Buying a motorcycle is not necessarily a straightforward process. One of the main questions you may have is “what engine size is right for me?” which leads straight into the next question of “what engine size choices are available from the main motorcycle manufacturers?”
Motorcycle engine sizes differ greatly, ranging from 49cc to over 1800cc. Each motorcycle manufacturer has its own range of engine sizes, so it is important to understand what is available to you when purchasing a bike.
Here are the motorcycle engine sizes:
- Harley Davidson 750cc – 1917cc
- Indian 1000cc – 1890cc
- Honda 110cc – 1100cc
- Suzuki 113cc – 1800cc
- Kawasaki 125cc – 1000cc
- Yamaha 125cc – 1000cc
- KTM 50cc – 1290cc
- BMW 310cc – 1800cc
- Royal Enfield 350cc – 650cc
I have written this article to help you understand what an engine is, what different types of engines are available, and most importantly, what are all the different engine sizes currently available from the main motorcycle manufacturers.
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Harley Davidson Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Engine Size In Cubic Inches |
| 750 cc | 46 cu i |
| 883 cc | 53.9 cu i |
| 1200 cc | 73.4 cu i |
| 1753 cc | 107 cu i |
| 1868 cc | 114 cu i |
| 1917 cc | 117 cu i |
Indian Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Engine Size In Cubic Inches |
| 1000 | 61 cu i |
| 1130 | 69 cu i |
| 1200 | 73 cu i |
| 1768 | 108 cu i |
| 1811 | 111 cu i |
| 1890 | 116 cu i |
Honda Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Know As |
| 108 cc | 110 |
| 124 cc | 125 |
| 124.9 cc | 125 |
| 125 cc | 125 |
| 286 cc | 300 |
| 329.2 cc | 350 |
| 329.6 cc | 350 |
| 449 cc | 450 |
| 471 cc | 500 |
| 649 cc | 650 |
| 745 cc | 750 |
| 998 cc | 1100 |
| 999 cc | 1000 |
| 1140 cc | 1100 |
| 1084 cc | 1100 |
Suzuki Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Know As |
| 113 cc | 113 |
| 124 cc | 125 |
| 199 cc | 200 |
| 200 cc | 200 |
| 248 cc | 250 |
| 249 cc | 250 |
| 398 cc | 400 |
| 400 cc | 400 |
| 599 cc | 600 |
| 645 cc | 650 |
| 652 cc | 650 |
| 749 cc | 750 |
| 750 cc | 750 |
| 805 cc | 800 |
| 999 cc | 1000 |
| 999.8 cc | 1000 |
| 1000 cc | 1000 |
| 1037 cc | 1050 |
| 1340cc | 1300 |
| 1465cc | 1450 |
| 1783 cc | 1800 |
Kawasaki Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Know As |
| 125 cc | 125 |
| 299 cc | 300 |
| 636 cc | 636 |
| 649 cc | 650 |
| 773 cc | 800 |
| 948 cc | 900 |
| 998 cc | 1000 |
| 1043 cc | 1000 |
Yamaha Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Know As |
| 124 cc | 125 cc |
| 124.7 cc | 125 cc |
| 125 cc | 125 cc |
| 292 cc | 300 cc |
| 321 cc | 300 cc |
| 530 cc | 500 cc |
| 562 cc | 600 cc |
| 599 cc | 600 cc |
| 689 cc | 700 cc |
| 847 cc | 900 cc |
| 890 cc | 900 cc |
| 998 cc | 1000cc |
KTM Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Known As |
| 49 cc | 50 cc |
| 64.9cc | 65 cc |
| 84.9 cc | 85 cc |
| 124.7 cc | 125 cc |
| 143.9 cc | 150 cc |
| 249 cc | 250 cc |
| 293 cc | 300 cc |
| 293.2 | 300 cc |
| 349 cc | 350 cc |
| 373 cc | 390 cc |
| 449 cc | 450 cc |
| 449.9 cc | 450 cc |
| 510 cc | 500 cc |
| 690 cc | 690 cc |
| 799 cc | 790 cc |
| 889 cc | 890 cc |
| 1301 cc | 1290 cc |
BMW Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Know As |
| 313 cc | 310 |
| 350 cc | 400 |
| 647 cc | 650 |
| 853 cc (Restricted) | 750 |
| 853 cc | 850 |
| 895 cc | 900 |
| 999 cc | 1000 |
| 1170 cc | 1200 |
| 1254 cc | 1250 |
| 1649 cc | 1600 |
| 1802 cc | 1800 |
Royal Enfield Motorcycle Engine Sizes
| Actual Engine Size In CC | Motorcycle Engine Commonly Know As |
| 346 cc | 350 |
| 411 cc | 400 |
| 648 cc | 650 |
Download All The Engine Comparison Charts For FREE
Now you have seen the engine sizes available for you to purchase, I will now explain more about engines, which I’m sure you will find very interesting. So please keep reading…
What Is A Motorcycle Engine?
An engine is a device that transforms one form of energy into another. The motorcycle engine is the main component of the Bike that acts as the powerhouse of this vehicle.
They mainly convert the power generated from internal combustion of air and fuel mixture to rotary motions that are then transmitted to the motorcycle’s wheels. Hence, in this way, energy is transformed, and as the output, we get the mechanical energy that starts and powers the bike.
What Are The Different Types Of Motorcycle Engines?
Based on cylinders, capacity, and several strokes, they can be categorized into three main types.
- Cylinders
- Displacement
- Stroke
Cylinders:
We can divide the motorcycle engine into one to six-cylinder types. The four-cylinder design comes with a V-shaped configuration and is regarded as the most famous and popular one.
Displacement:
From 50 cubic centimeters to 1500 cubic centimeters, different motorcycle engines’ capacities are available to accommodate your specialized bike needs. You can find the same sized engine in completely different styles of motorcycles, and each engine could be configured to give more or less power.
Stroke:
Besides these, two-stroke and four-stroke engines have also proven themselves incredible in efficiency and speed.
What are the Popular Motorcycle Engine Configurations?
- Inline
- V Type
- Flat-Twins / Boxer configuration
- Singles
- Inline-Threes
As well as the actual engine size, how the engine is actually configured is also an essential part to consider when choosing which bike to purchase.
Motorcycle engine configuration refers to the arrangement of patterns in which the cylinders are placed. Many consumers prefer affordable bikes that mainly consist of a single-cylinder or twin-cylinder unit that provides ease of maintenance. For example, Honda’s 2020 CB500X is a twin-cylinder engine.
But what if more cylinders are added? Here we’d inevitably require a four-stroke layout to understand different motorcycle engine configurations.
So in this section, I’ll introduce you to five most popular configurations.
Inline configuration:
They are the most common configuration. In this type, two to six cylinders are arranged in the same row.
Inline four configurations have smaller engines fitted in compact spaces as in sports bikes.
Single cast metal is used in the manufacturing process for easy yet effortless riding.
V type:
Cylinders and pistons are arranged in two different rows giving a V-shaped appearance.
This configuration decreases the overall weight and length of the engine.
V twin engines are most common in cruiser motorcycles and racing motorcycles as they provide greater handling. They are one of the most popular engines found in North America.
Flat-Twin:
A single crankshaft provides the chance to place cylinders on its sides that are arranged in two banks. They are extremely well balanced, produce a lot of power, and have a low center of gravity.
BMW motorcycle is well-known for their exclusive boxer engines or Boxer Twin and has many riders who would not buy any other motorcycle.
Singles:
These simple engines are easy to manufacture, so manufacturing costs are low and are very easy to maintain.
These engines are lightweight and can be found in many off-road motorcycles such as dual-sport and dirtbikes. They are also a popular choice for manufacturers to use in scooters and entry-level bikes with low engine displacements.
Inline-Threes:
This is similar to a parallel-twin engine but has one added cylinder.
They do not achieve very high speeds but have plenty of torque in the low and medium RPM’s which make them excellent for road bikes.
I hope this brief section of motorcycle engine configuration gives you a basic understanding.
Why Do You Need To Know The Different Engine Sizes And Configurations?
You might be interested to know the reason for learning more about the different motorcycle engine sizes and their significant relevance while looking out for a bike.
It is essential to understand that the engine’s size on a motorcycle is directly related to its capacity. Similarly, large-sized bikes have higher capacity engines, which may come with various engine sizes and diversified engine displacements.
Nevertheless, small bikes have a smaller capacity, impacting your performance while riding the bike.
Although motorcycles come in different sizes, with the development of technology and other advancements made, it has become equally vital to manufacture motorcycles that are relatively bigger and proven more efficient than previous models.
In developed countries, motorcycles with bigger engine sizes are more popular, making them more in demand among riders. However, these larger capacity motorcycles can be much more expensive, but we are prepared to pay the extra cost associated with better performance as consumers.
However, in some developing countries, as in Asia, although motorcycles with larger and heavier engines are still present, they are not affordable for many riders. For example, a bike with 300 cc’s is always in demand in developing countries as the vast majority of people can afford it.
In comparison, within the U.S., 300 cc is currently among the least popular size for a motorcycle.
Harley Davidson
Harley-Davidson’s current motorcycle models’ engine size depends on its three engine types, named Twin Cam, Evolution, and Revolution engines. For the evolution type, the displacement of the engine is 883 or 1200 cubic inches.
However, there has been a tremendous increase in the popularity of 103 cubic inches in the Twin cam models in the last few years. This is basically because some of its models are 1584 cc in their engine size, which is comparatively huge. Such as 69 cubic inches of displacement is found in Revolution type engines.
As far as the popularity and usage are concerned, it’s integral to know one of these fantastic 2147 cc street engines introduced by Harley Davidson currently ranks amongst the top-rated machines.
The Indian Motorcycle Company
The Indian Motorcycle Company was primarily founded in 1901. The Indian has different models, which include the Indian FTR 1200, FTR 1200 S, Indian Scout, Indian Chief Classic, Indian Springfield, Indian chieftain, and Indian Roadmaster. The Indian FTR 1200 and FTR 1200 S have V twin engines with a capacity of 1203 cc.
That being said, Indian Scout has three different model Scout sixty, which have a capacity of 999-cc with a liquid-cooled V-twin engine.
The Scout and Scout Bobber both have 1130-cc capacity with liquid-cooled V- twin engines.
The Chief dark horse models consist of The Indian chief classic, Indian chieftain, Indian Roadmaster, and Indian Springfield; all share the same engine capacity of 1811-cc with a V twin configuration.
Honda Motorcycles
Honda Motorcycles are based in Japan and make extremely high-quality engines and motorcycles. The engine size in terms of their capacities of different Honda models introduced in 2020 includes the Honda CBR600RR, Gold Wing Model, Honda Africa Twin, Honda CRF450L, Honda Fury, Honda Super Club, and Honda metropolitan, and many more amazing models.
Honda’s CBR600RR has an engine size of 599cc, and the Gold Wing has an engine three times the size at 1833cc, a Liquid Cooled 6-cylinder engine.
Another great thing to know is that the Honda Africa twin has an engine size of 1084 cc with a parallel twin configuration, making it one of the best bikes on the market for exciting motorcycle rides and adventures.
Honda’s CRF450L is a dual-sport motorcycle with an engine of 449-cc and is a great bike to take off-road if this is the type of riding you aspire to!
The Honda Fury has an engine size of 1312 cc, which is a V-twin configuration and is new out.
Moreover, for those looking for smaller sized engines, the Honda Super Cub 125 is a 125-cc air-cooled engine, and the Honda metropolitan has an engine capacity of 49-cc.
Suzuki
Suzuki Motorcycles are known as one of the best and finest motorcycle producing brands. They have a wide variety of different engine sizes, including the Suzuki Hayabusa 1340cc, Suzuki GSX-R1000R, Suzuki GSX-1000R, Suzuki GSX-S750Z ABS, Suzuki SV650 Suzuki Boulevard M109R, and the Suzuki Burgman 200, to name a few.
The Suzuki Hayabusa has an engine of 1350-cc, whereas Suzuki GSX-R1000R has an engine of 999.8-cc.
Moreover, the Suzuki GSX-S1000F has a liquid-cooled engine and the Suzuki GSX-S750Z ABS has a fuel-injected engine with 749-cc.
Meanwhile, the Suzuki SV650 comes with an engine size of 645-cc, and is a four-stroke engine.
The Suzuki Boulevard M109R has a gigantic engine of 1783-cc, while in contrast, the Suzuki Burgman has 200-cc, using a single-cylinder engine.
Kawasaki
Kawasaki Motorcycles are an extremely admired Japanese company. They produce a wide range of motorcycles with excellent choices of engine sizes.
The top three brands are the Kawasaki Ninja H2, the Kawasaki Vulcan S, the Kawasaki Ninja 400. The Vulcan S has a 649-cc para parallel-twin, while Kawasaki Ninja 400 has a 399-cc liquid-cooled engine. However, Kawasaki also produces off-road motorcycle models that have engines with capacities of less than 300 cc.
With their vast range of engine sizes available Kawasaki are one of the biggest and most sold brands of motorcycle on the market.
Yamaha
Yamaha Motorcycles introduced its first motorcycle in 1955 and had been introducing different varieties of models that highly differ in capacities and displacements of engine size. Some of these models are the Yamaha YZ125, Yamaha YZ250, Yamaha V Star, Yamaha bolt, Yamaha Tracer, and the Super Tenere.
The Yamaha YZ125 and Yamaha YZ250 are the leaders among dirt bikes with other varients being produced with engine sizes ranging from 79-510 cc.
While the Yamaha V Star 250 has an engine displacement of 249-cc, the Yamaha bolt has an engine size of 942-cc.
The Yamaha Tracer 900 is one of the most affordable touring motorcycles with an engine size of 847-cc.
Among off-road motorcycles, the TW200 comes with a 196-cc air-cooled engine. The Super Tenere has an engine capacity of 1199-cc, a liquid-cooled engine with a parallel twin configuration.
KTM
KTM or Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofenintroduced their first motorcycle in 1952.
While 400 EXC has a displacement of engine 398-cc, the 450 SX comes with an engine of 449-cc.
The KTM 65 SX has a liquid-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke engine with a displacement of 65cc and the KTM 200 duke has an engine of 199.5 ccs.
The KTM 250 Adventure has an engine displacement of 248.76-cc
The KTM 890 Adventure has an engine size of 889cc, the 390 Adventure has an engine size of 373cc and not forgetting the 790 Adventure R with an engine displacement of 799cc.
BMW Motorrad
BMW Motorrad offers a large range of motorcycles with many different engine sizes.
BMW R1200C model has an Air or oil-cooled engine with the Boxer twin-cylinder configuration, and the 1170cc engine capacity is relatively unique.
The S1000RR is the latest model with a 999-cc engine capacity or displacement, and recently, BMW has introduced an 1800 engine, which is in the R18 and is the world’s biggest-ever Boxer engine.
Royal Enfield
Being a bike enthusiast, you indeed have once or more in your life adorned the ethereal beauty of royal Enfield. They are apparent in the most common size of engine that is by Royal Enfield super compatible 350-cc. RE Himalayan has a 411-cc engine.
RE Interceptor and RE Continental GT used the latest engine that is 650-cc with 8V and parallel twin configuration.
What Are The Popular Motorcycle Engine Sizes?
The three main engine sizes which are the most popular are:
- 600cc
- 850cc
- 1000cc
In motorcycles, engine displacement comes in different sizes and prevalence in various bikes; hence, it can be measured in cubic centimeters.
Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles size there engines in cubic inches or CU i.
Conclusion:
Now you have a more in depth knowledge about motorcycle engines and the different sized engines currently available I hope it will help you figure out which motorcycle will be the right one for you.
When deciding to purchase a motorcycle, you should not base your decisions on engine size and type alone, as many other factors go into purchasing a motorcycle.
You will want to consider how the motorcycle actually feels to you when you ride it, the power of the engine ( don’t forget a 650 sports bike will have a much more powerful engine than a 650 cruiser), maintenance costs, insurance costs are to name just a few.
Don’t forget motorcycling should be fun, so go have some!
Below I have listed the websites for the motorcycle manufacturers within this article I have written:
