John Deere Ride on Mower History: 1960's
John Deere Ride on Mower History: 1960's
For more than 50 years, John Deere has been manufacturing ride on mowers for home and property owners, supplying equipment suitable for any size of lawn. Over the years the company has introduced hundreds of models, each built with customer needs and concerns in mind, playing a significant role in keeping lawns and gardens in peak condition.
Picture 1 shows a 110 mower working in front of the John Deere world headquarters in Moline in the 1960’s
Over the coming weeks we are going to provide a series of posts that go back in time and take a decade-by-decade look at John Deere ride on mower history. In our first post, we’ll examine Deere’s 1960s lawn tractor roots, a foundation that has led to today’s innovation.
Laying the Foundation
John Deere broke into the lawn tractor market in 1963, with the introduction of the model 110, in Horicon, Wisconsin. The four-stroke petrol engine produced 7hp and capitalised on the growth of lawn mowing, which was becoming a popular leisure activity at the time. The John Deere 110 incorporated many of the same features and wide range of implements that Deere’s bigger farming tractors offered. Thanks to its ergonomic design and features that were ahead of its time (such as Variable Speed Drive), the 110 became a big seller.
Meeting customer needs: Following a few successful years led by the John Deere 110 mower, the John Deere 60 was introduced, designed for customers who had less land (and need) for the larger 110. The 60 was designed specifically for lawn work and not heavy workloads like the 110.
Building on success: Following the astounding success of the 110, Deere introduced their 112 model, which carried the same styling as the 110, but with a larger engine and wider deck. The 112 was designed for those that needed a mower for slightly larger jobs than the 110 was capable of. Following this trend, Deere also introduced the John Deere 140, which was known for having a lot of power for such a small machine. With a 14 hp Kohler engine and hydrostatic transmission, the 140 was capable of accomplishing all kinds of mowing and yard work.
Next time you climb aboard your John Deere mower or drive past one in action, don’t forget to think about the foundation it was built upon in the 1960s. Be sure to look out for our next post in the John Deere riding mower history series as we will take a look at innovation introduced by Deere in the 1970s!
Picture 2 shows a refurbished version which sits in the reception of John Deere’s UK Headquarters in Langar, Nottingham.
**Click on the link for more information about John Deere's latest range of ride-on mowers
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