I bought the 560 Victa 2 stroke self drive on the recommendation of my local mower guy who liked the previous 550 model. I wanted a powerful utility as I have over an acre to mow. At first I was shocked at its poor performance on thick grass but once I removed the mulcher and cut down the plastic spent grass exhaust chute it went very well, but I still always wanted a little more power in the thick grass-I don't care about the catcher, I just need long grass mowed! Thinking of slicing even more off the chute because it gets in the way. Have had...Read more

I bought this to replace my Victa Professional 560 two-stroke which has given many years of faithful service; I have about 300 sq m of lawn and wanted a 22"mower that would throw & mulch, be reliable and easy to maintain. The Mulchmaster comes without a rear catcher so will only mulch or side throw. It has a Briggs & Stratton "Vanguard" commercial 4-stroke motor (2-stroke B&S and Honda 4-stroke area available too), aluminium deck, swing-back blades and has variable speed. Everything is robust and well made.
The mower started easily and bounded...Read more

Recently purchased the Victa Mulchmaster SP560 which I think now replaces the SP550. This machine has a 22'' [560mm] self propelled cutting base powered by a 190 cc Briggs and Stratton 8.25 I/C engine. The engine has a cast iron sleeved bore and comes with an external oil filter so hopefully engine issues should be few and far between. Researched this mower extensively before purchase and many mowing contractors now rate these new Briggs motors equal to, or better than the equivalent GVX commercial Honda engines.
These are large and heavy ma...Read more

I used an older SP550 for a number of years and found it to be quire robust. Have been using this model for about six years and is less robust. The engine vibrated and cracked after a couple of years and was an expensive rebuild. Bits are constantly falling off or failing and the drive belt seems to wear and break a bit too often. While some of this can be put down to regular maintenance and wear and tear. the back up service is woeful. It has taken a month or more for spare parts to arrive from Victa. The long periods of sitting in the worksho...Read more

I have had the 550 for around 10 yrs and it has worked hard - the motor is indestructible. The self propelled drive however leaves a lot to be desired. After about 5 yrs it began to slip as the drive wheels have plastic cogs that wear away. To replace one back wheel is nearly $100. I did this and soon the other wheel started slipping. Then the main shaft snapped. To replace the whole gear box and wheel assembly was a big cost and I decided to cut my losses and buy a new mower. I now have a self propelled direct drive Honda but like everything i...Read more

I hear the new 550's aren't quite as good as the old models but I give mine full marks and a bit more. I love the squeeze handle, easy start, low care but most of all it will go just about anywhere!
I have been using an older Victa 550 now for 18 years. Somewhat battered around the gills but wow, what a remarkable mower! As per other readers, one big advantage is the ability to mow across extreme slopes with no fear of oil starvation and up slopes is a breeze! I am looking out for parts, especially a new deck. Just a hint for longevity of blade...Read more