A 300cc all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is an ATV that has a 300 cubic centimeter engine for power. The 300cc ATV is a mid-sized vehicle, with smaller units typically using 125cc engines and larger ATVs commonly using 450cc to 800cc engines. The size of the engine determines the power output as well as the physical size of the vehicle, in many instances. The number of add-ons and options, such as snow blades and four-wheel drive capabilities, are also dependent on the engine size. The 300cc ATV is capable of supporting nearly all of the options available for an ATV.
While some of the first ATV engines used very small motors, the move to larger and more powerful engines soon made the ATV popular with a much wider section of consumers. The 50cc to 90cc engines did not provide the power that many serious off-roaders required to climb hills and traverse steep ravines. The 300cc ATV makes it possible to own a mid-sized ATV that not only provides transportation around the farm or yard, but has the power to be used as a recreational toy as well. The added power also allows the ATV to have the pulling power required to be used as a work implement, such as hauling a wagon or trailer.
The typical 300cc ATV uses a four-stroke or four-cycle engine, similar to the engine found in a standard automobile. This means that the engine has an intake, compression, power and exhaust stroke, unlike the two-stroke engines that were used on some of the earliest ATVs. The two-stroke engines require a gasoline and oil mixture while the four-stroke 300cc ATV engine requires only gasoline to be pumped into the fuel tank. The engine receives its oil from a pressurized oil system similar to the system in a typical family sedan.
The power band of the 300cc ATV engine is very smooth, with power being produced from idle to top end. This allows very precise control of the ATV when negotiating rough terrain. The exhaust noise of the 300cc ATV, four-stroke engine is also much quieter than a similarly-sized two-stroke engine. The two-stroke engine, such as those found in chain saws, produce a very loud and high-pitched exhaust sound. The four-stroke engine is easily muffled without losing power, so the engine is much more environmentally-friendly when venturing off-road or riding in close proximity to a housing or urban area.