Head to head
Bobcat T650 against Bobcat S76-2
The Bobcat S76-2 saves $564; only the Bobcat T650 runs tracks, so their advertised capacities are not measured the same way; the Bobcat S76-2 moves 0.3 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit; only the Bobcat T650 runs rubber tracks.
These two are rated differently on purpose. A wheeled skid steer is rated at half its tipping load and a track loader at 35 per cent, because the track machine holds back more reserve. So the capacity rows below are not a like-for-like contest, and the tipping load row is the closer thing to one.
| Spec | Bobcat T650 | Bobcat S76-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $74,564 | $74,000 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 2,500 lbs | 2,900 lbs |
| Rated at | 35% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 7,143 lbs | 5,800 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 2,500 lbs | 2,900 lbs |
| Engine power | 74 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | Bobcat (Doosan) D34 | Bobcat (Doosan) D24 |
| Auxiliary flow | 23 GPM | 23.3 GPM |
| Lift height | 124 in | 128.3 in |
| Operating weight | 8,980 lbs | 8,014 lbs |
| Lift path | Vertical Lift | Vertical Lift |
| Rubber tracks | Yes | No |
| High flow available | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | Yes | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Bobcat T650
- Over a decade of production means every quirk is documented, every mechanic knows it, and owners call it one of the most proven CTL platforms ever built - there are no surprises left in a T650.
- Bobcat's 74 hp Tier 4 engine skips the DPF entirely, so owners never deal with regen cycles or clogged filters that sideline competitor machines mid-job.
- The vertical lift path and 124-inch hinge pin height load tri-axle dump trucks and stack pallets high with ease, which is exactly why grading and material-handling crews standardized on it.
- As a Classic-line machine it undercuts the newer T66 on price by thousands while offering more rated capacity (2,570 vs 2,450 lbs), a trade plenty of buyers happily make.
- The used market is enormous - rental fleets turned over thousands of T650s, so parts, tracks, and complete machines are cheap and everywhere, and resale liquidity is excellent.
- The optional 30.5 GPM high-flow package runs mulchers, cold planers, and stump grinders, giving it attachment range well beyond its frame size.
- The swing-open tailgate and transversely-mounted engine give easy access to filters and daily checks, and forum mechanics consistently rank it among the easiest CTLs to service.
- The M-Series cab is louder and rides rougher than the newer R-Series T66/T76, and operators who demo both say the refinement gap is obvious on long days.
- The undercarriage is solid-mounted as standard and the ride across rough ground is punishing at travel speed; roller suspension and ride control are options, so a machine that will cover distance needs them specified up front.
- Standard 23 GPM auxiliary flow is only adequate - flow-hungry attachments really need the high-flow option, which adds meaningful cost.
- Bobcat parts and dealer labor pricing run notoriously high, and owners grumble that filters, tracks, and fittings cost far more than aftermarket equivalents.
- As a Classic (outgoing) model it lacks modern touches like the clear-side cab, improved pressurization, and touch display of current-generation machines.
- At 9,113 lbs plus a trailer and attachments you're past what a half-ton truck should tow, so budget for a three-quarter-ton or bigger to move it legally.
Bobcat S76-2
- The 128.3-inch hinge pin height and vertical lift path remain the platform's calling card - operators consistently say it clears the sides of full-size dump trucks that shorter mid-frames struggle with.
- The strong 23.3 GPM standard auxiliary flow runs many attachments that force competitors into high-flow packages, and the optional 30.3 GPM high flow handles planers and blowers with headroom to spare.
- The DEF-free 74 hp D24 turbo-diesel carries over unchanged, so there's no exhaust fluid to manage and parts commonality with the massive R-Series fleet keeps service familiar.
- The new 8-inch glove-friendly touchscreen with 20 operator profiles, split-screen camera views, and Machine IQ telematics modernizes the cab to match Cat's next-generation loaders.
- Four drive modes with precision drive software let operators soften the machine for pallet work or sharpen it for aggressive digging, a flexibility the one-personality S76 never had.
- Starting price near $75k - and well past $80k with high flow and Sense options - puts it uncomfortably close to compact track loader money, and plenty of buyers at that price just move to tracks.
- First-model-year electronics are unproven; early adopters are effectively field-testing the new electrical architecture, touchscreen software, and sensor suite.
- Power is unchanged at 74 hp for emissions reasons, so despite the big frame, high-production mulching and cold planing still favor the 100+ hp S86 class.
- The electronics-dense platform increasingly requires dealer diagnostic tools, eroding the wrench-it-yourself appeal that long-time Bobcat owners value.
- At 8,615 lbs it needs a properly rated trailer and tow rig, and the large frame gives up the tight-site maneuverability that draws buyers to the S66 frame.
- Resale for the brand-new -2 generation is unproven, and clean used R-Series S76 machines on dealer lots undercut it by five figures.
- Wheeled machines this heavy rut soft ground badly, and owners doing turf or wet-site work admit they end up renting tracks anyway - the T76-2 costs more but does more.