I have been riding since 1974. I have a 27-inch inseam. Riders like me have few if any choices other than cruisers, which tend to be heavier than necessary and short on cornering clearance. This is how it’s always been. The motorcycling press and the motorcycle manufacturers simply write off anybody outside of the average. Not everybody wants to ride a cruiser.

This list seems not so much dedicated to those with short inseams than to include models from each of the manufacturers that are your bread and butter. Let’s be honest, listing any bike with more than a 29 inch seat can not be accurately presented as suitable for the short rider and yet many of the bikes listed in the article were well over that figure. Even 29 inches would be a real struggle for may short riders. This article is just a puff piece for your advertisers, not a real attempt to list bikes for short riders.

Great list, but…… You failed to mention a few motorcycles. One of which has the lowest seat height of any manufacturer. But let’s start with the others first before we get to the lowest.
Harley Davidson Roadster – 29.5
Harley Davidson Fat Bob – 27.7
Harley Davidson Heritage – 26.3
Harley Davidson 48/48 Special – 26.2
Harley Davidson Low Rider – 26.2
Harley Davidson Deluxe – 25.9
Harley Davidson Street Bob – 25.8
Harley Davidson Sport Glide – 25.7
Harley Davidson Breakout – 25.6
….and the lowest of ANY motorcycle out there…….
Harley Davidson Softail Slim – 25.5
Yes, I am a rabid Harley Fan. I’m also an owner. While many of these bike weigh more than the ones on your list, the lower the CG, the easier the bike is to handle. I know many pencil thin women who are riding Harley Davidson Softail models and handle them with ease, because of the Low seat height. Many of the bikes on your list exceed 30″ and despite their light weight, tippy toeing a motorcycle for many riders can do horrible things to a riders confidence.
Don’t believe or fall into the media and rider stereotype bull about Harley Riders, owners and the brand. Go to a dealer, sit on one, take it for a ride and judge for yourself. You don’t have to be the stereotype. Just be a rider and love your ride.

This list of motorcycles ruins my entitlement to sanctimonious nostalgia; everyone of them is better than what I started riding fifty years ago. And, taking into consideration inflation and cost of ownership, contemporary bikes are cheaper too. But, from where I sit, much of these improvements either go unrecognized or lost in the fog of bigger, faster and more autonomous technology. In my opinion, aside from hubris, 90% of people who ride bikes have no need to buy anything that isn’t represented in this category of motorcycle.

I live and ride in the UK all year round and it is not uncommon to encounter fog. It amazes me that no motorcycle manufacturer pays any attention to fitting a rear fog lamp to a motorcylce, or more to the point why the regs don’t require one. Cars have been fitting them for years but motorcycles costing as much a car these days don’t have them. A rear fog lamp gives an approaching driver more time to plan as they will see you sooner. When riding in poor visibility you are more likely to be closer to other vehicles as you’re ability to see will restrict your speed….(be able to stop in the distance you can see and to the conditions), unfortuantely drivers will often follow the tail lights of vehicles infront of them but tend to sit further back when the vehicle in front has it’s fog light on. Note I am referring to using them legitimately not abusing them such as in rain. I bet none of the bikes listed here have any consideration to a rear fog light.

The Triumph Bobber is missing from this list. Sadly, since my not tall wife traded here sportster low for one.

Hopefully someday manufacturers will realize the sizable demographic of short riders who something besides cruisers!

I am not clear why there was the need to conflate shorter bikes with cheaper (and less powerful bikes). It would be great if you simply ran a comprehensive list of ALL motorcycles at 30″/760mm or less, including cases where there is some factory low seat option of some higher bike. Somehow in the entirety of the Internet, there does not seem to be such a list. We are not as small a demographic as our statures would belie…

As a long time short rider, (28″ in-seam) my dream bike would have a 28″ seat, weigh under 500lbs. It would have a windscreen and lowers to protect the legs. ………….Oh wait! It would have to be a miniature re-production of the Gold Wing 1800 I rode for ten years. The Honda CTX 700 I purchased later had a 28″ seat but chain drive and what felt like a hard tail. C’mon manufacturers, many of us want to ride long distances without giving up the comfort of a large touring bike.

I miss the Honda Rebel 250. Their new Rebel 300 & 500 thta replaced it is hideous at best, just plain F’n awful…yechh

I am a “medium” sized rider – 5’7″, but 29″ inseam. I have a Honda ST1300, which is listed as having a 31″ which is listed as having a seat height as low as 30.5″ (adjustable). It is “on the toes” for me at a stoplight. If I were shorter, this would be a stupid bike, as it is just too heavy, too hight a center of gravity (720 lbs). I agree that any seat height over 31″ cannot be listed as appropriate for a ” shorter” rider.

Just a note: I did sit on a Kawasaki Ninja 650, and it did feel good. Maybe it has partly to do with seat width in the front.

Kawi 650 Vulcan should definitely be on this list. Real good performance, reliability, low seat, style, price. Needs more ground clearance, but I have found that fitting taller tires and putting suspension to highest setting makes a very nice improvement.

Since I am a short rider with a 28” inseam, I always looked for ways to modify my bikes. Manufacturers need to design bikes with adjustable seat height, begs and handlebars so you can customize your bike without an extra cost or compromise its performance! That will make the bikes available to more people and everyone will be happy!

I’m 6’1″, 230 pounds, with a 31″ inseam. I’ve been riding for almost 50 years and the most expensive motorcycle I ever bought was brand new 1976 BMW R90/6 for about $3400, as I recall. I’ve owned many street and touring bikes, but my most comfortable one ever is the CN250 Honda Helix scooter that I currently ride. It fits me to a T. Some of the bikes on this list I might enjoy owning, but since here in the Northeast US our riding time is interrupted by winter, most of my riding is now recreational, as opposed to the daily commuting I used to do before retirement. Personally having been in the car business for decades and understanding depreciation, I have not bought a brand new bike since my BMW, and I certainly never will again (although I certainly do wish that I had kept that one).

Why no scooters ?

At a lowly 1.75m (5’9) and weighing in at 70kg I find it hard to find a bike that is both light enough for a 70 year old to wheel out of the garage and low enough for my feet to touch the ground and am a bit limited for choices. My present bikes are a Benelli Leoncino (a bit on the high side but right weight) a Triumph America and a Honda VT750, both the right height but too heavy. Seriously considering a Moto Guzzi V7 or a Kawasaki vulcan 750. Another point of frustration for me is small tanks. Anything under 15l I consider a joke for the long distance touring I do.

I’ve been riding for the past 51 years and am 5’5″ with a 28″ inseam. I have had 21 bikes in the past years and now own an Indian Scout. I love the bike as far as low center of gravity and low seat height but it’s not a distance machine. In 1981 I purchased a new Honda gl500 Interstate. Did many long rides on it but still high and heavy. Last Fall, I once again purchased a used 1982 Honda gl500 Interstate and spent the Winter tearing it down and making it reliable again. I’ve cut down the seat padding and am looking for a shorter shock to lower the bike another inch. At 72 years old, I’m not sure I can handle the weight but it’s a great bike for touring.

Excuse me if I don’t shed a tear for the problems you kids with 27-28 inch inseams are having. I’m 83 with a 25 inch inseam and have ridden since I was 14. Started on a 1939 Harley 45. I’d list the bikes I have owned but few of you would recognize the names. I have long ago realized that the manufacturers were not interested in the short riders unless you were super talented then they crammed your pockets full of money as a FACTORY RIDER. and didn’t tell any future customers that Gary wasn’t 5 10 with a 30 in inseam and that the bike they wanted to sell you wasn’t the same as what he won the race on. I recently bought a Suzuki TU250 with hope of extending my riding a few more years. Put on a 16 front sprocket and still have a hard staying out of the way of traffics. I told Suzuki to raise the engine capacity to 350 cc , add a six speed tranny, get rid of the tube/spoke tires and put on another shift to fill the orders. This little Suzy is the only modern light weight that still looks like a motorcycle!

I’m 72 years old and a life long rider. I’ve owned many big/tall/heavy bikes. My first bike, at 16, was a Hodaka Ace 90, and I wanted my last bike to have the Same easy to live with character, especially important was easy on and off and easy to pick. I found a Kymco Spade at an insurance auction. It spoke to me like a wiener dog at a rescue sight. I bought it, I fixed it, I ride it, and I love it as much as I did that Hodaka. In this report, you included bikes from CSC and the Grom twins, from Honda and Kawasaki. The Spade fits those parameters. Why was it left out?

I am 69 and short one end, top end when standing, bottom end when on a bike. 4 foot fifteen and a half all up. I have a Honda CMX500, or Rebel in other countries. Can flat foot that one. I also have a Honda CB500F. Great bike to ride, but always wear my thickest socks and boots when riding it, and still feel nervous when I have to stop. I am of the opinion that manufacturers could quite easily make bikes with adjustable rear subframes. Up for tall riders and down for people like the majority here, which would make bikes suitable for a much larger range of riders, at very little extra cost.

Russell Roberts
I started riding at age 37 on my son’s Bridgestone 90. I am now 95 and riding my thirteenth motorcycle, a Honda Silverwing Scooter, and it is the perfect motorcycle for balance, wind protection, and all around comfort. The seat height lets me get my feet securly on the ground, but the scooter style lets me stretch my legs forward when seated. I have owned bikes up to 1500cc Honda Goldwings, but had to downsize to more manageable weight, and lower seat height. I am sorry to learn that Honda is no longer offering the Silverwing. It will easily keep pace with traffic, and is capable of long comfortable rides. I have a 28″ inseam, and weigh 165 lbs.

At almost 50 years old, never having ridden a motorcycle (only a scooter), I get the urge to get a motorbike. I am 173 cm (5’8 in) tall and having a hard time finding a comfortable bike that is at least 600cc. The only bike that fits me like a glove is the Ninja 400 but I wanted 600ccs so I sat in he Ninja 600 and it felt too big for me! Looking at the specs for both bikes, the Ninja 600 is slightly longer. I wonder if there is such a combination of a bike with the dimensions of the Ninja 400 with a 600 to 660cc engine in another make….

Some of us shorter riders have been riding motorcycles most or all of our lives, and don’t really want to settle for a “beginners” bike. I’m almost 77 and ride a Goldwing 1800 and doing just fine despite my 29 inch inseam. But I know that sometime in the future I will have to downsize to a lighter bike, even if not right now. When I do, I want a bike with some degree of performance as well as comfort, something I can add a windscreen and some soft bags and do more than a one hour ride with a stop at the tavern. The one’s that I am most inclined to consider are not made by the big four Japanese companies or by Harley Davidson, and so dealer accessibility is also a consideration. I well might end up with a decent scooter. I already own a PCX150 and it is more fun to ride than most motorcyclists could even imagine, but of course with that little engine it is not highway capable. I don’t think its out of the question that when I retire the 900 pound Goldwing I will end up with a 300cc or 400cc scooter that can do it all and yet is easily handled by a shorter, older rider.

I stand 5’8” and have a 29” inseam. I enjoy touring or at the least long day trips. At 70 years old I’d like a bike I can flat foot, carry enough for a weeks travel, be light enough to handle in garages and tight parking lots (certainly under 500lbs), offer protection from the elements, and have a cruising range of 200 miles. If I could have a BMW R 1250 or a Goldwing with those specifications I’d be a happy camper (well, a happy motel’er anyway). I don’t need or want a 1250 engine, 700 or 800cc would be great to haul the weight of me, my gear and the accoutrements that come with a bike of this type. Based on the responses to this article it appears motorcycles specifically built for shorter riders are in demand.

BMW R 1250 RT that is

I’m close to 68 and have riding for 52 years starting out on a Honda sport 50 and maxing out on 800 lb. Honda 1500 & 1800 Goldwings around 2004 after that I thought that I was retired from riding until I saw a 1996 Honda Helix for sale 2 years ago. It’s funny but like a lot of others I thought that the Helix was just plain ugly but eventually it just overwhelmes you into believing it is just a pure beautiful historic scooter that was way ahead of it’s time. I totally enjoy everything about this bike from it’s 350 lb. Weight, no shift CVT transmission, rear foot brake, trunk storage capacity, low seat height, stretched feet forward riding position, ease of maintenance, 70 mpg, 75 mph top speed with the capability to cruise under stressed at 65-70 as others and articles have reported although I try to stay off interstates and opt for parallel 50 -55 mph back road rides up to 200 miles. At one point around 35 years ago I owned a moped, a Honda CB-125 and a Kawasaki Z-1 900 all at the same time and everyone wanted to know how I could drive 3 bikes so different apart in size? I would reply “that’s easy to answer” I lived in a small flat town with 30 mph speed limits so I drove the moped around that area averaging over 100 mpg, I was 7.5 miles from my work with a couple of hills so I drove the 125 all week to work and back on 1 gallon of gas since it got 90 mpg, the 900 I drove on weekends on county rides and usually averaged 45 mpg. To make a long story short one should realize that any size bike is fun to ride, especially under the right driving conditions. Enjoy and be safe!

Where is the triumph tiger xrx low?

I think I’ve got you all beat; 5’6″ and an inseam of almost 26.5″ (but I have to really focus)! I have and love my ’02 Honda Shadow 750 ACE — lowered, of course. Would it be stating the obvious to say that it is next to impossible for me to find anything other than a cruiser to feel “secure” with. Yes, seat height; yes, seat width. Other considerations: if your legs are short, then likely so are your arms and fingers. So additional issues that I’ve encountered are: reaching for clutch & brake levers; maneuvering a bike (if you’ve got to reach across to seize the grip, you’re sacrificing foot grip/traction/torque. I echo the sentiments of others in that this article is kinda useless (sorry, RM). One final note: scooters. There are those of us who like changing gears & being more “involved” in the riding (and car driving for that matter) experience.
Safe riding to all!

Hi I am a female 4ft 9 with inside leg of 25″ . I have dropped every bike I have owned due to not being able to touch the floor, I have over the years rode bikes where I can only touch with the tips of toes on one side, but the other issue with cruisers is that they put the controls to far out in front, so you can touch the floor but not the controls. Seat heights seem to be getting higher. I need a seat height below 700 mm or 27″, which leaves nothing but cruiser. Come on manufacturers think of us short riders, and make something other than a cruiser

Note to the editors… As honorable as your intentions may have been, capping the budget was a bad idea. As a short rider (5’3″ with 25.5″ inseam), I can tell you 100% that leaving viable options out because of an artificial price constraint, and instead including bikes that are ‘affordable’ but completely unfeasible due to seat height does not do people like me any favors. If the two are mutually exclusive then so be it. As much as I like saving money, I’ll pay the premium if required to get a bike that fits me and delivers the goods (hint, hint, sport bike manufacturers). Although it does not have the lean angle I desire, my H-D Softail Slim has been like a godsend to me. I haven’t regretted the purchase for a single second. And by the way, fellow short riders, there are plenty of them out there now for under $12k.

Motorcycle and scooter manufacturer’s would make a lot more money if they offered more bikes with a lower seat height and less reach for controls. We’re stuck with cruisers whether we like them or not. The controls and handlebars are out of reach as well. Who wants to pay for modifications after paying for a new bike? Not me.

Hyosung GD250R = 31.1 in
Stylish? Yes
Budget friendly? Yes
Good beginner machines? Yes
Very popular? No.
3 out of 4 ain’t bad, eh?

Hi,

I am a new rider, just under 5′ and bought a Honda Rebel 300. I am 62 years old. I can flat foot the bike while wearing motorcycle boots. I find walking it back hard — then I am on my toes. You will probably be okay. I find the bike heavy for me. I weigh about 95 pounds and when I lean the bike over at a standstill (just testing), it feels like it would go down at about 20 degrees, and I would have to lay it down. I saw this in a review, which I thought was hilarious:

“The low seat height inspires confidence, especially for new and shorter riders. I’m 5’ 6” with a 29-inch inseam, and on the Rebel 300, I can reach the ground flat-footed.”

I don’t consider 5’6″ short!

Have fun!

I am 77 and have been riding since I was in my late 20’s. I did have about 25 years where I did not ride and then I got back into it. The biggest bike I had was a 750 Honda Super Sport and it was just too high off the ground. Eventually went to a 500 Honda with direct drive and loved it. Then came the house and had to give up riding due to the hours of the day working. When I retired from teaching I started riding again with a 250 honda scooter and then moved to NH and switched to a Honda Silver Wing. Felt that was a little to top heavy and trucks were able to push me around. Switched to a Suzuki Burgman (used) and eventually got a new 2014, 650 Burgman with ABS and love it. Keeps up with others and doesn’t get pushed around. Great center of gravity, can cruise at 75 and a joy to ride.

Seat heights over 31.5 inches are not “low” bikes. So toss out virtually every adventure bike, and a lot of sport touring bikes. As noted by other contributors, this leaves few choices outside the cruiser and semi-cruiser class. (Hats off to Kawasaki for some interesting new cruiser/sport look hybrids! ) Manufacturers respond to a market – and this suggests younger taller riders, and ones who will put up with instability in a resting bike, heavy, high center of gravity weights, and large cc engines. However, I notice a high percentage of recent 1000cc VStroms and Versys up for sale used – not so many of the 650cc versions. So maybe some functional sanity is returning – lower seat heights, lighter weights, engines under about 1100ccs, with rider position adjustments – all on a bike that can be screamingly fast, with ample power. There are too many over-sized, over powered, and over weight (but utterly beautiful and sexy) offerings.

Great article! I loved seeing all the bikes I’m trying to look at side by side and even found some I hadn’t heard of yet. I would consider myself a small rider, I’m 150lbs and have been looking for a lighter bike +-400lbs.

I agree with those who have commented on the high seats. Now I am 70yo I find the seats are much higher. But also go back through the list and choose the bikes that are easily mounted by a passenger and comfortable to ride for 300 miles per day two up and the list suddenly shrinks. It’s a pity that the reliable and popular Suzuki Burgman 650 is no longer being produced. I have an older one with near 50,000 miles and it is excellent for my short legged wife and I. Can you include comments on suitability for passengers and riders in their post middle years when you do tests please. The riding community is aging after all. Thanks.

I’m 68 years old, 5’9″ and 31″ inseam and have been riding since 1974. I currently have a 2015 Moto Guzzi V7 and a 2019 Kawasaki Z900rs. Believe it or not , the Kaw feels lighter than the Guzzi and both get great gas mileage. I wear boots with a heel to help keep me flat footed and it seems to work well. I used to ride cruisers but they are too heavy and are not as much fun as lighter motorcycles. I like motorcycles that have a comfortable ride so I had to change the suspension and seat on the Guzzi. The Kawasaki Z900rs has a comfortable ride and a descent seat right out the box and the stock exhaust sounds great! The things I want the most weren’t mentioned by most people and that is electronic cruise control followed by shaft drive. My hands bother me more now and my knees don’t like cleaning chains. The Guzzi has shaft drive and I love it! I wish someone would come out with a 700-1000cc bike that weighs under 500 lbs and has shaft drive and cruise control with of course a low seat height and a comfortable ride.

Very informative information! Thanks

Thanks for this amazing blog post.

Crap list as most of the bikes are over 30″ seat height.

very informative article..thanks for sharing, keep it up.

I really like it, thanks.

Wow, thank you for this.

NO. Stop giving me lists with bikes of 30+ inches. It doesn’t work, it’s not comfortable, I can’t put a foot down if the ground is slanted. Sure, if I’m at a flat dealership, but the real world has roads with angles. I’m 5’3 with a 29″ inseam and I’m not out of the ordinary for females.

The trouble is not that the magazine listed mostly tall bikes so much as the manufactures simply don’t make short bikes. Even bikes like the Honda Monkey or Grom, or scooters like the Super Club are 30+.

Wow, very interesting

Thank you sharing……

this is a great article.

super useful article, thank you! love the pics with riders to show off bike.

Wanted to have a bike like these bikes, but I’m only 4’11 I guess I have to give up this dream hahahah

I’m 4’10 with a 24 inch inseam and 90lb. Most of these are too big for me. I’ve sat on a Harley 883 but found it too top heavy. Would like a sports bike made for my size without modification

This is an awesome article compilation. It’s a concise good intro for small riders to choose their bike.

Thanks, guys for this timeless & useful tool.

What a crap list. As a short rider, I am NOT looking for a bike with >31″ seat height….

I have a 28″ inseam and agree that a 32″ seat height is far from “small rider” friendly. I also prefer sport-touring and ride on comfortably with only my toes touching. It is a shame that 32″ seems to be the new standard for seat height, but thank you for putting this list together.

I left a comment on this page 2 years ago but thought it might be of interest to update my remarks. I loved my Goldwing, but as a shorter (5’6 or 7″) and older (I am now 79) and after two tip overs, one of which trapped me until I could get help to get out, I decided that this 920 behemoth was just too much for me anymore. Looking around for a bike with a lower seat, yet powerful enough to ride 2 up comfortably I was more than a bit frustrated. I ended up going for 3 wheels. My Can Am Spyder’s stability and comfort have been perfect for myself and my passenger wife. I did add a handlebar riser to make for a better fit, but seat height becomes far less important when you don’t have to put a foot down when coming to a stop. I still use my scooter, a Honda PCX 150 that is great fun to ride, but often wish I could trade that in for a “real” motorycle that would fit me and be fun to ride. Still looking.

What I liked the most about this article were the comments. They made laugh so much. I’m a short rider and I have to say that low center of gravity is key. At 68 I rode a VTX 1300T with no problems (750 lbs.). I had to pick it up from the ground a couple of time and for anyone that doesn’t lift weights, you better carry a winch with you. I tried purchasing an adventure bike (not new) and I couldn’t find one low enough. Ran into an advertised Tiger 1200 xrx low and the dealer told me they had to take it to auction due to some damage. Guess it had been owned by a short rider…

I have a 2007 BMW650 GS single. I’m 5’4” with a 27 “ inseam. The bike came with a short rider configuration but now at 72 I find the bike too heavy and I can’t put my feet flat on the ground. I have had the bike fall over on me at stops. The cruiser style bikes have seat heights that fit but the problem is the forward pegs. I can’t reach them. I really like the Vulcan S but even with the adjustable pegs, they are still to far forward. I have been riding since I was 14 so you would think that with the passage of 58 years, manufacturers could produce something that fits a a variety of rider sizes. They would sell a lot to shorter riders.

My wife & I both like to ride some of our motorcycles which poses a problem because she’s shorter than me. We use Soupy’s Performance lowering links because they’re adjustable even after installed on the bike. I can lower it for her and raise it back to stock height when I want to ride. https://soupysperformance.com/