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We tested the BCS model 853 tractor with the rear-mounted 26-inch tiller and brush cutter attachments. It is powered by a 13 horsepower Honda GH390 single-cylinder gas engine. The BCS and its implements differ from the DR in that they are gear-driven, with no belts. This means there is a power takeoff (PTO) shaft between the transmission and the implement. This model came with a quick coupler that allowed us to switch implements in about a minute.

The handles of the BCS are reversible — the back of the machine can become the front of the machine. This allows you to mount a rear tine tiller or, reversing the handle configuration, a variety of mowers, snow blowers and even a chipper/shredder. The handlebars can be rotated to the side at several heights, allowing you to walk alongside and steer with one hand to avoid disturbing tilled soil.

The tiller, for which BCS is known, worked exceedingly well. I tried it on sod and an established garden plot. Two passes on the sod turned it into a fine seed bed. One pass was all that was necessary on the garden plot, and the tiller can work to a depth of 8 inches. The secret of the BCS’ tilling ability is its fast tine speed, approximately twice that of some comparable tillers. Also, the tiller does not leave an untilled center strip, as other makes do. There is an adjustable hiller/furrower that increases the tiller’s usefulness for cultivating.

The brush mower attachment is a flail mower, meaning it has many individual blades that spin vertically from a horizontal axis. These are often considered to be the better choice for rough terrain because the blades are able to pivot, making them less likely to be destroyed by tree stumps, rocks or other immovable objects. The company also sells a sickle bar mower, up to 53 inches in width, which it recommends for use on small saplings (up to 1.5 inches) and on pond dams. Both the brush mower and sickle bar mower pivot on the tractor to conform to uneven terrain.

There’s also an optional 38-inch-wide finish mower that can be outfitted with a grass collector. Combined with a sulky (a two-wheeled, pull-behind seat), you can have the configuration of a riding lawn mower, though of much greater length.

Many more implements are available for the BCS tractor, some made by BCS and some by other manufacturers. Earth Tools, the biggest BCS distributor in the United States, carries more than 30 implements, including chipper/shredders, snow throwers, plastic mulch layers, bedshapers, wood splitters and even minibalers for hay.

The tractor has four forward speeds, but the top speed is designed for use with the optional sulky. I wasn’t aware of that when I first tried it out, and I’m proud to say I can run as fast as the tiller. The tractor also can be reversed for maneuvering, and doing so disengages the implement.

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