I
t's hard to pinpoint a real-world seat-
height measurement on any motor-
cycle. When you factor in the arc of rear
suspension travel, static sag, rider sag,
seat foam density, that number on the
spec sheet quickly becomes less mean-
ingful. I've often seen riders look at a
spec sheet and say, well I have a 31-inch
inseam and that bike has a 32-inch seat
height. Therefore, it's too tall for me.
False!
This is one of the greatest misconcep-
tions out there in my experience. For any-
one shopping for a motorcycle that can
fit their limited stature, I encourage them
to visit a dealership and sit on the bike
for themselves. There is no substitute for
actually feeling the size of a motorcycle
underneath you and experiencing it
firsthand.
As for myself, I have a 31.5-inch in-
seam and the KLX230 S has a published
32.7-inch seat height. But what happens
when I sit on the bike? You can see I can
comfortably flat-foot on both sides. On
dirt bikes with seat heights of up to 40
inches I can still reach the ground (one
toe, but still…) once seated on the bike.
Take seat-height measurements with
a grain of salt because they have limited
relevance to real-world ergonomics. Go to a
dealership and start swinging legs over mo-
torcycles to see for yourself what fits best.
TRUTH
ABOUT
SEAT
HEIGHT
This is what 31.5-
inch inseam on
a 32.7-inch seat
height looks like.
Don't be fooled by
spec sheets!
VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P85
Rider interface is clear
and straightforward.
