Tier B — Petrol garden tiller Two-wheel tractor
BCS 720 Action
BCS 720 Action: the light, compact entry into BCS's reversible two-wheel tractor range, using a self-ventilating dry friction clutch rather than the PowerSafe oil-bath safety clutch. Offered with a Honda GX200 (5.5 hp), Honda GX270 (8.6 hp) or Kohler KD350 diesel (7.5 hp), it runs a 3+2 / 2+2 gearbox and tills up to about 66 cm. At 67-94 kg depending on engine it stays manageable on small plots and in tight gardens, while taking the full BCS implement range. Engines, gearing and 66 cm tilling width verified; price indicative, confirm with the dealer.
Indicative price
£2,000–£3,200
Specifications verified.The specifications here have been checked against the manufacturer's published figures and/or dealer listings. The price is still sourced from dealer quotes — confirm it against a live quote before you buy.
Who it's for
Best for: Allotments, small market gardens and tight plots wanting a real BCS at entry level.
Strengths
- Genuine BCS quality at the entry price point
- Light and compact for small plots and tight gardens
- Petrol or Kohler diesel engine options
- Reversible handlebars and full BCS attachment range
Trade-offs
- Dry friction clutch, not the PowerSafe safety clutch
- No differential on this model
- 66 cm width and friction drive limit heavy continuous work
The Action line, and where the 720 sits
BCS's UK range splits in two. The PowerSafe models — 710, 728, 738, 740, 750, 780HY and 853 — carry the hydraulic oil-bath safety clutch that most people now associate with the brand. The Action line — 720, 730 and 740 Action — uses a self-ventilating dry friction clutch instead, and the saving is where the price comes from. The 720 Action is the entry to that line: 66 cm tilling width, 84 kg in the standard spec (67–94 kg depending on engine) and a £2000–3200 dealer quote. Above it the 730 Action adds power at the same width and the 740 Action goes to 80 cm; below it only the 706 is cheaper.
What you give up against a PowerSafe 710 or 738 is the light lever, the operator-presence stop and the freedom to slip the clutch on a headland. What you keep is everything that makes a BCS a BCS: reversible handlebars, the PTO, the 3+2 / 2+2 gearbox and the full implement range. Our BCS 740 review explains PowerSafe in detail if you are weighing the two.
Which engine to choose
Three engines are offered. The Honda GX200 at 5.5 hp puts the machine at the light end of its weight range and is enough for the 66 cm tiller on an allotment or a small market garden; it is the choice if you will be lifting the machine into a van. The Honda GX270 at 8.6 hp is the sensible default — it runs the tiller without labouring, copes with a sickle bar or a light flail on the front, and Honda GX parts are stocked everywhere.
The Kohler KD350 diesel at 7.5 hp takes the machine to the heavy end of the range and costs more. It earns that on a holding where the machine runs for hours, where diesel is already on site, and where fuel that keeps for a year matters. For weekend use the petrol Hondas are the better buy.
Who should not buy the 720 Action
If your plan is heavy, continuous work — a flail mower every weekend, a rotary plough or a power harrow on clay — the friction clutch and the absence of a differential will both frustrate you, and a PowerSafe 738 or 740 is the right machine even at the higher price. If you want wider implements, the 740 Action's 80 cm makes more sense. And if you only ever till one plot, a Honda FG320 does that job at a fraction of the cost.
The 720 Action is for the allotment holder or small market gardener who wants a real BCS with the PTO and implement range, who will till, mow paths and perhaps plough a little, and who is happy with a conventional clutch in exchange for the entry price. It is also the lightest way into BCS ownership on a tight plot. See rotavator vs plough if ploughing is part of the plan.
Buying: dealer-only, and what to check used
BCS is sold through appointed dealers in the UK, and the £2000–3200 range covers the engine choice. Get a written quote that names the engine and includes the tiller, because implements are priced separately and a bare tractor is not a usable machine. Dealer preparation and a demonstration of the clutch matter more here than on a PowerSafe model, because a dry clutch is the component most affected by how it is driven.
Used, that clutch is the first thing to test: it should bite progressively, not slip under load in top gear or judder on take-up, and a very high biting point means it is near the end of its adjustment. Then check the implement hitch face for chewed edges, run through every forward and reverse gear under load, and inspect the Honda engine for cold-start behaviour and oil condition. As with every BCS, a used machine with a good tiller and a mower is worth far more than the headline price, and one with worn tines is not the bargain it looks.
Specifications
| Category | Two-wheel tractor |
|---|---|
| Type | Rotary hoe · Petrol garden tiller |
| Power source | Petrol |
| Engine | Honda GX270 8.6 hp (Honda GX200 5.5 hp petrol or Kohler KD350 7.5 hp diesel options) |
| Power output | 8.6 hp / 6.3 kW |
| Working width | 66 cm |
| Weight | 84 kg |
| Status | Current model |
| Indicative price | £2,000–£3,200 |
| Price basis | Dealer quote |
Rotary hoe machine. Width and weight determine how much ground you cover and how manoeuvrable it is — heavier machines bite harder but ask more of you to turn and transport.
720 Action — your questions
How much does the BCS 720 Action cost?
The indicative price is £2,000–£3,200, based on dealer quotes. Always confirm against a live quote — these figures are estimates pending verification.
What size plot is the 720 Action suited to?
Allotments, small market gardens and tight plots wanting a real BCS at entry level. With a 66 cm working width it suits established beds and standard allotment plots.
Is the 720 Action petrol, diesel or electric?
It is petrol (Honda GX270 8.6 hp (Honda GX200 5.5 hp petrol or Kohler KD350 7.5 hp diesel options)). That means strong sustained power for breaking and turning ground, with routine fuel and oil maintenance.
BCS 720 Action or BCS 710 — which should I buy?
They are close on paper: the 710 gives 8.4 hp and 60 cm with the PowerSafe clutch at £2500–3500; the 720 Action gives 8.6 hp (with the GX270) and 66 cm with a dry friction clutch at £2000–3200. If you will use the machine hard and often, or want the operator-presence safety of PowerSafe, pay for the 710. If you till and mow a modest plot at weekends, the 720 Action is the better value.
Can the BCS 720 Action run a flail mower?
It accepts the full BCS implement range, so yes in principle, but the friction clutch and the engine choice set the limits. With the GX270 or the Kohler diesel a light flail on paths and margins is realistic; long sessions in heavy growth are where the Action line's friction drive struggles and a PowerSafe model is the better tool. Ask the dealer to match the mower width to the engine.
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