Comments on: Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders: Seat Heights Under 30 Inches

By: Papatorr

Papatorr — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:47:51 +0000

Well, just to poke my short fat stick in the muddy waters and stir it around: Flexible lives matter. You did well to make a list of seat heights less than 30.” I’m barely 5’4″ and my inseam isn’t quite 28.” I don’t recall making seat height such an important metric when I was younger, but it’s become a big deal now at 64 1/2 years. One reason surprised me: I couldn’t bring the side stand back up on my KLR650 or on my Multistrada 1000 DS. I have several bikes that I have to push off and then pull the side stand up before the bike starts to fall left or right and catch it with a foot. But even low seat heights can be challenging as they likely have a stepped seat and often have a back rest. I have a hard time clearing the pillion and or that back rest. Also dual purpose bikes that have a workable seat height once seated have angled seats that are higher at to the rear section and are difficult for me to clear unladen. And, as mentioned above, the typical forward controls can be an issue after overcoming the first two obstacles. I can brag about my flexibility during my wrestling days, but I’m embarrassed by having to add physical inflexibility to political and financial inflexibility. I’ve determined to start stretching regularly, but I’m not making much progress. Besides, I mostly only remember when I’m trying to get on one of my bikes. Besides joining a Yoga class, I need a < or = 30" seat that's flat, and foot pegs at a 90* knee bend or slightly + or – a bit. My favorite riding position is a Standard. I value (insist on) good handling as I live at the foot of the Shenandoah/Blue Ridge mountains; so many cruisers need not apply. Although I want to put a plug in for two (classic?) cruisers for shorties: Kawasaki VN 750 and Suzuki VS 800 Intruder; surprisingly good cruisers, and can be found for <$2k! I've been riding since '75, have a couple dozen bikes, and rode every bike I could for decades; until bikes got more expensive than some used Porsches! Think designs like the Triumph Bonneville, slightly lowered if need be, for the ideal 85% do it all bike, TW200 for the other 15%. You can always pick up a cruiser for slow rides.

By: Patricia Blaskovic

Patricia Blaskovic — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 17:49:45 +0000

From the Triumph website which your link sent me to it lists the seat height here:
“Seat Height 30.32-31.10 in (770-790 mm)” not 29.9-30.7 as you stated. Guess I’ll have to go try one on for size rather than believe what I read on the internet.

By: Glenn L

Glenn L — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 04:21:44 +0000

In reply to Doug Baker. You can always use a lowering kit, like Zeta's internal front lowering kit. They also have a rear kit as well. These are better than a lowering link in the back, b\c the shock can't over travel and hit the seat. Also no geometry changes f & r. A lower seat would give you 2+ inches lower seat height.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:59:46 +0000

I like all kinds of bikes but the first thing I look at is seat height. Under 30 inches is good. I had a Triumph Bobber and now a Speedmaster. Had to change the forward controls to the closer set up like the Bobber. Had a BMW 800 GT but it became bothersome to be careful where I stopped to make sure I could get one foot flat on the ground. Have had bikes for over 50 years now and comfort and flat footed stops are more important than when I was a kid.

By: Rider Magazine

Rider Magazine — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 17:44:36 +0000

In reply to Aaron Bloom. Aaron, in an ideal world, we'd assign the target buyer (body size, demographics) for each motorcycle to attend the press launch, but staffing and scheduling do not always allow that to happen.

By: Aaron Bloom

Aaron Bloom — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 15:29:06 +0000

May I recommend that you hire short riders to write reviews of short motorcycles? I get that there are all sorts of riders out there, but as a short rider (5’5″) I am tired of reading reviews of short bikes by guys over 6′ who say a bike is comfortable. I have nothing against that guy, but literally I cannot triangulate how a bike will be for me from his take. Even if you through in a paragraph from a shorter co-rider, or else someone who was at one of these big press rides who was shorter, that would be hugely helpful. Nearly every click-through review above is from some taller dude. It’s like reading a review of a colorful art show from someone who is blind.

By: Randy Gadikian

Randy Gadikian — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 01:49:46 +0000

For 30 plus years I have ridden my BMW R90/6 with 28 inch legs. Now at 65 I want and need a lower seat. I don’t like cruisers or crotch rockets and I don’t wanna motorcycle that looks like an insect. I want a pair of 16 inch cast wheels, 40 horsepower, 29 inch seat height, low /wide bars and fuel injection or an electric motor. Belt drive or a drive shaft would be nice too.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 14:13:28 +0000

If bikes can be engineered for children, why is there such a notable gap between those and the bikes engineered for average male riders? I also note year after year manufacturers keep increasing the hp of their models. I have no interest in that but every interest in something suitable in a standard riding position that I can touch or flat foot. Sales would skyrocket for all the frustrated cruiser riders with very sore backs.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 14:06:14 +0000

In reply to Doug Baker. And comfort. The difference between my husbands tiger 1200 and my 800 low is painful.

By: Terry

Terry — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 01:27:39 +0000

Where is the Triumph Tiger LRH (low) with a seat height of 29.9”?