BCS 779 PS Hydrostatic Two-Wheel Tractor, Honda GX390 Recoil Start

Description

BCS 779 PS Hydrostatic Two-Wheel Tractor, Honda GX390 Recoil

The 779 was the first BCS to combine three things: the PowerSafe wet clutch, reversible handlebars for front and rear attachments, and hydrostatic drive to the wheels. Sold elsewhere as the Model 770, it carries longer handlebars for the North American market. This version pairs that drivetrain with a recoil-started Honda GX390.

Ground Speed Separate From PTO Speed

On a geared tractor, slowing down means changing gear or throttling back, and throttling back slows the attachment too. The 779 drives the wheels hydrostatically and the PTO through gears, so a single EasyGrip lever on the handlebar sets travel speed and direction while the engine stays at full throttle. BCS’s own example is brush mowing: ease the lever back as the mower meets woody growth, which increases cuts per foot of travel, then push it forward again in open weeds without touching the throttle.

Two Speed Ranges and a Wide Track

The hydrostatic unit has low and high ranges, with stepless control inside each. Working front-mounted, low runs from 0 to 3.2 mph and high to 4.7 mph; rear-mounted the figures are 0 to 2.9 and 0 to 4.2 mph. The cooling radiator needs clearance, so the 779 ships with wheel extensions fitted for a 27 inch track. That width is why BCS does not recommend the 26 inch tiller on this model; the 30 inch tiller covers the tire tracks.

Recoil 779 Specifications

• Engine: Honda GX390, recoil start
• Drive: hydrostatic to the wheels, all-gear to the PTO
• Clutch: PowerSafe hydro-mechanical
• Axle: differential, on-demand lock; individual wheel brakes
• Tires: 5x12x22″, 27″ overall track with extensions
• Weight: 305 lbs without attachments
• Parking brake: fitted

Keeping the Hydro Radiator Clear

Brush and flail work fill the air with chaff, and a hydrostatic drive relies on its radiator to shed heat. Brush the fins clear at the end of each mowing day, more often in dry, dusty grass, and never wash them with high-pressure water, which folds the fins over. Coverage includes lifetime residential and five-year commercial transmission terms, five years on the clutch for home use, and three years residential or one year commercial on the tractor; Honda covers the engine.

Hydrostatic or Geared

BCS compares the 779 directly with its best-selling 749, which uses the same engine and clutch with three fixed gears and costs less. The electric-start 779 adds key starting. The 889 StarGate is the newer hydrostatic design with a single speed range, a compact alloy transmission and a narrower 22 inch wheel width.