air cooled vs water cooled

[Ray Z]

I've been looking at the Honda dealer for my first UTV. We just moved to Tennessee and have some property that came with the house. My question is this. is it important enough to spend the extra bucks and get the Rubicon with the water cooled engine? Or get a foreman with the air cooled engine? I believe that there is a little difference in the suspension too. Is that important?

[Ray Z]

I guess nobody has an opinion on how to cool the engine on a utv.

[3400ben]

If you do alot of slow putting around go liquid. As far as air cooled alot less parts to break

[Ray Z]

Thanks for the info. I never thought of it that way.

[honda400ex2003]

Originally posted by 3400ben
If you do alot of slow putting around go liquid. As far as air cooled alot less parts to break

x2 almost everything is liquid now. it is all fine and dandy till your radiator gets messed up and it flashes "shut down before melt" like my buddies can am renegade did to him. they can also go into limp mode on some of the new ones which is just as much of a pain as letting it sit to cool off. Im not saying they will all do that but it is a problem that can be faced. a new radiator later and is ready to go again. my next one will be liquid but ill always have the air cooled 400 to play on, just in case. :D steve

[Ray Z]

What I'm reading is that those of you that ride a lot think of the worst case scenario. Or maybe because atv riding causes a lot of things to snafu. Anyway, I think I'll go with the air cooled engine. Thanks for the advise.

[Thumpin440ex]

Aircooled engines have been around forever. They are just about fail safe unless abused to the extreme. I mean look at what a lawn mower engine takes for abuse.. Also a ton of aviation engines are also air cooled. Aslong as you are moving your good to go. I like the idea of the water cooled quads, but again it is just alot of chit that can go wrong if you ride hard, or through thick brush with sticks and logs that can trash a electric fan or radi. Just my 02

John

[finsteratv]

my dad bought a rubicon for our property, hunting and riding trails so far its been great.

[Ray Z]

The rubacon seems to be the top of the line for Honda. But the foreman seems to be the way to go for air cooled. With what I've read here I think I'm going with the foreman. Thanks guys.