malone of Gaylord Oryland Hotel & Convention Center, as well as Mike Stewart Sr. and Mike Stewart Jr. of Stewcare. Wyche, who is perhaps best Sam Wyche known for guiding the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII and 64 victories from 1984 to 1991 and introducing the no-huddle of- fense, has relied on his Grasshopper for more than 11 years to maintain his 28-acre ranch in Pickens, S.C. Malone, who is the manager of horticulture at the Gaylord Opry- land, uses Grasshopper equipment to maintain the grounds at the fa- mous hotel and has won several awards for his green masterpieces. The fa- ther and son duo of Mike Stewart Sr. and Mike Stewart Jr. own Stewcare, a longtime lawn care and snow removal business based in Delaware, Ohio, and have used Grasshopper mowers for more than 33 years. All four men are proud of the performance they count on from their Grasshopper machines despite various mowing conditions they face. "Our mowers can accomplish a wide variety of tasks, whether it's mowing, turf renovation or snow removal in commercial and homeowner applications," said Trent Guyer, marketing coordinator at Grasshopper. "We're excited to have leading experts join us at GIE+EXPO who can share their experiences." Honda introduces three snowblowers Honda Power Equipment introduced the first all-new hybrid snow- blower model for the U.S. market and two additional snowblower series. All new for 2011 is the Honda HS1336i hybrid model, along with the Honda HS1336i hybrid snowblower new Honda HS928 Series (replacing existing HS928 snowblowers), and the Honda HS1332 Series (replacing the existing HS1132 snowblowers). The HS1336i hybrid com- bines a gasoline engine that simultaneously drives the snow- blower auger/fan apparatus (clearing and throwing the snow) and charges the battery, with the electric motors (two in parallel) controlling the track drive forward propulsion. These motors also function as a gener- ator during deceleration of the snowblower, serving to regener- ate electrical energy. Equipped with the Honda iGX390 four- stroke overhead valve (OHV) horizontal-shaft engine, the HS1336i snow- blower operation results in lower fuel consumption, lower emissions, lower noise and reduced vibration as compared to a conventional snow- blower. The hybrid model also boasts excellent control/ease of use, pow- erful operation/snow throwing, reliable operation, and enhanced technology. Powered by a newly designed, high-torque Honda GX270 OHV four-stroke engine, the new HS928 Series is intended for aggressive snow clearing in demanding environments and is available in both wheel- 18 John Deere Z925 EFI OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com driven and dual-track, self-propelled models. Its newly enhanced design enables a 28-inch clearing width with a discharge distance of up to 49 feet. It also offers a choice of manual or electric starting. Honda's solution for increased capability in a walk-behind machine is the new HS1332 Series, which is capable of clearing a 32-inch swath with its new commercial-grade GX390 Honda four-stroke engine. The newly designed track-driven HS1332 can move 65 tons per hour at a dis- charge rate of up to 56 feet. Like the HS928, the HS1332 is available in both easy-starting manual or electric starter-equipped models. Husqvarna unveils several new products As always, Husqvarna came to Louisville with plenty of new products, including two new articulated riding mowers, a collection system for commercial zero-turn mowers, three blowers and three snow throwers. The R220T and R322T Husqvarna R322T AWT AWT articulated riding mow- ers are packed with consumer- friendly features that will make maneuvering around lawn obstacles a breeze. They boast a dynamic 48-inch side- discharge deck with increased number of cutting heights, new engine offerings and improved ergonomics. The R322T comes standard with all-wheel drive. "These articulated mowers were designed with the customer in mind, providing them with ultimate ease-of use when mowing," said Sean Dwyer, Husqvarna Global product manager. "It's like mowing your lawn with a sports car." Husqvarna also introduced a new dump from seat (DFS) collection system for the Husqvarna PZ and Dixon DX200 commercial zero-turn mowers. The 11-bushel collection system includes a 12-gauge-steel hop- per and high-density polyethylene hood to provide long-lasting durability and a convenient spring-assisted release handle accessible from the seated position. A deck-driven blower assist accelerates debris through the tube and into the hopper. Speaking of blowers, Husqvarna debuted three backpack blowers. The Husqvarna 570 and 580 models have air speeds of 236 and 206 mph and air volumes of 770 and 908 cfm, respectively. Like the 580, the RedMax EBZ8500 boasts a 206-mph air speed and 908-cfm air volume. Just in time for winter, Husqvarna unleashed its all-new ST 121E single-stage snowthrower and 1827 EXLT and 1830 EXLT dual-stage track-drive snowthrowers. John Deere introduces EFI zero-turn mower With landscape contractors expressing concerns over rising fuel costs, John Deere unveiled its new ZTrak PRO Z925 with electronic fuel in- jection (EFI), which can provide up to 25-percent fuel savings. The John Deere Z925 EFI offers a closed-loop fuel injection system that constantly monitors engine performance. Fuel injectors respond to the load on the engine with the right amount of fuel, delivering maximum fuel efficiency for the conditions. "With a closed-loop system, the engine actually checks for unused oxygen in the exhaust multiple times per second," said Jamie Palmer, John Deere product