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The Lowest Of The Low The lowest seat heights on the market By Laura McCarthy, Assistant Editor 4/10/2009

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We thought it would be fun to find all the motorcycles with the lowest seat heights. Seat height is of supreme importance to most women riders because having one's feet flat on the ground is probably the most significant aspect of a motorcycle that gives a woman the confidence she needs to handle the bike. We chose 26.5 inches to be the cut-off height for our list. This is a list of the lowest of the low, but it doesn't necessarily mean these are beginner bikes either. We've ridden many motorcycles and we've found 26.5 inches is a seat height that most riders, short and tall, can handle and be comfortable on whether the motorcycle weighs 700 pounds or 400 pounds. Of course, the lighter the better. So we checked out all the major manufacturer's motorcycles and below is our list. Remember, this is a list of major manufacturers. There are lots of custom choppers and alternative import motorcycles that could have made the list.

One note: Surprisingly, Kawasaki and Suzuki did not make the list. The lowest motorcycle in Kawasaki's lineup is the Vulcan 900 at 26.8 inches. The lowest Suzuki is the entry level Boulevard S40 at 27.6 inches; actually many of the Boulevards have that same seat height. But we had to draw the line and while the S40 is under 400 pounds, that 27.6-inch seat height on a 700-pound motorcycle is a lot to handle for most women. Again, we had to draw the line -- this is the lowest of the low and I repeat not a list of beginner bikes.

Most all of Victory's motorcycles have a seat height of 26.5 inches including the big Vision Tour and Vision Street. We listed just two. Both the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 Custom and the Sportster 1200 Custom also have a seat height below 26.5 inches, but to save space we've only included the Low models. Similarly, all the Harley-Davidson VRSC models have low seat heights, but we've only shown the lighter models.

Getting an honorable mention is the Honda Rebel with a 26.6-inch seat height, and the new Honda Fury chopper with a 26.7-inch seat height. There are certainly lots of great bikes with a seat height higher than 26.5 inches, but light or heavy, we felt 26.5 inches is a height most riders can reach the ground flat footed.

To illustrate our guide, we used pictures of women who own these bikes who've sent in their photo through our Readers' Stories and Readers' Reviews sections. The other photos are from WRN test rides. One other note, many custom chopper manufacturers make very low seat height bikes by virtue of the fact it's a chopper. We've listed only the custom motorcycles we reviewed on WRN.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster Low 883.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster Low 1200.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 883cc Seat Height: 25.3 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.3 gallons Weight: 583 pounds Price: starts at $7,145

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1200cc Seat Height: 26.3 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gallons Weight: 581 pounds Price: starts at $9,697 Read the Review

The Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster Nightster.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 883cc Seat Height: 25.3 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.3 gallons Weight: 565 pounds Price: starts at $7,899

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1200cc Seat Height: 25.3 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.3 gallons Weight: 562 pounds Price: starts at $9,695 Read the Review

The Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob

The Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 25.8 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.8 gallons Weight: 667 pounds Price: starts at $13,795 Read the Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 25.8 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.8 gallons Weight: 672 pounds Price: starts at $14,995 Read the Review

The Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic.

The Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 25.5 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 750 pounds Price: starts at $17,945 Read the Reader Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 25.4 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 714 pounds Price: starts at $17,195 Read the Reader Review

The Harley-Davidson Softail Rocker.

The Harley-Davidson Softail Rocker C.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 24.5 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 690 pounds Price: starts at $17,295 Read the Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 25.25 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 720 pounds Price: starts at $19,840 Read the Review

The Harley-Davidson Softail Night Train.

The Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 25.2 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 682 pounds Price: starts at $15,895

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1584cc Seat Height: 24.5 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 724 pounds Price: starts at $17,445

The Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod Muscle.

The Harley-Davidson VRSC V-Rod.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1250cc Seat Height: 25.6 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 673 pounds Price: $17,199

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1250cc Seat Height: 26 inches Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons Weight: 670 pounds Price: starts $16,695

The Honda Shadow Spirit 750 C2.

The Honda Shadow Aero.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 745cc Seat Height: 25.7 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gallons Weight: 503.5 pounds Price: starts at $6,799 Read the Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 745cc Seat Height: 25.9 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gallons Weight: 553 pounds Price: starts at $6,599 Read the Review

The Yamaha V Star 950.

The Buell Blast Low Profile.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 745cc Seat Height: 25.7 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.7 gallons Weight: 503.5 pounds Price: starts at $6,799 Read the Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 492cc Seat Height: 25.5 inches Fuel Capacity: 2.8 gallons Weight: 360 pounds Price: starts $4,795

The Ridley Auto-Glide.

The Ridley Auto-Glide Chopper.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 750cc Seat Height: 24.5 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.2 gallons Weight: 460 pounds Price: starts at $17,950

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 750cc Seat Height: 24.5 inches Fuel Capacity: 3 gallons Weight: 460 pounds MSRP: $21,500 Read the Review

The Victory Vegas Low.

The Victory Kingpin Low.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1634cc Seat Height: 25.2 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gallons Weight: 651 pounds Price: $15,999 Read the Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1638cc Seat Height: 25.2 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.5 gallons Weight: 676 pounds Price: $16,399 Read the Review

Big Bear Choppers Miss Behavin.

The Big Dog Motorcycles Mastiff.

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1628cc Seat Height: 19 inches Fuel Capacity: 3.8 gallons Weight: 700 pounds Price: starts at $29,900 Read the Review

Specs at a Glance: Displacement: 1917cc Seat Height: 24.25 inches Fuel Capacity: 4.6 gallons Weight: 708 lbs Price: starts at $28,500 Read the Review

Editor's Note: We can see this story really struck up a conversation judging by all the comments coming in. We appreciate your feedback. Please keep the comments coming and tell us why you like your bike and/or what you did to modify it to make it work for you.

I am 4 feet 8 inches and I have a Buell Blast. I don't flat foot it, but that's not a problem for me, I handle it well. I have a lot of fun on it (it does vibrate a lot), but I have grown out of it and want a faster bike, that's not a cruiser. I have sat on many cruisers and a lot of them I can easily lift and reach the ground, but I just don't want a cruiser. I wish there were more lower seat options for sport bikes, because even lowering them 2 to 3 inches is not going to do it for what they have out there. It's frustrating.

Alisha
Litchfield Park, AZ
1/23/2010

I think I missed this article when it first came out. You noted that the Suzuki's don't have short enough seat heights for this article, but there's definitely more to seat height then the actual height. I had a Suzuki Boulevard and have been on the Suzuki S40 (I currently ride a Yamaha Virago that I modified the seat on). I am short (5 feet 2 inches with a short inseam), but I had no problems on either of those Suzuki bikes with their stock seat. I only sat on and rolled the S40 around and was thrilled with the light feel of the bike due to its low center of gravity, but I rode the Boulevard for about 1,700 miles before upgrading to my Virago.

The seat height was fine on both the Suzuki's, and I think it's about the width of the bike as much as it's about seat height. If the bike is very wide, your legs are spread further apart thus causing a low seat height to still seem taller. If a bike has a slightly higher seat height but isn't as wide as some other bikes, it definitely makes a difference, and the tilt of the seat padding is also a part of it.

When I started riding, I saw that the seat height on the Boulevard was higher than I realized and was shocked to discover that because I could more than comfortably flat foot from that seat. And truthfully, the S40 is more comfortable to sit on and wheel around than my modified Virago because of the shape of the seat and the shape of the bike (but I adore my Virago that modifying the seat on the Virago was more important to me than buying the S40 even if the S40 is a more comfortable bike to handle!).

Jenny
Potsdam, NY
1/15/2010

I just bought my first brand new bike, a 2010 Honda Shadow Phantom 750 - my retirement gift! The seat height is 25.7 inches and it weighs 549 pounds. I'm 5 feet 4 inches tall, sit flat footed, and have no trouble handling the bike at all. It's not a shiny bike, which I love, and I plan to black out a few more things and customize some of the paint. I think I'll have this bike for a long time!

Sandi
Shreveport, LA
1/13/2010

Thanks for this article. I'm just barely 5 feet. I ride a '08 Ninja 250R that my husband lowered even a bit more --almost flat footing now. It's a great little bike with bigger looks. I too wish the sport bike designers would consider us little folks, make them so they can be safely lowered or like the Buell Blast, offer optional seat that would lower them a bit more. We all want to ride. You're missing out on sales to a whole other population -- women and shorter guys.

Therese
Wooster, OH
12/29/2009

I appreciated the comments from the woman who went from her '02 Sportster (mine has a solo touring Mustang seat - HIGHLY recommend it!) to a V-Rod Muscle. My dream exactly! I believed cruisers spoke to me as I was looking for my next bike after the Sportster but when I saw and sat on the Muscle, things just clicked. I'm 5 feet 8 inches.

Jet Nesa Bland
Ojai, CA
12/29/2009

To Diana in Athens, PA

I just got an Iron 883. The stock handlebars were just out of my comfort zone so we took the handlebars from a Sportster low, powdercoated them black, and it was perfect. I'm 5 foot 2 inches and the Sporty Low was the absolute best fit, but I just couldn't take all that chrome and shine. Now if I could just find a seat that provides more comfort. I dread a simple 30 mile ride to work. My underside is killing me.


Lisa
Lancaster, CA
5/28/2009

I have an 06 Sportster 883L. I put a Reach seat on it and also had shorter shocks put on it. It lowered about an inch. I also now where an 1 1/2-inch heel that helps me get my feet flat on the ground. I am 5 feet 1 1/2 inches tall. I love riding my Sportster. I had a Honda Shadow Aero before I got my H-D. It was a great first bike for a beginner rider.

Debbie
Boynton Beach, FL
5/12/2009

Sure seat height has its place as a factor in determining a comfortable bike, however, a bike like Harley's Rocker or the Fat Boy have a width issue in the primary area. Not a problem if your 5 feet 7 inches but quite an issue when your 5 feet 3 inches. I always loved the Deluxe and was convinced it was my dream bike until I decided that it was just too darn heavy for what I like to do. I tried a Fat Boy thinking I'd take advantage of one of Harley's discounts, but the width of the bike, especially at the primary, meant that I would have had to drop it down even lower to get both feet firmly on the ground.

As for the Rocker, the fat rear tire makes for an even wider primary and I couldn't get both feet on the ground without being up on my toes and that is too heavy a bike for tippy-toes. Until recently, we had my Street Bob and a Honda Spirit in the garage, and I found the Spirit's forward (unmodified) controls to be a stretch for my short legs. The point of my tale is this, seat height and weight can help you narrow down the field but you have got to sit on a bike to know what's right.

Tazer
Tulsa, OK
5/12/2009

I am currently taking a riders course. I would like advice on the purchase of a bike. I am torn between a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic and the Yamaha 950. I have sat on both but have not ridden. There is quite a difference in price and I would like to know is H-D really worth the money for a beginner?

Lisa
South Holland, IL
5/4/2009
I don't think either is a beginner's bike, quite frankly.
Genevieve Schmitt, Editor

I wear Harley-Davidson boots with a 2-inch heel after my salesman recommended a taller heel. I first thought they would feel clunky but they really help. If you just need a little more reach to the ground, it's worth a try. Much easier to raise the heel than lower the bike.

Paula
Ann Arbor, MI
5/1/2009

I just traded in my 07 XL 883L for an 09 Softail Deluxe. Love it! I'm 5 feet 6 inches and loved the 883L but the ride was a bit rough. The Softail Deluxe is a little lower, which helps with the wider seat. I wasn't sure I'd like the forward controls, but got used to them after five minutes. The Deluxe is balanced so well that it makes it so easy to handle--when in motion. Yes, it's a bit heavier than the Sportster, but the ride is so much smoother!

What a great article! I didn't know there were so many options out there for us.

Lee
Milwaukee, WI
4/24/2009

I'm 5 feet and I picked my older Suzuki Savage 650 because it was a good beginner bike for a short woman. I can put both feet flat on the ground and reach the shifter and hand grips comfortably. It was also good to learn on because it didn't stall at low speeds. Now I am looking for a bigger bike with more guts. Any suggestions?

Dana
Bowling Green, OH
4/21/2009

I have always been 5 foot, 4 inches, but at a health screening last year I was told I was 5 feet 3 inches. I ride a '07 Dyna Super Glide, which is my very first bike that I purchased at the age of 52. I had the Reach Seat installed before the bike was delivered. I still wasn't totally flatfooted. I dropped my bike a couple of times while stopped, and my friends gave me the nickname of Tilt. The Reach Seat helped some, but the bike needed to be lower more.

I had a Harley dealer install a lowering kit on it, which include low profile shocks. With my Dyna lowered, and more riding time and experience, and very good riding friends/teachers, my ride and comfort level has gotten much better. I couldn't tell that it rode any different, regarding to the play that was mentioned earlier. But I surely keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up now.

I will most definitely refer to this article when I am ready to purchase my second bike. Great article.

Earnie
Dover, DE
4/21/2009

I am really curious about HD 1200L. I am 5 feet 2 inches and have been contemplating this bike. Anyone out there with a vote for or against it?

Nancy
Burlington, Ontario
4/21/2009
Read our review of that bike here:
http://www.womenridersnow.com/PublicFiles/DepartmentViewer.asp?DepartmentID=3&ArticleID=36
Genevieve Schmitt, Editor

I am maybe 5 feet 2 inches in heels and I was easily flatfooted on my first bike which was a H-D 883 Sportster Hugger; especially after repositioning the shocks. My next and current bike is a 2006 Dyna Street Bob. Although it has a low seat height, it is a much wider bike.

One of the best things I had done on my current bike is to have the stock seat redone about a year ago. I found Tim "the Seat Man" in ROAR Motorcycles for Women (in Daytona Beach). After sitting on some of the bikes in their shop, I realized this guy knew how to lower me without lowering my bike. I can now reach the ground and my highway pegs with ease. He also made the seat so comfortable and put in a really cool design. Best of all, the price was reasonable.

When looking at potential bikes for the future, I can now consider bikes that would fit me perfect with a little seat adjustment from Tim.

Debbie Speicher
Tampa, FL
4/20/2009

Diana from Athens: I had a Sportster 883. I am 5 feet 2 inches. I bought a Reach seat. I thought it was very uncomfortable though. Then I bought a Softail Deluxe. I can reach the ground with no problems.

Carol
Wellington, OH
4/20/2009

It's an interesting article but I'm one of the gals who find cruisers woefully uninspiring. I began riding in the late 70s (Honda CB650 - I never was into the cruiser mode even as a young thing). I gave it up when we had our kids. Now that they are all grown and gone, we decided to pick up the hobby again a couple of years ago. I tried being a pillion on the back of my husband's BMW LT but it was beyond boring to look at the back of a helmet for hour after hour so I spent months doing research, finding the right bike for me.

It was downright frustrating to learn the motorcycle industry STILL builds bikes to the the average man. At 5 feet 4 inches tall, I found my options were severely limited. I think manufacturers assume (salesmen sure do) women will gravitate towards the cruisers because the rest of their bikes have seat heights that are too high for a lot of women (a lot of guys too). Call me a rebel but I wasn't willing to settle.

In spite of my obvious vertical challenge, my ride is a 2008 Yamaha FJR - 1300cc super sport touring perfection. I haven't had it quite a year yet but I've put more than 14,000 miles on it already. How did I make a bike that size work? Two things: Yamaha's overall design has a low center of balance so it doesn't feel like a heavy bike to begin with, and I had it lowered. It was a simple suspension link, cost me under $100 including labor. The bike still rides smooth as silk at low speeds (down to 3 miles an hour and will drive a straight line without any difficulty) and it gobbles up highways and byways at higher speeds without a second thought. Now my feet aren't totally flat on the ground when I'm stopped but it's close. I've never had a bit of problem in tight corners or in parking lots. Even on those obnoxious ramps on the highways where they slope and traffic comes to a halt, it's no problem. I'm in control and I love it.

If you are like me and cruisers don't speak to you, no worries, there are options out there for you!

Bonny
Columbia City, OR
4/20/2009

I am 5 feet 3 inches and ride a '08 Softail Deluxe. I am flatfooted on it and am able to handle it fine. My first bike was a '00 Fat Boy and I was also flatfooted on that bike but my husband did put risers on the handlbars. Both of these bikes were great for me. Each had the original seat as well.

JoAnne
Greenville, PA
4/20/2009

I have ridden a Star 1100 Custom for years and it is a great bike for women. It's big enough for longer rides and easy to handle in stop and go traffic. It is a really fun bike to ride. Bought risers and pullback handlebars to make the reach more comfortable and it brought me back to a better riding position. I really don't have any complaints about this bike.

Melody Matoza
Bishop, CA
4/20/2009

I am 5-feet-2 and I ride a '95 Yamaha Virago 1100, which unfortunately they do not make any more, and I can flat foot it easily. It is lightweight, has a narrow but comfortable seat and easy to handle. I haven't had any modifications to it as I can reach every thing. I have had other bikes in the past and sat on quite a few but they don't seem to "feel" just right to me. If you're looking for a bike make sure you are comfortable on it and ride safe out there.

Heidi
Bunker Hill, WV
4/20/2009

Your thoughts on this article.