Etesia launch Bahia Joyride

Lucy Nichollsin Machinery & Mechanics

Etesia UK has announced the launch of the Bahia Joyride - a unique ride-on mower controlled by a joystick or via GPS for autonomous operation.

Working in partnership with FeBroLift GmbH, the Bahia Joyride is operated exclusively by a joystick: some of its features, such as automatic emptying of the grass box (optional) or start/stop of the machine and cutting deck controls are all controlled from the central joystick control unit.

The joystick control can be installed on the right or left hand side of the machine ensuring that the ride-on mower can be used by people with reduced mobility and also by experienced professionals.

Les Malin, operations director of Etesia UK explains: "We started from a standard Bahia with a Briggs & Stratton, Kawasaki or Honda engine on which we installed a joystick control as well as a servo motor for the steering and another servomotor for the forward drive, which enables users to control the machine with a simple joystick with all the controls within easy reach: blade clutch, initialisation to start and authorisation of mowing in reverse."

The functions are simple:

  • A steering control to go left or right;
  • A steering control to go forward or backward;
  • Starting the blades is located at the front of the joystick with a short press to turn on or off;
  • An initialization button to calibrate the joystick when the machine is started;
  • Mowing permission in reverse, to force the blades into operation when moving backwards with the machine.

The Etesia Joyride retains all of the features of a standard Bahia model. The compact design is ideal for multi-tasking and easily adapts to every terrain, every grass cutting situation and every task. The pocket-size cut and collect mower, at just 0.82m wide and 1.98 m long, features an incredibly tight turning circle and is able to nip into every nook and cranny as well as being able to be easily transported in the back of a van or on the back of a trailer.

All engine variants of the Etesia Bahia are available for the modular specification.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk