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Komatsu Forest · Forwarder

Komatsu Forest 895

20-tonne forwarder positioned strongly for final felling and plantation forestry.

8 published specifications

Positioning

Where this machine sits

The 895 is a 20-tonne-payload forwarder positioned for final felling and plantation extraction — the volume end of cut-to-length rather than the thinning end. A 210 kW engine, 262 kN of tractive force and up to 409 litres per minute of hydraulic flow describe a machine built to carry full loads over distance rather than to work delicately between standing trees.

Extraction is where cut-to-length systems most often become unbalanced, because forwarder cycle time scales with haul distance while harvester production does not. A machine at this payload is the answer to long hauls and high volume, and it is over-specified for short extraction in a thinning stand.

Published figures

Specifications

Indicative published manufacturer and distributor information. Confirm every figure, lift chart and hydraulic requirement with the manufacturer or authorised dealer before purchase.

Payload20,000 kg
Machine weight~21.85-24.83 t depending on configuration
Engine210 kW
Torque1,280 Nm
Tractive force262 kN
Hydraulic flowup to 409 L/min
Crane optionsup to 205 kNm lifting torque
Crane reaches7.5 / 8.5 / 10 m

Interpretation

What the published figures actually constrain

A specification table tells you what the machine is. This is what each of those numbers means for the work you would put it to.

Published figureWhat it means commercially
20,000 kg payloadLoads per shift fall as payload rises for a given volume, which is what shortens cycle time on long hauls. It is the specification that matters most when extraction distance is the constraint.
262 kN tractive forceThe ability to move a full load on grade and soft ground. Tractive force, not power, is usually what determines whether a forwarder can work the coupe at all in wet conditions.
Crane reaches of 7.5, 8.5 and 10 mLonger reach means fewer repositioning moves per load, at the cost of lifting capability at reach. Match it to how far material sits from the extraction track on your sites.
~21.85-24.83 t machine weight by configurationA meaningful weight range depending on how the machine is specified, which affects ground pressure, transport and the soil-damage question in stands that will be worked again.

Design intent

Built for volume extraction over distance

20 tonnes of payload, 262 kN of tractive force and up to 409 L/min of hydraulic flow describe a machine built to carry full loads over distance on grade, not to work delicately between standing trees.

Sustained duty it is built around

  • Long hauls where cycle time is travel-dominated
  • Full loads on grade and soft ground
  • Final felling rather than thinning
  • Sustained daily duty in plantation extraction

Commercial fit

Where this machine earns its cost

Right machine when

  • Clearfell with long roadside distances where payload per trip drives the economics
  • Large stems and efficient loading, so the bunk actually fills
  • Terrain that supports a 20-tonne payload without rutting problems

Wrong machine when

  • Thinning in narrow corridors
  • Soft soils where ground pressure becomes the operational limit
  • Short extraction distances, where loading cycles rather than capacity set the rate

Before you sign

Verify these for this specific model

Beyond the standard buying criteria for the class, these are the questions this machine in particular raises.

  • Bunk area against your log dimensions — load space, not rated tonnes, is often the binding constraint
  • Crane reach and lifting torque at your working radius
  • Machine width against corridor spacing
  • Bogie track compatibility for your soils

Running cost

What drives the cost of owning this machine

Forwarder economics are haul-distance economics. The same machine delivers materially fewer tonnes per shift as extraction distance grows, which is why sizing against the longest haul in the coupe rather than the average is the practical discipline.

Tyres, tracks and bogie equipment are a recurring cost that varies sharply with terrain and ground conditions, and they are also the specification that controls soil damage. In stands with further rotations ahead, compaction is a cost transferred to the estate — and increasingly one returned to the contractor.

Availability matters disproportionately in a two-machine crew. When the forwarder stops, the harvester fills the coupe and then stops too, so extraction downtime costs more than its own hours.

In practice

Ownership considerations in Australian conditions

Specify the crane against your extraction geometry

Reach and lifting capability at reach trade off. Measure how far material actually sits from the track on your dominant sites before selecting, rather than taking the longest option available.

Ground pressure is a contract issue, not a preference

Tyre and track selection determines compaction, and compaction affects growth in stands that will be worked again. Where thinning or a further rotation follows, confirm what the estate requires before specifying.

Match payload to the harvester, not to ambition

A forwarder larger than the harvester can feed spends time waiting. Balance the pair against the coupe's haul distance, which is what sets the ratio.

Questions

Common questions about this machine

How do I size a forwarder against a harvester?

Against the longest extraction distance in the coupe, not the average. Forwarder cycle time scales with haul distance while harvester production does not, so a pairing that is balanced at 200 metres can be extraction-limited at 600. Measure the actual hauls on your sites, and treat the ratio as something that changes with the coupe rather than a fixed rule.

Is 20 tonnes of payload too much for plantation thinning?

Usually, yes. Thinning rewards manoeuvrability, narrow width and low ground pressure, because the residual stand carries the value of the next rotation and damage to it is priced back to the contractor. A 10-15 tonne forwarder is the common answer there. This machine is specified for final felling and volume extraction, which is a different job.

Which crane reach should I specify?

The shortest that reaches material from the extraction track on your dominant sites. Longer reach reduces repositioning moves but costs lifting capability at reach, and on sites where material sits close to the track the longer crane is capability you pay for and rarely use. Measure before choosing.

Same class

Alternatives to compare against

Other forwarders covered in this guide.

In service

Fleet packages that use this class