Bikes for tall riders - seat and peg height

[Richie Rich]

There are many posts around best bikes for tall riders, but you cannot go on seat height alone. 

 

Some bike have a reasonably high seat hight but also have high pegs, thus long legged humans are cramped. Equally some lower seat bikes have better legroom due to lower pegs.

 

Has anyone looked in to this. I'm 6ft 4" with long legs and want an adventure bike with the best legroom set up.

 

Thanks Rich

[RideWithStyles]

The curse of the tall.

There are a few tallies here for suggestions may help but most are different as to what makes them tall 

Well most of the time adventure bike riders spend stood up especially off road.

thought most of adv bike pegs won’t be very low down for clearance in ruts and stumps etc.

unless your open to other types of bikes, What are you using it for?

anyway the most helpful advice would be for you to actually research, sit on the list of bikes and that way you will know what actually fits and comfortable TO YOU as everyone is biometricly different,

a production bike even with adjustability designed in is made for nobody in particular, much like clothing.

so what makes you tall? do you have longer calf’s or thighs,Long or short spine, long or short neck…one aspect always has a knock on effect.

so if you had:

1) long calf, shorter thigh, short spine and long neck will have a different impact (stress points at upper knee, hip, neck). So for an example say a BMW might be better.

2) than say a shorter calf, long thigh, longer spine and short neck ( lower knee, lower back/hip and shoulder/mid back). So a Honda might be for example.

3) if you had long legs but a really short spine and neck you’d might need to address two opposing ends. It might be an Italian bike… so many possibilities. 

Then what are your arms are like? That will make a huge difference again to a bike to fit you.

 

if their isn’t a perfect set up out of the box would be one that is mostly there (seat and bar ratio etc) and mod it with a adjustable pegs, if the other way probably cheaper would be if the seat and pegs are ok but if the bars aint just to get a different tapered bar or adjustable mounts on the yoke.

if bike shopping aint already expensive, adding accessories does add to it.

[Yorky]

https://cycle-ergo.com/

[Simon Davey]

I'm 6ft 1" (well, I used to be) and I have a 32" inside leg.

Yesterday, I lowered my seat by 30mm, as the seat was putting pressure on my inner thigh, so now I have a more natural sitting position. My knees still aren't high though, lots of leg room.

 

V-Strom 1050.

[Davidtav]

I’m not sure these certificates mean much. I have a jacket which is really thick leather. I have no problem with using it. I’m sure it would be ok in a spill. Of course it has no certification 

[Hairsy]

12 minutes ago, Davidtav said:

I’m not sure these certificates mean much. I have a jacket which is really thick leather. I have no problem with using it. I’m sure it would be ok in a spill. Of course it has no certification 

 

I would suggest that the material is only part of the issue. The stitching & zips are just as important and are far harder to assess without testing. It's no help having a great piece of leather that is no longer held between your skin and the road.

 

I completely agree that the certification process isn't perfect - but we shouldn't discount the good just because it isn't perfect.

[Fiddlesticks]

In the spirit of recommending your own bike, the Tiger Explorer 1200 is quite roomy. (Just don't get the factory lowered version). 

 

I'm 6'1 with a 34 leg and find it all day comfy, especially with the cool covers on. The seat has a couple of height settings.

 

I did once borrow a Scrambler 1200 from the dealer. Didn't much get on with the bike, but it was tall.

[bonio]

I'm 5' 7" and shrinking so can't help you. But @Gerontious can. If he's looking. 

[Throttled]

The only bike I have owned or ridden that I never felt the need to lower the pegs, is the Kawasaki Versys 1000. It is still possible to get fittings to lower the pegs.

[Richie Rich]

On 24/04/2025 at 12:34, Yorky said:

 

Thanks for the input everyone. Yorky that link is brilliant thank you so much. It's a shame it is missing a couple of the newer bikes I'm interested in, but it was exactly what I was looking for.

 

Keen to know if any tallies specifically own an Africa Twin as its high on my list, as is the versys thanks Throttled.

 

By the way, I won't be going off road, it's just the comfort of the style. Those days are gone 

Edited 14 hours ago by Richie Rich

[Fiddlesticks]

Good choice for the taller feller

[Throttled]

There are some motorcycle ergonomics sites so get an idea about riding position. This one has the Africa twin as;

 

https://motonomics.com/simulator.php

 

"Knee Angle:90°

Hip Angle:118°

Body Tilt:0°

Calculated Seat Height:868 mm"

 

and the Versys 1000 as;

 

"Knee Angle:85°

Hip Angle:115°

Body Tilt:5°

Calculated Seat Height:850 mm"

 

That suggests the Africa twin has even more leg room. I have sat on one and it felt as spacious as the Versys 1000.