Dirt Bike Seat Heights: Explained
The seat height of a dirt bike can seem like a really big deal: too
tall and you can barely touch the ground, too short and you feel like you’re going to fly right
over the handlebars.
But most full-sized production bikes have seat heights within a relatively narrow range (35-39”
is the norm). Full-sized machines offer more power, more suspension travel, and larger wheels. If you want the most capable machine, a full-sized bike is the way to go.
But what if a full-sized bike is too tall? Are you forced to ride a less-capable machine if you're vertically challenged?
The trick to choosing the right size bike is weighing what's more important to you: touching the
ground, or having the most capable machine.
We’ll break down the decision-making criteria for you here.
However, a combination of manufacturing feasibility (i.e. cost) and the desire to produce the best all-around performing machines (the perfect blend of ground clearance, wheelbase length, cockpit size, suspension travel, and weight) has driven the industry toward a standard seat height of about 37-38” for full-sized machines.
Significantly shorter seats can be found on smaller-frame bikes designed for younger riders or on lower performance trail bikes targeted at teens and small adults, but with them you get smaller wheels, shorter wheelbases, lower-tech suspensions, and lower-performance engines. Consequently, these bikes are generally not considered to be on the same competitive playing field as the full-sized bikes.
For a smaller or newer rider looking for confidence-boosting footing, sacrificing performance to get a lower seat height will make your learning curve easier and more fun. But for the more aggressive rider looking to get the most out of themselves and their bike, choosing a full-sized bike with a seat that feels “too tall” will result in a more capable pairing in the long-run—even if you seem to tip over a lot early on. There are top-level riders in all disciplines who are “short,” but all of them ride full-sized bikes.
For shorter riders…
As a guideline, if you are over 5’0”, you are tall enough to ride a full-sized bike (if you want to). Will it feel too tall sometimes? It will. Will certain things be more challenging for you than for your taller buddies? You bet. But what you gain in the performance of the full-sized machine is worth the trade-off. (There are also things you can do to lower the bike if you choose.)
For taller riders…
On the other end of the spectrum, are there bikes specifically built to suit taller riders? In short (no pun intended)…not really. The tallest bikes on the market are in the 39” seat height range, but in order to appeal to the broadest segment of the market, the overall ergonomics of these bikes are still designed to work for a rider around 5’10”. Some bikes have slightly larger or more adjustable cockpits than others (discussed below).
For beginners...
What Seat Height is Right for Me?
In a perfect world, bikes would be manufactured in an infinite combination of seat heights and engine sizes so that riders of all heights could match the size of the bike to the size of themselves.However, a combination of manufacturing feasibility (i.e. cost) and the desire to produce the best all-around performing machines (the perfect blend of ground clearance, wheelbase length, cockpit size, suspension travel, and weight) has driven the industry toward a standard seat height of about 37-38” for full-sized machines.
Significantly shorter seats can be found on smaller-frame bikes designed for younger riders or on lower performance trail bikes targeted at teens and small adults, but with them you get smaller wheels, shorter wheelbases, lower-tech suspensions, and lower-performance engines. Consequently, these bikes are generally not considered to be on the same competitive playing field as the full-sized bikes.
For a smaller or newer rider looking for confidence-boosting footing, sacrificing performance to get a lower seat height will make your learning curve easier and more fun. But for the more aggressive rider looking to get the most out of themselves and their bike, choosing a full-sized bike with a seat that feels “too tall” will result in a more capable pairing in the long-run—even if you seem to tip over a lot early on. There are top-level riders in all disciplines who are “short,” but all of them ride full-sized bikes.
For shorter riders…
As a guideline, if you are over 5’0”, you are tall enough to ride a full-sized bike (if you want to). Will it feel too tall sometimes? It will. Will certain things be more challenging for you than for your taller buddies? You bet. But what you gain in the performance of the full-sized machine is worth the trade-off. (There are also things you can do to lower the bike if you choose.)
Generally, riders under 5’7” who are looking for the most manageable full-sized machines should look for bikes with seats around 34”-36” high.
For taller riders…
On the other end of the spectrum, are there bikes specifically built to suit taller riders? In short (no pun intended)…not really. The tallest bikes on the market are in the 39” seat height range, but in order to appeal to the broadest segment of the market, the overall ergonomics of these bikes are still designed to work for a rider around 5’10”. Some bikes have slightly larger or more adjustable cockpits than others (discussed below).
If you are 6’3” or over, you may want to make some adjustments to your bike to feel more comfortable (taller seat foam, adjustable pegs, and taller handlebars are common modifications).
For beginners...
Touching the ground is much more important for a beginner rider than for an expert. As you
are
learning, you’ll need to touch the ground to catch your balance and navigate terrain that
feels
unpredictable. But with improved balance and better feel for the bike and the terrain, you
will
find yourself relying on footing less and less. Remember, the pegs are more than a footrest:
they are a leverage point that allows you to lean the bike, push down for more traction,
compress the rear suspension for wheelies, and grip the bike to pull it sideways in the air.
Riding with your feet on the pegs is virtually always more effective than sticking your feet
out.
How quickly you learn and how confident you are will determine how important reaching to ground is to you on your learning journey.
The Spec Sheet Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
You might be wondering how it's possible that someone with a 30" inseam could possibly ride a bike with a 37" seat. Although the spec sheet may list a seat height of 37", don't panic: there are a number of things that contribute to the “actual” seat height that the rider feels, including rear suspension sag (how much the bike drops with your weight on it), the plushness of the seat foam, the thickness of your boot soles (yes, really), and the width of the bike frame (a narrower bike makes it easier to reach the ground). Contrary to what the math suggests, a rider with a 30" inseam will likely be able to get both toes on the ground on a bike with a 37" seat. The spec sheets give us a rough guide of the height difference between different models, but sometimes, a bike with a 37” seat feels TALLER than a bike with a claimed 38” seat. The spec sheet is not gospel!
More important than the exact seat height
is
the cockpit size, which refers to the distances between the pegs, seat,
and
handlebars, respectively. Some bikes with very tall seats might actually have very cramped
cockpits, and
some
shorter bikes still have very large cockpits. For virtually every discipline except hard
enduro
(extremely technical terrain), having the size of the cockpit fit your stature is more
important
than being able to flat-foot the ground. If you’re of average height and are deciding between
different bikes with different seat heights, try to test-sit each model prior to
buying—don’t
base the whole decision on the seat height alone!
On the contrary, in motocross, the riders’ feet leave the ground when they leave the starting gate, and they hardly touch again until they roll back into the pits after the race. For them, having a bike with the best suspension and best ergonomics is top priority, with ground access an afterthought.
Shaving the seat foam or installing an aftermarket low seat (a seat with a slimmer profile) reduces the height of the bike by simply making the seat thinner. Shaving the foam is free, while an aftermarket seat can run around $300. This modification usually gains you a 0.5 – 1” reduction in seat height.
Drawbacks to shaving the foam are that the seat usually ends up being firmer, the seat cover may not fit quite right (wrinkled due to excess material), and the resulting shape of the seat can be more dished out than the OEM profile. A dished seat makes it harder to slide forward and backward but can make it easier to stay in the saddle on steep climbs or rough ground.
Installing a lowering link can reduce the ride height between 1-4”. A lowering link is a replacement for the stock rear suspension linkage that lowers the rear of the bike. The significant seat height reduction is an obvious advantage, but there are two key disadvantages: reduced ground clearance and altered suspension geometry. Lowering the rear of the bike changes everything from the rake angle of the forks to the travel of the rear shock, which can have negative effects on the bike’s steering, bump absorption, and bottoming resistance. Raising the forks in the triple clamps can somewhat offset the effects of the lowered rear, but at the cost of further reduced ground clearance.
The Type of Riding You Do Affects the Importance of Seat Height!
For riders tackling technical off-road terrain like rocky creek beds, logs, and steep hills, using your feet to paddle along the ground is more a necessity than a mere convenience. In this slow and technical riding where footing is critical, every inch of seat height DOES matter, and riders are more willing to sacrifice bike performance to achieve lower seat heights than they are in other disciplines. (However, these riders prefer to modify a full-sized bike to make it lower rather than opt for a shorter wheelbase or lower performance bike that comes with a lower stock seat height.)On the contrary, in motocross, the riders’ feet leave the ground when they leave the starting gate, and they hardly touch again until they roll back into the pits after the race. For them, having a bike with the best suspension and best ergonomics is top priority, with ground access an afterthought.
In general, the SLOWER and more TECHNICAL your riding gets (the rougher the terrain), the more important touching the ground becomes.
Adapting a Bike for a Shorter Rider
Lowering a bike can be accomplished in a couple of ways.Shaving the seat foam or installing an aftermarket low seat (a seat with a slimmer profile) reduces the height of the bike by simply making the seat thinner. Shaving the foam is free, while an aftermarket seat can run around $300. This modification usually gains you a 0.5 – 1” reduction in seat height.
Drawbacks to shaving the foam are that the seat usually ends up being firmer, the seat cover may not fit quite right (wrinkled due to excess material), and the resulting shape of the seat can be more dished out than the OEM profile. A dished seat makes it harder to slide forward and backward but can make it easier to stay in the saddle on steep climbs or rough ground.
Installing a lowering link can reduce the ride height between 1-4”. A lowering link is a replacement for the stock rear suspension linkage that lowers the rear of the bike. The significant seat height reduction is an obvious advantage, but there are two key disadvantages: reduced ground clearance and altered suspension geometry. Lowering the rear of the bike changes everything from the rake angle of the forks to the travel of the rear shock, which can have negative effects on the bike’s steering, bump absorption, and bottoming resistance. Raising the forks in the triple clamps can somewhat offset the effects of the lowered rear, but at the cost of further reduced ground clearance.
Lowering/shortening the full suspension (both front and rear) is possible with a good suspension shop and an ample budget.
Modifications will be made to the forks, rear shock, and rear spring, and while this
approach
will have fewer negative effects on the suspension geometry than a bolt-on lowering link
will,
the result remains a bike with less ground clearance and geometry that is different than was
intended by the factory. However, if lowering a bike more than an inch is your goal, this is
undoubtedly
the best way to go about it.
Taller seat foam is available for most bikes and is the easiest way of increasing the peg-to-seat distance. There are also adjustable aftermarket pegs that allow the pegs to be moved downward or rearward.
Bar risers are a quick bolt-on option for making the handlebars higher, and some triple clamps come with multiple sets of mounting holes that allow the handlebars to be moved forward to further open up the cockpit.
Adapting a Bike for a Taller Rider
For a taller rider, the seat height itself—provided that you are riding a full-sized machine—is not the key issue: it’s the cockpit size that will be of greater concern.Taller seat foam is available for most bikes and is the easiest way of increasing the peg-to-seat distance. There are also adjustable aftermarket pegs that allow the pegs to be moved downward or rearward.
Bar risers are a quick bolt-on option for making the handlebars higher, and some triple clamps come with multiple sets of mounting holes that allow the handlebars to be moved forward to further open up the cockpit.