Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders: Seat Heights Under 30 Inches
Choices for smaller, affordable motorcycles are growing, and that’s good news for riders looking for a fun bike that won’t break the bank. Whether you’re new to riding and want something easy to handle or an experienced rider looking for a lighter or shorter bike, you have more options now than ever when it comes to finding the best motorcycles for smaller riders!
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This is an updated version of a post from 2019 called “Best Bikes for Smaller Riders (and Budgets).” In updating the post, we got lost in translation with the title and wrote “Best Small Motorcycles” instead of “Best Motorcycles for Smaller Riders.” We revised the title accordingly. Thanks for keeping us on our toes!
And regarding the Royal Enfield Meteor 350, its seat height is 30.1 inches. This post lists more than 30 motorcycles with seat heights UNDER 30 inches, so the Meteor 350 will be in a follow-up post listing motorcycles with seat heights 30-30.9 inches (nearly 30 of them).
Motorcycles are engineered for specific purposes and riding applications and aren’t typically developed around the intended rider’s height, with the vast majority of manufacturers opting for a one-size-fits-all approach.
And while it is true that entry-level and small-displacement models tend to be smaller in stature, there is no one single genre of motorcycle that we’d describe as “ideal for vertically challenged pilots” — though cruiser models do tend to have the lowest seat heights across the board.
GETTING A FOOT DOWN
The Traits That Make Motorcycles Ideal For Shorter Riders
Motorcycle Type:
While it will often vary from model to model, certain types of motorcycles tend to make for much better choices for shorter riders. Low-slung cruiser bikes are often ideal, as they boast low seat heights and low centers of gravity, though their ergonomics are often well-spaced out and big-bore models tend to be extremely heavy which can make maneuvering at low speeds challenging.
Generally speaking, sportbikes tend to be a poor choice as they possess incredibly high seat heights, as do adventure bike and dual-sport models to an even greater extent on account of their long-travel suspension and high ground clearance. So, while genre can be a great jumping-off point, it’s worth exploring the specifics of each specific model as there are numerous outliers from each segment in the two-wheeled realm.
Seat Height:
A motorcycle’s seat height (i.e. how far the saddle is from the ground) is arguably the important figure to review for shorter riders when shopping for bikes, as the seat height will ultimately determine if the rider’s leg (or inseam) will be long enough to comfortably place a foot on the ground when stopped.
While discussing seat heights, it’s crucial to note that quite a few modern-day motos come equipped with adjustable seat heights or low-height seats that shave a few inches of the standard seat’s height.
Best Affordable Pick:
At less than $2,500, the California Scooter Company’s San Gabriel (or “SG”) 250 is a great entry-level option for riders interested in a contemporary cafe racer, though, with a sub-275lb (dry) weight and an ultra-low 26” seat height, the Chinese-engined standard is also a fantastic choice for shorter riders.
Offered in numerous livery options including a blacked-out variant, the SG250 also features an inverted front-end, adjustable rear shocks, LED lighting throughout, blacked-out reverse cone mufflers, a humped cafe seat, and a knee-dented tank that allows for some surprisingly spirited riding in the corners.
Despite the incredibly diminutive nature of the bike, the SG250 is also capable of freeway speeds, plus comes equipped with a robust instrumentation setup complete with a gear position indicator and a fuel-gauge — amenities that are very seldom present on budget-minded offerings.
