I am looking at getting a new quad within the next few weeks for trail riding. I was wondering which is better for slow trail riding liquid cooled motors or the oil/air cooled? Will both be durable or is one better?

 

I ask myself that one all the time.Air cool can not be that bad because one guy we ride with has a 83 Yamaha 200E 3 wheeler without even a oil cooler and it must have a million miles on it.

 

Liquid cooling offers the following advantages:
1. Quieter running than comparable sized air cooled motor.
2. More power due to higher compression ratios and closer tolerances allowed on liquid cooled engines.
3. More reliable due to better control of engine temps.
Disadvantages:
1.Slightly more weight
2.more expensive to make liquid cooled engines
3.Probably more preventative maint. (coolant changes) but less major work (overhaul)
4. Radiatior is usually mounted where it can be damaged (especially on Polaris quads)

Overall a liquid cooled engine is superior, but air cooled engines are fine for light duty work or recreational riders.

 

Air cooled is fine for trail riding. For WORK, I wouldn't have anything but liquid cooled, but for general riding, air cooling is fine. The biggest advantage of air cooling is simplicity, no radiator, hoses or water pump to leak.
Disadvantages are mainly they are easier to overheat in extreme environments or under heavy load.

 

This is a debate that could go on and on like which brand is best. It really depends on what you plan to use it for. For slow trail riding as you suggest just about anything made would be fine. For every opinion you get about which is more reliable or which will last longer there will be a another post to the contrary. (Then there is the question of 2 stroke vs, 4 stroke and the versions of liquid and oil/air cooling of each.) I have owned liquid and air cooled and also fan assisted oil cooled models and each has its good and bad points. The intended use of the quad is THE most important factor in choosing a model. One thing I would say is that slow trailriding on a 2 stroke can result in spark plug fouling. 2 Strokes are usually more of a performance application.
Air cooling can be very reliable and durable for most riding and work situations. (EXAMPLE Honda 300) and requires no maintainance other than keeping the fins on the cylinder head clean if they get plugged.
The next step would be fan assisted oil cooling. This will perform well in most any situation, be it work or play and has little maintainance other than washing out the fins on the cooler and cylinder head if necessary.
Liquid cooling also has its place, but has the added maintainance of cleaning the radiator and flushing coolant, but has added performance benefits. I wouldnt worry about which will last longer. With proper maintainance any one of them will be running fine when you are ready to move on to the next model.