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Has anyone tried the new Bison with the seat in the middle of cab?

Yes. We had the new Bison X at our mountain for 5 days a couple weeks ago. The set up takes a little getting use to. Overall the new joystick is great. You can see a lot more from the center. Think it would be a ever better machine if they used the BR350 cab for the machine. But overall Prinoth is once again making something great.

Boo, save the 350....

We had the new bison here for 6 days recently. Almost everyone on the crew spent time in it and everyone really liked it. The universal complaint was seat hight and foot rest. Joe Clark says that they will be able to add 4" to the seat hight by next season and they've added a metal plate to the foot rest. The park rats hated it because they couldn't see the top of the pipe cutter from the elevated position of the seat. Prinoth can, at extra expense, still use the 350 cab like they do now. Also, everyone hated the seat. Caterpiller built the cab, so, of course, they used their cheap cat seats. Anyone who's spent time in one of their excavators knows what I'm talking about.

"One step foward and two steps back" What a disappiontment the new Bison center drive machine was.
Any gain in visibility in the front was lost in the rear. The operator seat would not go back or up enough for me to be comfortable.The blade joystick looked like a #1 wood, I think it will be nice with a little getting used too but I prefer the joystick in the 350 bison and 500 with tiller joy/joy and regular blade functions. The noise from the pumps is so loud it was back to wearing earplugs.
With the sharktooth blade and the rexroth drive they should just add a yoke a rear deck and paint it purple and call it a Bully.
I prefer the 350 with sunstrand drive,terainmaster blade, maybe add the joystick from the 500

Best cat I have ever operated-period. Ran it with original setup, and revised floor and seat. Sure some 350 things are better, but overall its an awesome machine. Goes like hell, climbs well, and just fits well. If you are any good in a 350 it won't take you any time to get used to this cat. Remember when so many people hated the 2000/350 cab after so many years in the 400's??? It's just a change, and for the better I say. No they can't make everything better for everyone, but its a good job and the Prinoth guys are making the effort to listen to and implement realistic changes that were commented on during the demo season.

06flst wrote:"One step foward and two steps back" What a disappiontment the new Bison center drive machine was.
Any gain in visibility in the front was lost in the rear....I prefer the 350 with sunstrand drive,terainmaster blade, maybe add the joystick from the 500

We felt the same way with the exception of the drive; we prefer the Rex Roth.