What does CC Mean in Motorcycles? (Engine Size Explained)

If you know your way around a car, you may be used to hearing engine sizes in liters. But if you’re a beginner rider, you may not realize that motorcycles are typically measured in cc, or “cubic centimeters”. Confusing? It might be.

Technical jargon specific to motorcycles can be confusing at the beginning of your riding journey, but understanding what cc means and how it affects performance, power, and overall riding experience will help get you on the right bike for you, resulting in a more enjoyable riding experience.

Read on to learn more about what cc is, the typical ranges of cc, and how it affects performance.

What Does CC Mean in Motorcycles?

The term cc is an abbreviation for “cubic centimeters,” which is quite literally the volume of the engine. And if you’re thinking, okay, so it’s just the amount of space the engine takes up under my seat, you’d only be half right.

The short answer is, engine size in cc refers to the amount of volume that is displaced by the pistons.

The complete calculation is pretty simple:

The bore of the piston x stroke x number of pistons = total cubic centimeters

The volume of the piston is the combination of the “bore” and “stroke”. The bore is the two-dimensional area of the hole that the piston is in, and the stroke is the depth it travels. Different engines will have different numbers of pistons, so multiply accordingly to get your total engine displacement.

So Bigger Is Better Right?

Well, not necessarily. Since the engine displacement is a function of volume, you could have a large piston head with a short stroke and a small piston head with a large stroke that has the same displacement.

But they wouldn’t be the same.

The development of power would vary drastically. We can see this when it comes to bikes with very similar displacement, but very different redlines and power outputs (think a 650cc v-twin versus a 600cc inline four supersport).

You also have to keep in mind, that the number as advertised isn’t necessarily completely precise either.

Motorcycle Engine Size Marketing

We recently added one of the newest generation Ducati Monsters to the stable. That bike is advertised as a Monster 950, but if you take a look at the spec sheet, you’ll find that the ACTUAL engine size is 937cc.

This is quite common throughout the motorcycle industry. For example, a Suzuki SV650 actually has a 645cc engine. At the end of the day, your owner’s manual will have the exact displacement listed in the specifications.

Metric Versus Imperial

Engine size is engine size regardless of how you measure it. But when it comes to how various makes and models are labeled and advertised, this differs a bit.

Harley Davidson bikes nearly always have the cubic capacity listed in cubic inches (ci) rather than cubic centimeters (cc). You’ll see this illustrated on bikes with the Milwaukee Eight engine, which comes in 107ci, 114ci, and 117ci sizes.

That said, there are some bikes advertised in cc, like the Iron 883 and Iron 1200. Those are cc numbers.

Most Japanese manufacturers have their engine displacement tied directly into the name. For example, there’s the Kawasaki DR650 (a roughly 650cc engine), the Yamaha R7 (a roughly 700cc engine), or the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 (a roughly 1,000cc, or “liter” engine).

That said, it’s not always the case, with bikes like the Suzuki C50 having a roughly 50 cubic inch displacement (or around 800cc).

Generally speaking, if you’re looking at a significantly visually smaller number, you’re likely looking at cubic inches, and a higher number likely means cc. And if it’s a big beefy bike with a low number below 125, well, you can be sure of it – that’s cubic inches.

What Are Some Typical Engine Capacity Sizes?

While a better way to classify engines would probably be the number of cylinders and their orientation, there are some generally accepted ranges for motorcycle engine displacement, listed below.

While it’s not a definite rule that more displacement and more cc means more power, the power output can certainly be increased with a higher engine capacity. A higher cc would certainly yield more power, but acceleration and speed certainly depend on other factors.

Here are some typical cc ranges:

• 50-150cc: In this category, you’re looking at either a scooter or physically smaller bikes like a Kawasaki Z125 or Honda Grom. The low seat and light weight can make them great to learn on, but they significantly lack in the horsepower department. Great gas mileage, though.
• 250-500cc: In our opinion, this is the perfect learner range. We’d err more on the side of a 500, like the Honda CMX500 Rebel, which offers a torquey snappy engine with plenty of horsepower to get you up to freeway speeds, but not enough to get in trouble beyond that.
• 600-800cc: The classes change here depending on the type of bike. This is the low end of cruiser territory, and often what feels like not enough power. In the upright sport bike and ADV world, this is the happy medium between a liter bike and a lightweight dirt bike. This class could also be a great place to start for your first bike, and allow you some growing room.
• 1000cc: In the sport bike world, first gear on a liter bike will get you up to nearly 60mph. They’re fast, and not for beginners. ADV’s start to get heavier here, and perhaps more for the road than the dirt at this point given that it’s harder to pick up after a drop. Heavy touring bikes start to feel a little more powerful here.
• 1200cc+: Anything above 12-1300cc is either a giant tourer, a road-focused ADV, or a hypersport. Think a Honda Goldwing or a Harley Road Glide for the tourer, a BMW GS1250 or the KTM 1290 Super Duke in the ADV world, and the Suzuki Hayabusa or the Kawasaki H2 in the hyersport realm.
• Some of the biggest tourers out there have engines above 1800cc, which is over 1.8L. For perspective, that’s more than you might find in a typical Honda Civic.

How Many cCs Is Enough for a Motorcycle?

There isn’t really one singular answer to this question: It really depends on what you’re going to use your bike for, as your particular mission might not warrant anything with a larger engine.

The only real limitation here is at the very low end of the cc spectrum, you’re looking at either a scooter or a bike that won’t have enough juice to make it up to maintainable highway speeds. Now with a stiff breeze and a long downhill, maybe, but… that’s not something we can rely on.

If you’re looking to do long-distance touring, you’re going to want models with more torque that will make long-distance riding comfortable. These bikes generally have a higher cc engine with low redlines. They’re designed for the long haul, and carry a lot of weight, both passengers and cargo, so they need a higher power output, but specifically at the low end.

A bike with a smaller engine can be quick and nimble in urban settings, great for commuting. They often offer lower insurance premiums, better fuel efficiency, and great overall performance. You don’t need more space than enough for a day pack or a spot for a tail bag, because you’re never going that far.

At the far opposite end of the touring models, a supersport race bike is purpose-built, with higher cc engines designed to have top-end power bands, with regular full throttle inputs being the norm. Their larger engines have super high redlines and are designed for the maximum speed output, regardless of their cc.

Keep in mind that various-size engines also come with very different costs and very different insurance premiums. For an everyday ride, most bikes in the 600-750cc range will fit the bill, at a reasonable cost (both purchase and insurance), and with plenty of horsepower.

What Is The Right Size Engine for a Beginner Rider?

If you’re looking for your first motorcycle, specifically a new motorcycle, there are a lot of options out there for you. We’d recommend something with smaller engine capacities in the 250-500cc range, for two reasons:

First, it makes for a much lighter bike, meaning it’s easier to handle, and easier to pick up if (read: when) you drop it. Second, you won’t be at risk of things like whiskey throttle or accidental wheelies; you’ll be able to crank away on the throttle and not out-ride your current skills.

Now, would we go with the smallest possible bike out there? No. But keep in mind you can always upgrade to something with a bigger engine later down the road, and you will also have better fuel efficiency with a smaller displacement bike.

In some other parts of the world, new riders are limited are limited to lower cc bikes for a certain period before they’re allowed to purchase something larger. But here in the US of A, that isn’t the case.

Engine Size: A Simple Number With Many Factors

The saying goes “There’s no replacement for displacement.” But just because the number is higher, doesn’t instantly mean faster or more powerful.

Same Engine Size, Different Performance

A larger cc engine doesn’t necessarily mean better. And some engine sizes are quite similar, but act quite differently. A 650cc bike usually comes with a throaty v-twin engine, offering lots of torque down low, quick and nimble around town, and perfect for some hooligan wheelies.

But a 600cc supersport comes ready to tear up the track, flirting with a 16,000RPM redline and a powerband that sits at the higher end of that range. Less cc, technically, but undoubtedly a faster motorcycle (under the right ideal conditions, i.e. a track).

Different types of engines (inline four, triple, thumper, v-twin) will also affect performance.

Speed Related to Engine Size

We know that a big engine doesn’t necessarily equal faster – and when we say fast, we mean acceleration, primarily.

The key we’re looking for here is the power-to-weight ratio. Without getting fully into the weeds, a lighter bike (with fewer accoutrements involved) with a higher power output will mean faster acceleration and a higher top speed, assuming the gearing can support that.

Most motorcycles already accelerate far quicker than a car, so if you’re stressing about it, there’s truly no need to. But if you plan to get into the track someday, well, you can nerd out about the power-to-weight ratio when you get to that point.

Size Isn’t Everything

Some of the motorcycles with the biggest displacement engines out there are also the heaviest. There is a cost for that large amount of displacement, and we’re not just talking about money. A large fully faired and kitted-out touring bike can easily weigh 800-1,000 pounds, not including the gear you’re taking along with you.

Not sure if you’ve ever tried to pick one of those up, but take it from us: it’s pretty darn heavy.

Bigger isn’t always better, so take a close look at what you want to do on the bike 80% of the time, and get something that fits the bill for that. In comparing it to cars: There’s a reason folks buy a truck, but it isn’t to putz around in an urban core and squeeze into parking garages.

And if that goal changes?

Well, hopefully you’ve got some extra space in the garage.