What Size Motorcycle Do I Need For My Weight

How to Choose a Motorcycle That Fits Your Height and Size

August v, 2021

Have you sat on a motorcycle, and information technology only didn't feel right? Too high? Likewise depression? As well wide and unable to attain the footing well? Does it seem to fit, only you don't similar the balance from side to side? Mayhap you're simply wondering what size motorcycle you need?

In that location are a lot of reasons why a motorbike may not feel similar information technology's meant for yous. Motorcycle riding is about comfort and experience, and lacking those key components can be unsettling. To go the well-nigh out of your motorcycling experience and ensure that your rides are as safe equally they can be , you demand to have a motorbike that fits your elevation and size. This article will help you achieve that below.

Signs of a Poorly Fitting Motorbike

Motorcycling is about balance. Here are some signs that you can utilise to help place poor fit:

Unable to sit with both feet apartment on the basis
Existence on the tip of your toes while standing
Unable to reach the controls
Stretching excessively to accomplish the hand or human foot controls
Unable to sit comfortably on the motorcycle

It's natural for a new passenger to feel awkward when treatment their first motorcycle. However, if you lot generally feel bad-mannered while on your motorcycle, that's reason plenty to take a closer look at the ergonomics and see if changes tin be made to accommodate y'all. If you accept a question on how you should sit, cheque out this article on motorcycle ergonomics .

Finding The Right Type of Motorcycle

An infographic showing the different types of motorcycles and their typical body shapes.

Everyone has their perfect motorbike in heed, and the question of what fits is e'er associated with that perfection. So, to give you an idea about the different types of motorcycles, we've broken them downwardly a chip to give you plenty information to take an stance on what style will work all-time for you. For even more information on different types of motorcycles, visit our Beginner'south Guide to Types of Motorcycles .

Cruisers typically accept pretty low seat heights. It'south often said that you sit in , rather than on , a cruiser which makes them a "comfortable" pick with new riders . Cruisers come up in diverse designs, from fundamental to intricate ones.
Sportbikes are nimble athletes designed to be aerodynamic and permit high lean angles in the corners. This tin can mean shorter riders volition be on the tip of their toes trying to reach the ground.
Touring motorcycles are the comfortable La-Z-Boys of the motorcycle world. Designed to ride an extended period with all the comforts, they tend to be on the heavier terminate of bachelor choices. They can vary slightly from brand to brand and are typically mixed with Sport Touring designs that offer fewer comforts and replace them with sports styling.
Standard styling is a uncomplicated mix of role and visual appeal. They do everything on the streets well and aren't designed with a particular focus. Standards come in a variety of engine sizes, and accommodating motorcycle sizes, so you should be able to find something that fits you well.
Dual-Sport motorcycles tin practise information technology all. They can cruise beyond the country, on the highway, or the dirt, and so if you want the one style that you could ride anywhere year-round, the dual-sport may exist what you're after. The seat height tends to exist a little taller because of the off-road clearance, then be sure to consider that when sizing.

A couple of things to notation nigh generalizing the styling as it relates to fitment:

Engine size doesn't always equate to the capability of the motorcycle. A 600cc engine on a Standard may have one-half the power of a 600cc engine on a Sport motorcycle. Exist sure to ascertain what you want the motorcycle for, and let that to guide what you need to look for. If you program to commute and ride a little on the weekends, it may not brand sense to get something with a big engine if it'south not necessary.
Allow your experience also to guide you on the choice. If you lot're new to motorcycling, be certain to decide on a motorcycle that fits your needs and what y'all can handle. A Touring motorcycle may exist more weight than y'all're ready to handle, all the same a small standard may not exist enough if you're a big person.

How to Cull a Motorcycle That Fits You

There are several ways to cheque whether the motorcycle you're looking at is the right size for you. Try the following:

Get the cycle in forepart of you: Whether you're ownership used or from a dealer, the first step should be to actually sit on the motorbike you're looking at.
Go a experience for the weight distribution: Lean from side to side, move forward and backward, and by and large go a experience for how the motorbike feels under you. If any of those motions feel unnatural or overly difficult, that'south a practiced sign that the motorbike isn't a good size for you.
Bank check the distance from the seat to the controls: Make sure that you lot can easily reach the pes and hand controls from the seat. If you accept to stretch or twist to do this, the motorcycle is not a good size for y'all. This is as well a good time to bank check how easy it is to achieve the footing.

If for some reason you aren't able to test the motorcycle out in person, or if you're simply doing some casual online shopping, don't worry! You lot tin use the data available online along with your own measurements to size your cycle.

Use published seat elevation measurements: This information is always available on the manufacturer site when looking at the motorcycle, typically under the "specs" section, and is an first-class way to compare motorcycles of a particular type. The procedure is easy; y'all simply bank check the seat height against your inseam to identify a crude guess of whether the motorcycle will fit yous while standing.
Using online tools: We institute a not bad motorcycle ergonomic simulator that you tin can try out before you head to the dealership. You input your height and inseam and the potential bike you're choosing to come across if information technology'due south a comfy fit. It'll give yous a expert caput kickoff on which models to effort first.

How to Arrange Your Motorcycle For a Perfect Fit

Sometimes we become locked into a motorcycle in our heed, and nosotros tin't say no. So if yous've constitute the perfect motorbike, simply it doesn't fit perfectly, here's what we'd practice to make it fit correct:

Adjust the suspension to fit you : Off-road, motocross, and dual-sport style bikes take some of the highest seat heights to suit more than intermission travel. You lot might assume that they would be too tall for shorter riders. The softer suspension on these bikes means they sag more nether the rider's weight and have relatively narrow seats, so information technology tin can be surprisingly easy to attain the footing on an off-road bike. If you are riding around on the street, you may be able to replace the suspension or add together a modified break system to lower or raise a motorcycle to fit your size.
Supplant the seat : One piece of cake method to change the fit of a motorcycle is to modify the seat. This works well for large touring bikes or cruisers where standard seats tin accept a lot of padding. Swapping for an aftermarket seat with a different shape and less padding can make a significant difference to seat summit and attain to the ground, likewise every bit the distance to the controls. In a lot of cases, it can increment condolement too.

Conclusion

Y'all might think of yourself every bit Goldilocks if you spend a day at the dealership sitting on bicycle subsequently bike until you detect the 1 that fits just right. Nosotros all take a reason why we want to ride. That may have a little input from styling or just the liberty of the open road. Whatever the case, whether ownership new or shopping for a used model, be sure to try a lot of motorcycles until you observe 1 that fits well plenty. After all, motorcycles are an investment. If information technology doesn't fit perfectly, there are ways to go from practiced enough to groovy. The options are out there, but be sure to check the safety and handling before you lot venture cross-state with new handling. All yous need now is the proper gear and you're ready to ride. Every bit ever, be safe out there!

Michael Padway

Michael Padway uses his expertise in personal injury and motorcycle accidents to represent a wide spectrum of clients dealing with life-changing and permanent injuries for the showtime time. His offices are located at 235 Montgomery St., Ste 668, San Francisco, CA 94104 and at 3140 Chapman St. Oakland, CA 94601. For more data, please call (800) 928-1511.

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