Machinery profile: The Kubota RTV

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Reported as the first vehicles on site and the last to leave any project, a fleet of RTVs from Kubota have been described as pivotal in the delivery of works by one of the UK’s largest specialist contractors. MJ Abbott purchased their very first Kubota RTV back in 2006, and now have a total of 29 units supporting operations around the country – with some of their older models clocking up more than 15 years and over 4000 hours of reliable service!

MJ Abbott is renowned for delivering unrivalled expertise in all areas of sports turf contracting – from golf course reconstructions and irrigation installations to natural, hybrid and artificial pitch constructions and renovations. Over its near-on 60 years of trading, it’s not just the team and list of services that have grown but their machinery fleet has also expanded at a similar rate to keep pace with the requirements of its long and varied list of clients.

“Our requirements are unique and very different to that of most of our customers” explains Technical Director Adrian Abbott. “Any equipment we purchase has to deliver on a very demanding schedule, cope with challenging ground conditions and give us the ongoing reliability we need to complete works on time. That’s why, when we find something that ticks these boxes we will be very loyal to the brand and that’s exactly what we have with our RTV’s from Kubota.”

Among the 29 units are four RTV 900’s, nine X900’s and thirteen X1110’s – three of which were delivered in February 2023 by local dealer and long-term support partner E G Coles. “The majority of our fleet are running on turf tyres and are equipped to utility spec, with lights, which suits the variety of landscapes we work on. They’ll be the very first thing loaded onto the truck and delivered to site, where they then become the go-to method of transporting both the workforce and the equipment around.”

“As well as them being heavy duty, another big thing we like about the Kubota is the hydrostatic transmission. Compared to other methods, this makes for a smoother drive and is a much more robust mechanism when operating over uneven terrain. In addition, they also have power steering and full hydraulic tip, instead of an electric actuator, which we make full use of.”

With a fleet of that size, comes the necessity to service them effectively which Adrian says is successfully managed in-house with the support of E G Coles and Kubota when required. “When we’ve needed parts or advice, we have always had the support we need both locally and on a national level from the comprehensive Kubota network when we’re out on jobs around the country.”

“It’s testament to the quality of Kubota that we continue to get fantastic performance from RTV’s we purchased over 15 years ago. You can guarantee it will have spent half of its working life axle deep in mud and yet, will still give us everything we ask of it which is why we continue to choose Kubota now and moving forwards” he concludes.