Is it me or are bike seat heights getting lower?

kawakid · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Karma :

As a person who's not tall, i've suffered with bike seat height over the years and have been limitted to bikes that I can flat foot on both feet. I'm 5'8" with a 29-30" leg

But something has changed and I haven't grown.

In the past I could simply not flat foot a GSXR750, Now for example the 2017 no problems, walking round the NEC on the last day of the show, there was simply lots more bikes that were lower.

I know everyone will always say you only need to flat foot one, but that's not for me! Done it, found a funny camber and off I goes...

In the past I have fitted dog bones and even custom Hagons, but it seems that's no longer an issue.
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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I suspect they are more getting narrower. Vertically stacked engines, front mounted alternators, titchy water jackets and a tendancy to have side plastics filling spaces in the frame rather than sitting over them. Airbox over the top rather than in the middle. Small throttle bodies rather than big carbs. It all fits in a much smaller frontal area.

Your legs don't get spread apart as much by the width of the bike so it's easier to reach the ground.

A modern lirtre engine is about the same size as a 90's 400.
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pinkyfloyd · Super Spammer Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Karma :

Sone are getting higher. The yami R1 in the 90's had a seat height of around 815mm. Their current R1 is 855mm.

For people like me with short legs this is an issue. I was fine on the old R1, That extra 4cm means I do not feel comfortable on the new one.
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Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

860mm on the MV.

Seat is wafer thin.
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Alpineandy · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2015 Karma :

howfastdoesit... · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 10 Oct 2016 Karma :

Mine has got lower but I think that's my diet or lack of.

NutsyUk · Nearly there... Joined: 22 Jun 2016 Karma :

Should try mounting a horse... Thats a tall seat to try and get into :p

Though sadly cant say for sure, my lexmoto seat seems a little low when im in it. But i think thats more due to me being hidiously over weight... I weighed myself yesterday. Ive now crept over 14 stone D:
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TheSmiler · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2011 Karma :

M.C · Super Spammer Joined: 29 Sep 2015 Karma :

Groove · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Karma :

Meh I'm a hobbit. 5ft 6, maybe 7 on a good day. Can pretty much flat for the k6 but the triple im doing a ballerina stance. Both the same age give or take 6 months.
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B5234FT · Brolly Dolly Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Karma :

Alpineandy · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2015 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Depending on the bike, going up to mid 2000s sports bikes were getting more compact.
This doesn't always directly relate to lower - for instance the 675 is pretty high, though very thin, but still does have a compact 'cockpit'.
I don't think they've changed much since then overall.

Dirt bikes have stayed with pretty similar ergonomics for a long time.

grr666 · Super Spammer Joined: 16 Jun 2014 Karma :

849.5mm on the Spacker.

Sauce-https://www.phoenixmotorcycles.co.uk/showroom/mt/mt-09-sport-tracker-abs/

At low speeds I could happily have an inch taken off the height of mine if I'm being honest. Then again I do like the
height when I'm in the traffic. And I can ride for hours without my gammy knee playing me up.
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c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

They seems to be. Just head on over to ADV forums you've got all the Americans moaning that adventure bike seat heights are too tall for them.

I'm 5'10 and have no problem with a 35" seat height on my 950 ADV

techathy · Traffic Copper Joined: 09 Aug 2015 Karma :

What stinkwheel said. When I was looking for a second bike I got the impression that while absolute seat height was higher on newer bikes, so harder to get on at 5' 6", once on I wasn't tip-toeing as much.
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