A local dealer finally admitted to me that he knw all along that Cub Cadets had lower blade tip speed than the red and greene competition.
He could not sell if he admitted that to the customer.
Now that his franchise is gone, he admits knowing.
(I changed the mower pulley on the last Cub cadet I mowed with, then it mowed like a JD!!)
Anyways, IMHO, the high torque comes from the high rotating mass of long stroke engines.
Shorten the stroke, the rotating mass is reduced, less torque.
Short stroke engines are easier to:
build
maintain
sell, because they seem smoother running.
AND, they have WAY fewer repair claims. The engine is never doing as much work.
Oh, yea, way fewer emissions,,
Kiss the long stroke engines goodbye.