Bobcat S650 Skid Steer

Introduction

The Bobcat S650 is a vertical-lift skid steer that has spent years as one of the most common machines in its size class across the Canadian prairies — and for good reason. It sits in the practical sweet spot for mixed farm, acreage, and light construction work: enough lift to load a high-sided grain truck or stack pallets, enough hydraulic flow to run a serious snow blower through a Saskatchewan winter, and a frame light enough to move on a standard tandem trailer without a CDL upgrade.

On Aglist, the advantage is being able to put the S650 side by side with the machines you are actually cross-shopping — the John Deere G-Series and the Kubota SSV line — and read real owner and operator feedback before you commit. Specs tell you what the machine can lift on paper. Reviews tell you how it holds up loading trucks in March mud, how the cab feels at hour eight, and how the hydraulics behave when you push a snow pusher into a hard windrow.

One thing to flag up front, because it trips up almost every buyer comparing this class: the S650’s headline rated operating capacity of 2,690 lb is measured at the 50% tipping-load standard, the same basis Kubota uses for the SSV line. John Deere rates its skid steers at the more conservative 35% standard. That means a naive number-against-number comparison will make the S650 look stronger than a Deere of genuinely similar capability. We unpack that properly below — it is the single most important thing to understand before you compare this machine to anything.

Configurations & Pricing Context

The S650 is now sold under Bobcat’s Classic designation. At ConExpo 2026, Bobcat retired the M-Series and R-Series naming and split its loader line into Classic and Pro tiers; the S650 kept its model number and carries forward as the Classic mid-frame vertical-lift skid steer. Classic machines are positioned for operators who value proven controls, durability, and competitive pricing over the most advanced cab technology.

For Canadian buyers, the S650 typically ships in an enclosed-cab configuration with heat — the right specification for prairie winter work — though open-ROPS versions exist on the used market. High-flow auxiliary hydraulics are an option worth specifying if you plan to run a snow blower, mulcher, or cold planer.

Pricing varies by configuration, attachments, and dealer, and the used market spans a wide range depending on hours and condition. Because Dmytro has direct knowledge of Saskatchewan dealer and used pricing, we defer to local market figures over manufacturer-advertised numbers, which often do not reflect what machines actually transact for on the prairies.

Key Specifications

Specification	Bobcat S650
Lift path	Vertical
Rated operating capacity (50% tipping)	2,690 lb (1,220 kg)
Rated operating capacity (35% tipping)	1,883 lb (854 kg)
Tipping load	5,380 lb (2,440 kg)
Engine make/model	Kubota V3307-DI-TE3, turbo diesel
Gross horsepower	74 hp (54.6 kW)
Emissions	Tier 4 (no DPF)
Auxiliary flow (standard)	23 gpm (87 L/min)
Auxiliary flow (high-flow option)	30 gpm (115 L/min)
System pressure	3,500 psi
Operating weight	~8,060 lb (3,660 kg)
Travel speed (single-speed)	7.1 mph (11.4 km/h)
Travel speed (two-speed option)	~12.3 mph (19.8 km/h)
Fuel capacity	~24 gal (90 L)
Width	72.1 in (1.83 m)
Turning radius (incl. bucket)	82.9 in
Reach at max lift & dump	31.5 in

Specifications are verified against Bobcat specification data and independent spec databases. Always confirm the exact figures for a specific machine, year, and option package with your dealer, as configurations vary.

Understanding the ROC Standard (Read This Before You Compare)

This is the part that matters most, so it gets its own section.

Rated operating capacity is the load a skid steer is rated to handle safely, and it is calculated as a fixed percentage of the machine’s tipping load. The catch is that manufacturers do not all use the same percentage:

• Bobcat and Kubota rate at 50% of tipping load.
• John Deere rates at 35% of tipping load.

The S650 has a 5,380 lb tipping load. At 50%, that produces the 2,690 lb headline number Bobcat advertises. At 35% — the Deere basis — the same machine rates at 1,883 lb.

Neither number is wrong. They describe the same physical machine. But if you line up the S650’s 2,690 lb against a John Deere’s published figure without converting to a common standard, you will systematically overstate the Bobcat. To compare fairly, pick one basis. On the 35% basis, the S650’s 1,883 lb places it squarely in the same working class as the John Deere 318G and the Kubota SSV75 — not a full size larger, as the raw 2,690 figure might suggest.

This is exactly the kind of honest framing that separates a useful spec page from a brochure. When you see two machines whose capacities look far apart, check the tipping-load standard before you conclude anything.

Build & Engineering Detail

The S650 runs a Kubota V3307 turbocharged diesel, a 3.3-litre four-cylinder engine that meets Tier 4 emissions without a diesel particulate filter. For owners, the no-DPF approach is a meaningful uptime advantage: there is no regeneration cycle to wait through and no long-term DPF maintenance cost, which matters on a machine that may sit idle between seasonal pushes and then work hard.

The vertical-lift boom is the right geometry for this machine’s primary jobs. Vertical lift keeps the load closer to the machine through the lift path and delivers more reach and height at the top of the cycle, which is what you want when loading over the side of a high grain truck or stacking on a trailer. The trade-off versus a radial-lift machine is slightly less reach at mid-height, but for truck-loading and pallet work the vertical path wins.

On the hydraulics, standard flow is 23 gpm at 3,500 psi, with an optional high-flow circuit pushing 30 gpm. The standard circuit handles the everyday attachment list — augers, grapples, levellers, snow buckets — comfortably. The high-flow option is what you specify if a snow blower, mulcher, or cold planer is in your future; an undersized circuit will spin a blower auger too slowly and throw snow short.

Bobcat’s chaincase design welds the axle tubes to the chaincase, which eliminates the periodic drive-chain tensioning adjustments some competing machines require. It is a small thing on a spec sheet but a real one in a shop: less scheduled fiddling, more time on the job.

Best Applications

The S650 is a strong fit for:

• Mixed grain and livestock operations — loading trucks, moving gravel and feed, cleaning pens, handling round bales with a grapple or forks.
• Acreage and rural property owners who need one machine for material handling, light grading, and seasonal chores.
• Winter snow work — with the high-flow option and an appropriately sized blower or pusher, the S650 is a capable snow machine, which is a major consideration for prairie buyers.
• Light construction and landscaping — site prep, backfilling, pallet handling, and running the broad Bobcat attachment catalogue.

It is less ideal if your primary need is the heaviest pallet lifting or running a full-size forestry mulcher all day — for that you would step up to a larger-frame machine in the 92–110 hp class. And if you work primarily on soft, wet, or finished ground, a compact track loader like the Bobcat T650 or Kubota SVL75-3 spreads weight better and may be the smarter choice.

How the S650 Fits the Bobcat Lineup

Within Bobcat’s current Classic skid-steer range, the S650 sits in the upper-middle of the line. Below it are the smaller S450 and S590; above it sits the larger, higher-capacity S770. The S650 represents the point where a Bobcat skid steer becomes genuinely capable of full-time farm and construction duty while staying trailerable behind a three-quarter-ton truck.

Bobcat also offers a parallel compact track loader line. The T650 is the tracked counterpart to the S650 — similar power and capacity, but on rubber tracks for flotation on soft ground. If your work mixes hard yard surfaces with muddy field conditions, the wheeled-versus-tracked decision matters more than the model number, and it is worth reading both before deciding.

Bobcat S650 Reviews & Ratings

The S650 has a long service history, which means there is a deep pool of owner and operator experience to draw on — exactly the kind of real-world feedback that a spec sheet cannot capture.

On Aglist, open the Reviews & Ratings section on this page to see how the S650 performs in the jobs that matter: real-world stability carrying pallets and loading trucks, cab comfort and visibility over long shifts, hydraulic behaviour running snow and auger attachments, and ownership notes on maintenance access and uptime. If you own or have run an S650, your review helps the next prairie buyer make a better decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rated operating capacity of the Bobcat S650? The S650 is rated at 2,690 lb at the 50% tipping-load standard, which is the figure Bobcat advertises. At the more conservative 35% standard that John Deere uses, the same machine rates at 1,883 lb. The tipping load is 5,380 lb. Always confirm which standard you are comparing against.

What engine does the Bobcat S650 use? A Kubota V3307-DI-TE3 turbocharged diesel — a 3.3-litre four-cylinder producing about 74 gross horsepower. It meets Tier 4 emissions without a diesel particulate filter.

Is the S650 a vertical-lift or radial-lift skid steer? Vertical lift. The boom keeps the load closer to the machine and delivers more reach and height at the top of the lift path, which is ideal for loading high-sided trucks and stacking on trailers.

Does the Bobcat S650 have high-flow hydraulics? Standard auxiliary flow is 23 gpm at 3,500 psi. A high-flow option raises this to 30 gpm, which you should specify if you plan to run a snow blower, forestry mulcher, or cold planer.

How much does the Bobcat S650 weigh? Operating weight is approximately 8,060 lb. With attachments and fuel it sits comfortably on a standard tandem trailer behind a three-quarter-ton truck.

How does the S650 compare to a John Deere skid steer? Once you put both on the same tipping-load standard, the S650’s 1,883 lb (at 35%) places it in the same working class as the John Deere 318G, not a larger Deere. Comparing the raw 2,690 lb figure against a Deere number overstates the Bobcat because the two brands rate capacity differently.

How does the Bobcat S650 compare to the Kubota SSV75? Both rate capacity at the 50% standard, so their headline numbers are directly comparable: the S650 at 2,690 lb sits just above the Kubota SSV75. Both are vertical-lift machines in the same size class, and the choice often comes down to dealer support, cab preference, and price. See the SSV75 page for its full spec sheet and owner reviews.

Is the Bobcat S650 good for snow removal? Yes, with the right setup. Specify the high-flow hydraulic option and match a blower or pusher to the machine’s actual gpm rather than to a width number. It is a capable and common prairie snow machine.

What’s the difference between the S650 Classic and the new Bobcat Pro models? At ConExpo 2026, Bobcat split its line into Classic and Pro. The S650 is a Classic machine — proven controls and durability at competitive pricing. The new Pro skid steers (S64-2 through S86-2) add advanced cab technology, drive modes, and an optional in-cab voice-command system. Full Pro specifications are still being released.

Should I buy a wheeled S650 or a tracked T650? It depends on your ground. The wheeled S650 is cheaper to run and faster on hard surfaces. The tracked T650 floats better on soft, wet, or finished ground but costs more in running gear. If you work mostly on yard and gravel, the S650 makes sense; if you spend serious time in mud or on lawns, look hard at the T650.

Related Models

• Kubota SSV75 — vertical-lift skid steer rated on the same 50% standard; the closest direct cross-shop to the S650.
• Kubota SSV65 — one size down, for lighter-duty pallet and material handling.
• John Deere 314G — small-frame Deere skid steer; useful for understanding the radial-lift alternative and the Deere 35% rating basis.