Popular Motorcycle Abbreviations
Use Ctrl+F to search or just browse the chart below for a list of common motorcycle abbreviations you will find in service and repair manuals and articles. We are also working on a complete “Motorcycle Dictionary” or glossary.
Ctrl+F means hold down the Control key (lower left on keyboard, says Ctrl) and press the F key.
Commonly Used Abbreviations
6v | 6 Volt |
12v | 12 Volt |
A | Amps |
Ah | Amp hours |
ATAC | Automatic Torque Amplification Chamber |
ATDC | At Top Dead Center |
Auto | Automatic Transmission |
Brit | British or English, both part of the United Kingdom |
Blk | Black |
CA or CAL | California |
CAN or Can | Canada |
Cat | Catalytic Converter |
CB | Contact Breaker Ignition System |
cc | Cubic Centimeter or Centimetre |
CDI | Capacitor Discharge Ignition |
cyl | Cylinder |
DI | Direct Ignition |
DOHC | Double or Dual Overhead Cam |
ECM | Engine Control Module |
ECU | Engine Control Units |
EIN | Engine Identification Number |
ES | Electric Start |
Exh | Exhaust |
F | Front |
Fi or FI | Fuel Injection |
fl oz | Fluid Ounces |
Fr No | Frame Number |
ft lbs | Foot Pounds |
H | Honda |
Hbar (s) | Handlebar (s) |
HD | Harley Davidson |
Hguard (s) | Hand Guards (s) |
Hi-Alt or Hi Alt | High Altitude |
HL or H/L | Headlight or Headlamp |
hp or HP | Horse power |
hrs | Hours |
Hyd | Hydraulic |
I4 | Inline 4 cylinder engine |
I6 | Inline 6 cylinder engine |
in | Inches |
Inj | Injection |
K | Kawasaki |
lbs | Pounds |
LC | Liquid Cooled |
LH | Left Hand |
LS | Left Side |
LSD | Limited Slip Differential |
Map-h | ECU controlled (or mapped) Hall effect ignition |
Map-i | ECU controlled (or mapped) inductive ignition |
Max | Maximum |
Mdl (s) | Model (s) |
min | Minutes |
Min | Minimum |
mm | Millimeters or Millimetres |
n | ATDC |
N inside a square | Use New Nuts and Bolts |
No. | Number |
NOS | New, Old Stock |
OE | Original Equipment |
OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer |
OHC | Overhead Cam |
OHV | Overhead Valve |
psi | Pounds per Square Inch |
qt | Quart |
qts | Quarts |
R | Rear |
RFVC | Radial Four Valve Combustion Chamber |
RH | Right Hand |
RS | Right Side |
rpm or RPM | Revolutions per Minute |
S | Suzuki |
SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers |
SOHC | Single Overhead Cam |
Speedo | Speedometer |
Std | Standard |
Syn or Synth | Synthetic Oil |
Tach | Tachometer |
TCI or TCBI | Transistor Controlled Ignition |
TDC | Top Dead Center |
TRAC | Torque Reactive Anti-dive Control (system) |
Trans | Transmission |
V | Volts |
Vac | Vacuum |
VLV | Valve |
W/ or w/ | With |
W/O or w/o | Without |
Y | Yamaha |
° | Angular Torque |
Ω | Ohms |