Just How Fast Are Riding Mowers?

Riding mowers need to be fast enough to save time, but slow enough to cut each grass blade with efficiency. These mowers are often much slower than tractors, but they tend to be quicker than push mowers. There are many ways to make a riding mower go faster, including improving its fuel quality.

Riding mowers are fast enough to go between 5 to 8 miles per hour, though some of them get up to 10 miles per hour. Racing riding mowers can reach 50 MPH. You can make a riding mower go faster by cleaning the oil filter, filling the tires, and cutting at a higher height to reduce the friction.

Throughout this article, we’ll cover the average speed of a riding mower, whether or not they’re faster than most push mowers, and how you can make your riding mower cut the lawn quicker. We’ll also explain why they’re excellent time-savers for cutting the grass.

What Is the Average Speed of a Riding Mower?

The average speed of a riding mower is about 5 miles per hour. Some riding mowers are rated as low as 3.5 miles per hour, while others are designed to go over 8 miles per hour. Fast riding mowers are better for large plots of land, while slower riding mowers are preferred for medium-sized yards.

Century Power Equipment claims most zero-turn mowers are about four miles per hour faster than traditional riding mowers. Furthermore, they offer a better turning radius for optimal grass-cutting precision. Zero-turn mowers are often more expensive than regular riding mowers, but many owners believe they’re well worth the upgrade.

Keep in mind that several factors can slow down your riding mower, including:

• How much weight is on the riding mower
• The oil quality, age, and whether or not it’s topped off
• Mechanical and electrical issues
• Popped or flat tires
• Cutting the grass at the lowest setting
• Riding the mower with a full grass bag
• Towing anything behind the riding mower

Are Riding Mowers Faster Than Push Mowers?

Riding mowers are faster than push mowers because they can move faster than someone can push a traditional lawnmower. You don’t have to break a sweat while driving a riding mower, nor do you have to slow down while going uphill as you would with a push mower. Riding mowers can go two to three times faster than most push mowers.

Their impressive speed is one of the many reasons most lawncare specialists believe riding mowers are worth it. However, riding mowers also offer a higher quality of grass collection, a bigger grass bag, and the ability to attach multiple fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and other items to the back.

Most push mowers are only as fast as you can push them. Some of them include self-propelled motors, but they’re never faster than the average person’s stride since they don’t want to outrun the operator. For that reason, most push mowers don’t go faster than three miles per hour, which is slower than the slowest riding mower.

On the other hand, you can cruise up to 10+ miles per hour on a high-quality riding mower. Some racing mowers are designed to go even faster, though they’re not used to cut grass and maintain lawns. You can modify your riding mower’s governor, tire size, turning radius, and many other components to increase the speed. However, these modifications typically reduce the riding mower’s cutting efficiency.

Does a Riding Mower Save Time?

A riding mower saves time by moving quicker than a push mower and preventing you from exerting yourself and moving slower if you get too tired. Furthermore, riding mowers have much bigger bags than push mowers, so you don’t have to empty the grass clippings as often.

The only situation in which a riding mower doesn’t save time is if you have a small yard. Push mowers save time when mowing a small lawn because you can take sharp corners and stop quickly. Riding mowers cover large plots of land, which is why we suggest getting a riding mower for a half-acre plot.

So, why does a riding mower save time?

• They offer a bigger grass collection bag.
• Riding mowers can disperse lawn treatments and chemicals much faster than manual spray tanks.
• These mowers have bigger decks, which means they can cut more grass per second.
• Driving a lawnmower is usually faster than pushing a lawnmower.
• Riding mowers have larger tires than push mowers, so they cover greater distances.

If you’re unsatisfied with your riding mower’s speed, head to the next section to find a handful of suggestions to increase its pace. You might be surprised by how easy it is to improve your riding mower’s performance.

How to Make a Riding Mower Go Faster

To make a riding mower go faster, follow these steps:

1. Add clean oil and clean the mower’s oil filter. The oil filter should be full to keep the mower moving as quickly and cleanly as possible. Using a dirty or air-filled oil filter can cause misfires, overheating, slow driving, and many other unwanted mechanical issues.
2. Cut the grass at a higher setting to reduce clumps and debris clogs. According to Garden Guides, you should set your mower a bit higher if you want to glide over the lawn. Maintaining a lawn height of 2.5 to 4 inches weekly will prevent your mower from getting caught in the tall grass.
3. Keep the tires at the recommended PSI. Every mower tire should have a suggested PSI range to let you know how full they need to be. If the tires are too full, they will make the ride rough and bumpy. If the tires aren’t full enough, they’ll slow the ride and make it wobbly. Both issues can pop the lawnmower’s tires.
4. Remove the riding mower’s deck. You can use a riding mower without a deck to reduce its weight, letting it move a bit faster. However, some riding mowers have a safety feature that prevents them from operating without the necessary cover guard. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines before removing the deck.