Why is the engine of a motorcycle more powerful than an engine of equivalent capacity fitted to a car?
1) Car and motorcycle engines work according to exactly the same operating principles. The power differences existing between the two are solely due to design choices that must take into account the different engine applications. A car engine is generally expected to work smoothly, require little maintenance, and be absolutely dependable and cost-efficient to make. These characteristics are normally not compatible with the high power delivery of motorcycle engines, with the exception of touring bikes or custom-type bikes, which, however, have high-displacement engines with specific power rates much lower than sportier bikes’ engines.