The Lowest of the Low Motorcycles

I, too, ride a Triumph Speedmaster and highly recommend it also. Great maneuverability and just overall easy to ride. The new Triumph Bobber is great alternative for us shorter riders. Well-worth test riding a Triumph.

Where are the “beginner” bikes. All these bikes are kinda large?

I cannot figure out how a woman weighing only 135 pounds and 5 feet 3 inches can hold up and ride a bike that weighs 750 pounds. Help me understand this concept.

Great article. Glad I found this website. I just moved up in bike size from my 2011 Harley-Davidson Sportster SuperLow (what a great starter bike), to a 2012 Victory Cross Roads. I wanted a “baby Road King” and that is what I have. It is low enough for me (I am barely 5 feet 1 inch); it handles well (still getting used to low speed handling as it is bigger), and fits like a dream. I would love to write a review on it if desired.

I was bought as a gift by my partner, a two-tone blue 1986 Honda Shadow VT. She is a beauty that makes heads turn. My problem is that the seat is too low. I am a bit on the tall side 5 feet 9 inches, long legs.I love this bike even though I just got it. I was wondering if it would be a better idea to have the original sear opened up, re-stuffed and sewn back together to give me at least 3 more inches. There are a few guys around here that do this. Unfortunately nobody wants to work on older bikes. Any opinion would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I ride a 750 Honda Shadow, I’m 4 feet 1 inches tall. It is the only bike I can flat foot and be comfortable. I have had two Hondas and have sat on many other brands of bikes, none lower.

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!).

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.

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.

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.

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.

I'm 5 feet 2 inches (and fairly short in the leg), my current bike is a Moto Guzzi Breva 750 which I've had for 6 months now and I love it. I've had a bit taken out of the seat (though I don't think it made much difference). You can also get what Moto Guzzi calls a “lady seat.” I've got the suspension on the lowest setting, you can also get lowering kits. I'm on tip toes most of the time, but the centre of gravity is fairly low, so I've not felt the need to lower it and not dropped it yet (not while riding it anyway).

The cruiser version – the Nevada – is an inch or so lower still – so when I shrink further into old age, I might have a go.

My previous bike was a 2002 BMW F 650 GS – factory lowered, low seat option. I was definitely less on tip toes, but the centre of gravity was higher than the Moto Guzzi, (and with less experience back then) it was dropped a few times. I still miss my “thumper.” When it was stolen, I went for another but the new model was a little higher and heavier, and I couldn't get one to test ride.

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.

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.

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.

I ride a 2005 Honda VTX1300R. I am 5 feet 6 inches, and I can more than easily flat foot this bike. The seat height on the spec sheet lists it at 27.4 inches, but the bike is not as wide at the seat as many of the larger cruisers so it is easier to sit flat footed, in fact my knees have a fair amount of “bend” to them. I have had several other women riders shorter than myself sit on my bike and they are pleasantly surprised how well the bike fits them and how easy it is to lift it from the kickstand.

It is very well balanced and I have added a lot of equipment to the stock bike so it is much heavier than when it came from the showroom floor. In fact my VTX is not as “top heavy” as a Harley Sportster. I have found the only Harley that even comes close to my VTX in the seat height category is the Softail Deluxe or Heritage (and my VTX is much easier on the pocketbook to accessorize). It is equally important to be able to comfortably reach the handlebars, the foot controls, etc., especially if you are on long rides. The best thing for women riders to do is go out and sit on as many bikes as possible before you buy and find out which ones “feel” the best. You will be glad you did!

My first bike was a 2000 Suzuki GZ250. My new bike is a 1995 Yamaha Virago 535. Both bikes fit my really well. I'm 5 feet 2 inches who always wears petite pants (no idea of what my inseam is, though). My Suzuki was a great height. The Yamaha is a good height, but it's not perfect. I have to be careful. While my feet hit the ground perfectly, my right leg sits right against the exhaust pipe. In our current, cold weather, this isn't a problem, but in summer, it burns (and will melt rain gear).

I'm getting my seat lowered on my Virago. Well, it's not exactly being lowered. I found a company that will re-do the seats. They're taking my stock seat and re-stuffing it with better foam, and in the process, they're knocking around 1/4 – 1/2 inch off it. I'm really glad that I haven't had to deal with getting lowering kits. I've looked for bikes that I can flat foot without extra work. That being said, many folks think that 535cc is way too small to bother with. In general, this bike is the perfect size for me, and if I start speeding far beyond the speed limit, the bike shakes enough to remind me that perhaps 75+ mph when the speed limit is 55 mph is bad.

I have a 2009 Harley Super Glide Custom. I am 5 feet 7 inch and was a little tippee-toed in the showroom , mostly due to the seat being kinda wide for me. My salesperson, Donna, traded the seat for one that I liked on a Low Rider in the showroom. It was much narrower where it counted and all of the sudden it fit perfectly.

At age 50, 5 feet 1 inch tall I found my new Ridley Auto Glide at 24.5-inch seat height and 750cc fully automatic transmission to be a dream come true. I only have 200 miles on it in a week since the spring rains have dampened my days but there will be many rides to come.

I also own a Yamaha Morphous at 25.5 inch seat height. I have ridden many a 500 mile day in the Morphous saddle and be totally comfortable.

On both I can flat foot as long as I have my Harley riding boots on with the extra 3.4 lift in the ball of the foot. I can't part with my Morphous so it is being kept company by the Ridley as we wait for the rain clouds to part!

I was disappointed to see mostly HD on your list. I am 5-feet-4 (if I stretch really hard) and while I did have a '89 HD (lowered) I now have a BMW R 1200 C (cruiser). I had the seat narrowed by 1 inch on each side and can get my feet firmly on the ground.

My first bike was a Suzuki Intruder 800 (red!) and it fit my frame perfectly. I only changed to the HD because we had it in the garage and I didn't want three motorcycles — oh well – now we have five.

I'm 5 feet and I ride a Yamaha V Star 1100. I am kind of tiptoed, but the balnace is great. I have hard bags and a windscreen on it. I travel all over the country on it and can pack enough for two weeks easy.

I think the manufacturers need to wake up. Of all of your bikes shown in this article, only one is anything like a standard or a sportbike (the Buell Blast). Not all of us short gals want to ride a cruiser. We enjoy the sportier bikes with the better handling, brakes, etc. Also, riding with your feet under you, as opposed to stretched out in front, is much better for controlling your bike. It is always a disappointment every year when the new models come out to see that the manufacturers have continued to raise seat heights on most of their sportier models.

I am 5 feet 2 inches and have learned to “one foot” it on bikes that I want to ride, but even then, some are still unaccessible (especially when you can't even get them off the kickstand).

I know the manufacturers can make sportbikes with low seats – I have a CBR400RR (Japanese domestic model) that I can flat foot easily. It's a great little bike to ride! Too bad Honda has quit making them and never brought them into the US.

It is discouraging for a lot of shorter riders to have to modify the heck out of the sportbikes and standards they want to ride (not to mention the added expense) when it would be great to get one right off the showroom floor that is low enough to ride home on.

BMW is moving the right direction with different seat options and even one (I think) with a lower frame configuration.

My first bike was a 2005 SV650S which I had slammed as low as it would go and I had problems with rubbing/bottoming I out. I found when I lowered the bike it didn't handle as well on track days so I decided that stock height was the way I was going to keep it.

Now I ride a Yamaha R6, 32 inch seat height and I am only 5 feet 3 inches. I have had to learn to get off of the bike to manuever it around and back up. It took some time but I got used to it.

As I was a new rider in 2002 at the age of 52, I was totally frustrated trying to find my second bike. I sat on, demo-ed every brand I could find. I eventually purchased a 2003 Suzuki Volusia. 80,000 miles later in 2007 having no other mechanical problems was beginning to hear a drive chain noise so I started looking around for another bike.

Once again I opted for another Suzuiki, 2007 Boulevard. This bike does everything I want from traveling the twisty side roads to interstate without question. I did have a clutch problem but it was a fluke that can happen to any bikes.

I am 5-feet-6 and an 'old' lady — 60 years young' so I have always looked for a bike with as big of a motor with low weight. I have learned in the last couple of years now to look at the balance of the bike combined with weight/height and with ride comfort.I honestly do not think my Boulevard can be beat. Accessories, either aftermarket or OEM, there is a lot to pick and choose from, too much in fact for my pocket book.

I'm 5 feet 4 inches, and although I think my seat height is a tad higher than 26.5 inches, I ADORE my 1999 Ducati M900 Monster. First, it's a liter bike (90-degree V-twin air cooled), and it is short enough and narrow enough that I really don't have any trouble putting my feet down at stops. I've found that if a bike is narrow and not too wide, I can get away with a slightly higher seat height.

Also, my beloved Monster is fairly lightweight, about 420 pounds “soaking wet” and it handles like a fast horse in a jump off. I can literally lean her over in curves by moving my knees and seat (just like a horse). That bike is very agile and I wouldn't trade her for anything.

My boyfriend was a smart man insisting this was the bike for me. Not only does my Ducati have a great powerband (lots of torque!) but I can manually push her around and do extremely slow-speed maneuvers with confidence!

If you have the means, I highly recommend giving one a test ride.

I can understand the desire to be flat footed on a motorcycle. My daughters and I are all 5 feet 4 inches and ride European brands. (My husband has a motorcycle dealership.) I ride a BMW F 650 GS low seat height, one daughter rides a Triumph Street Triple and the other a Ducati Monster. All managable and comfortable for us on the street and my F 650 GS on and off road. With a substantial boot and a 1-inch chuncky heel we are all flat footed with a straight leg.

Make sure you try out all makes and models before making a decision. Sitting low on a bike should not always be the deciding factor. The agility and responsiveness of the bike is so important to street riding.

I have a 2005 Sportster 883 Low. I'm 5-feet-3 and I am still tippy toe. So I think that makes a difference. I want a bigger bike like a Dyna or Softail, but I choke when I see the prices.

Hey no one has mentioned sidecars!
I have a 2007 Ural Tourist. It never falls over and I have trunk to put my handbag in. How good is that?!

I ride an 08' Deluxe and love the fact that I can flat foot it so easily. I was nervous about buying a bike that was so heavy for a “first” bike, but I don't regret it now for one moment. IMO it's all about what's in your head. Once those wheels start turning it is a breeze to handle. Sure it takes some getting used to initially.

My only issue is sometimes when I get my wheel in a rut, trying to push the bike out of it can be a challenge, but because I can flat foot it so easily that helps, and fortunately I hardly ever get in a rut or hole. I, too, when I first sat on the bike felt as though the seat was a little wide, but now I can't even tell and of course that shouldn't be a deterrent from buying the bike as you can always either have the seat customized or swap out with another seat.

I'm 5 feet 6 inches and I rode a 250 in the MSF course. I felt too small to me. It was great for manuvering around the cones though. I think for trail riding the lighter bikes are great, but for street riding I like the heavier bikes better.
In the end everyone should ride the bike that they feel the most comfortable and confident on so they can enjoy their ride.

I am 5 feet and I ride a Yamaha V Star 650. My husband lowered it (front and back) another 1 to 1 1/2 inch and extended the handlebars. It now fits perfectly! I agree with the comments about the width of the bike also being important. I was unable to ride several of the bikes that you mention because of the width (not necessarily the height). Overall, articles like this are great for us vertically challenged women. Thanks!

It's not just seat height and weight to consider, how far you have to reach to handle the controls and to make smooth precise turns is extremely important. When choosing a motorcycle, have someone hold it up so you can put both feet on the pegs. If you have to hunch your shoulders and lock your elbows to reach the brake or clutch levers, adjustments or maybe modifications need to be made to the handlebars.

Many people fail to examine this critical issue. If you know how to properly lift the motorcycle off the side stand, it doesn't matter if it weighs 300 or 700 pounds. If you straighten the front wheel slightly past the center to the right, it takes no effort. Most people try to lift the bike while the front tire is still turned to the left in the parking position.

I'm 5 feet 5 inches and ride a 2005 Honda Shadow Aero and just love it! It fits perfect. I just bought a 2006 VTX 1300 and believe it will just as great a bike.

Just bought my first motorcycle, a Ridley Auto-Glide Classic. One of the major selling points was the fact that it has a seat height of only 25 inches. That's a plus for me as I'm only a sneeze above 5 feet. Getting on and off my husband's Indian Scout was always nerve-wracking, and holding it up. Forget about it!

I have an 883L, which I love. I bought her two years ago have have put 15,600-plus miles on her. I really enjoy being able to flatfoot the bike, especially since I've now fixed it up so my 5-year-old grandson can ride with me. I need the security of knowing I can support the bike and my grandson's weight during stops and moving around in parking lots. Thanks for the article! A friend told me the Harley Softail Deluxe was even lower than my bike, and your article proved her right.

At age 66 and counting, I love my Honda Helix. It does everthing I want, flat feet on the ground and plenty of storage. Yes, it's a scooter but it has all the fresh air and fun my previous Harley had.

Great subject to bring up as this is a major concern as well as other issues. One bike not mentioned is the new production model from ROAR motorcycles – the WildKat. This bike is designed for women and has an adjustable seat height from 23.5 to 29.5 inches.

I would be interested in any woman's comment on the Rocker or Rocker C. Looks like a bad bike and I have it eyed for my next one. Right now I have a 1200 Sportster with a Reach Seat.

Even though I already have a Softail Deluxe I put a Harley “Reach Seat” on it which lowered it even more. I feel very secure when I stop.

What? That's it? That's pitiful! Manufacturers should wise-up. Women are a growing market. I hope there will be manufacturers present at the AMA Women and Motorcycling Conference to listen to women's needs. Thanks for the article.