The term 400cc refers to the size of a particular engine, with regard to its volume. A 400cc engine is frequently found on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles or occasionally dirt bikes. The unit "cc" stands for cubic centimeters, which is used to quantify the volume of an engine. A 400cc engine means an engine's volume is 400 cubic centimeters.
Cubic centimeters is a metric unit of measurement. In the United States, engines are frequently measured in terms of cubic inches. Alternatively, cubic centimeters may also be converted to another metric unit, known as liters. The rough conversion is that 1,000 cubic centimeters is equivalent a single liter. A 400cc engine would equate to a 0.4 liter engine.
A common misconception is that a cc measurement can convert directly into horsepower. While larger engines tend to have more horsepower than smaller engines, it is not always the case. Horsepower is a result of both the engine design and manufacturer. For example, a company that designs racing vehicles may get more horsepower into a smaller engine than a manufacturer building a passenger station wagon.
The measurement of cubic centimeters indicates the volume within an engine. Specifically, the volume is the area from the top of the cylinder to the bottom of the cylinder, through which the piston passes. Areas where the piston does not pass are not included in the volume of the engine. In a 400cc engine, the area where the piston travels measures 400 cubic centimeters.
