AS 940 SHERPA RIDE-ON MOWER

I live in an area with uneven steep terrain and various types of ground cover including tall bracken, fallen sticks and various weeds and grasses.

Past experience with “Lawn” ride-on mowers has resulted in damaged front steering mechanisms, belt problems and lack of traction on both steep and uneven terrain.

The move to the more expensive 4 Wheel Drive AS940 Sherpa machine has proved to be a great experience right from the initial meeting up with Reg and the friendly team at Valley Pumps & Irrigation Systems in Moe, Victoria. These guys are obviously passionate about the product they are selling and so they should be. The Sherpa bears all the hallmarks of a quality-made machine designed for the rough end of town.

The benefits over traditional ride-on mowers from my perspective are:-

Climbing ability that will handle my hilly terrain. Where the steep slopes covered with loose shale proved too much of a challenge I was able to traverse these areas coming down the slope safely. The big bonus with the Sherpa's climbing ability is best appreciated when the steep slopes are also uneven. Kicking in the diff-lock overcomes most challenges.
Ability to safely stop on steep slopes allows one to back right down to fences or other obstacles and take off forwards without any fear of slipping back or lacking the required traction. The machine also has great traction in reverse for those who may feel more comfortable going down nose-first and backing up.
Higher cutting height that will generally clear my rocky ground and also allow me to traverse the shallow creek that splits the property.
Mulching action of the Sherpa mostly happens under the machine. There's not much vegetation getting thrown out as with traditional mowers as it's all being destructed underneath. This almost eliminates grass being caught up in areas that could prove to be a fire hazard.
The heavy duty blades and general tough construction of the deck mean that I don't need to be so pedantic about clearing sticks and bark from the area before mowing. Traditional ride-ons don't like sticks that manage to get under the belt and either damage it it throw the belt off the pulley. Long ribbon bark lengths from the local “Ribbony Gums” pose no problem and are chopped up.
The comfortable adjustable sprung seat is a bonus and the whole layout of the controls gives one a confident feel of being in full control.
And.. hey.. This is a real fun machine. Wait 'til the neighbors hear the growl of the exhaust and see you coming over the horizon on this baby.

Negatives
There's no stubby holder
Things become a bit dusty for the operator in dry grass as most of the stuff is being chopped up underneath tends to come out as dust. I wear glasses to do this stuff.