12 Best Motorcycles for Taller Riders

Finding the perfect motorcycle is tough, particularly if you are a taller rider with longer limbs. You will hardly find a motorcycle that ideally fits your size and stature.

It is true that motorcycle manufacturers usually build motorcycles for average-sized riders. As a taller rider, you will need to do a lot of research and motorcycle test riding if you want an ideally-matched motorcycle. Otherwise, you will have to compromise on a motorcycle that is likely to cause you back pain and muscle cramps.

Being a taller rider, most motorcycles currently available in the market are most likely uncomfortable to you. The ergonomics may be too restricted for you to sit on these bikes for even 15-20 minutes of riding.

If you are a taller rider, don’t be so depressed. There are motorcycles that may not be sold as the taller bikers’ motorcycles, but they can surely fit a taller rider comfortably.

We have made it easier for taller riders to select any bikes from the list below that suit their riding preferences and style. Continue reading this article to learn more about the 12 best motorcycles for taller riders.

Seat Height: 34.4 in / 873.76 mm

Wet Weight: 459 lbs / 208..2 kg

Wheelbase: 62.8 in / 1595.12 mm

Engine: 689 cc Liquid-Cooled, Inline Twin-Cylinder Engine

Horsepower: 72.1 hp at 9,000 rpm

Torque: 68 Nm / 50.15 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm

Base Price: $10,999

The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is among the most suitable taller rider motorcycles in the dual-sport-style ADV bike category. If you are a taller rider inclined more towards off-roading, this bike is all-in-one for multi-purpose riding.

It is equally good on both paved roads and dirt tracks. Its taller and upright stature makes it highly suitable for taller riders. This bike has a seat height of 34.4 inches, making a taller rider sit in a comfortable posture.

On top of being suitable for taller motorcyclists, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 is also named among the most reliable bikes, with great value for the money.

There is also an optional rally seat available for the Tenere 700 for an additional 1.6 inches of taller seat height. It has a true dirt bike-style slim design and off-road features, making off-roading very easy and enjoyable.

If you are a taller rider, you can comfortably sit on the Tenere 700 with an upright back posture. The footrests are also nicely positioned, as you would find on the most ideal ADV motorcycles.

Seat Height: 35-35.8 in (890-910 mm)

Wet Weight: 591 lbs / 268 kg

Wheelbase: 59.2 in / 1,504 mm

Engine: 1,254 cc Air/Liquid-Cooled, Flat-Twin Engine

Horsepower: 136 hp at 7,750 rpm

Torque: 142.36 Nm / 105 lb-ft at 6,250 rpm

Base Price: $20,745

The 2024 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure is among the finest in the large-sized Adventure motorcycling scene. It is ranked among the top full-sized, experienced-level ADV motorcycles, and it happens to be highly suitable for taller riders as well.

The 2024 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure offers a taller seat height of 35 inches in its low setting. Sounds pretty high, right? You can increase the seat height by 0.8 inches by just flipping the brackets installed under the seat. First, you need to remove the seat, flip the brackets, and install the seat height again.

With a taller seat height of 35.8 inches, the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure can suit almost every taller rider with greater inseam. It is among the greatest, most advanced, and highly capable ADB motorcycles for intermediate and experienced riders.

It is an all-in-one ADV bike designed for multi-purpose use. Being an ADV tourer, you can comfortably take this bike for long-haul journeys and cross-country rides. You can confidently use this bike even for extreme off-roading if you are skilled enough.

The BMW R 1250 GS Adventure is an ideal-sized bike for skilled, taller, and bigger riders looking for an extremely fun and adventurous bike.

Seat Height: 904 mm / 35.6 in
                       889 mm / 35 in (With Low Seat Accessory
                       849 mm / 33.4 in (With Low Seat Accessory)

Wet Weight: 333 lbs / 151 kg

Wheelbase: 56.8 in / 1,443 mm

Engine: 659 cc Liquid-Cooled, Superquadro Mono Single-Cylinder Engine

Horsepower: 77.5 hp / 57 kW at 9,750 rpm

Torque: 63 Nm / 46.5 lb-ft at 8,000 rpm

Base Price: $12,995

If you are looking for an electrifying supermoto, the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono is a great fun bike for taller riders. Being a supermoto, it is a lightweight, dirt-style bike with street racing equipment and tires.

It is among the tallest bikes on this list, with a seat height of 35.6 inches (904 mm) in its standard form. The ergonomics may not be the most spacious due to being a specialized track-racing bike.

Riders can lower the seat height using the optional low seat, ensuring 35 inches of seat height. To make it suitable for shorter riders, you can further lower this bike down by installing the optional low seat and low suspension kit. With this option, you can lower the seat height to a maximum of 33.4 inches.

Being a supermoto, the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono has a dirt bike-style narrow and extended saddle. It allows riders to adjust their seating positions on the seat for better maneuverability.

The Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono is the smaller and lighter version of the Hypermotard 950 with a 659 cc single-cylinder engine. It offers an amazing punchy performance on paved roads, making it a blast to ride.

The Hypermotard 698 Mono has been recently introduced in 2024. It immediately grabbed the attention of taller riders who wanted to go hooligan on a supermoto like this.

Seat Height: 885 mm / 34.8 in; With Optional Lowering Kit: 845 mm / 33.2 in

Wet Weight: 166 kg / 366 lbs

Wheelbase: 1,490 mm / 58.7 in

Engine: 644 cc Air-Cooled, Single-Cylinder Engine

Horsepower: 34.3 hp at 6,000 rpm

Torque: 45.28 Nm / 33.4 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm

Base Price: $7,199

The Suzuki DR650S is the favorite Suzuki motorcycle of many riders looking for the finest dual sport bike. Like the Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono, it is also among the most hooligan bikes ever produced.

Having a standard seat height of 34.8 inches, the DR650S makes a good platform for taller riders. Another major advantage for taller riders is its slim, dirt bike-style, slim and extended seat, which allows riders to adjust their seating position while riding. This allows taller riders to comfortably adjust their legs and arms while riding.

The Suzuki DR650S is not specifically designed for taller riders. It is designed with a taller seat height and high ground clearance to make it suitable for off-roading. However, with an optional lowering kit, the seat height can be lowered down to 33.2 inches for shorter riders.

Seat Height: Standard: 34.3 in / Low Seat Option: 33.5 in

Wet Weight: 510 lbs / 231.33 kg

Wheelbase: 62 in / 1574.8 mm

Engine: 1083 cc Liquid-Cooled Unicam® 22.5º Parallel-Twin Engine

Horsepower: 101 hp at 7,500 rpm

Torque: 111.18 Nm / 82 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm

Base Price: $14,799

You must have observed by now that the most suitable motorcycles for taller riders are the ADV motorcycles, dual sport bikes, and supermotos. The reason is very obvious. Due to being off-road-capable, these bikes have higher seat height and higher ground clearance to allow maneuvering safely on challenging dirt tracks.

Another very notable high-capacity ADV bike is the Honda Africa Twin. However, it is praised for its narrower, dual-sport-style build in the large-capacity ADV category.

The Honda Africa Twin has a standard seat height of 34.3 inches. Its comfortable riding position and ergonomics make it an ideal adventure bike for taller riders.

It is an ideal large-capacity off-road capable ADV bike for both average-sized and taller riders. You can more confidently maneuver this bike on challenging terrains if you are a taller rider. 

Seat Height: 25.6 in / 650.24 mm

Wet Weight: 683 lbs / 309.8 kg

Wheelbase: 66.7 in / 1694.18 mm

Engine: 1917 cc (117 cubic inches) Air-Cooled, Milwaukee-Eight® 117 V-Twin Engine

Horsepower: 101 hp / 75 kW at 4,750 rpm

Torque: 166.77 Nm / 123 ft-lb at 3500 rpm

Base Price: $22,499

The first cruiser on the list of best motorcycles for taller riders is the Harley-Davidson Breakout 117. Well, don’t judge this bike and its capability to suit taller riders because of its low seat height of 25.6 inches while laden. The low seat is only because of the class it belongs to. The H-D Breakout is a highly suitable cruiser motorcycle for taller riders.

The main feature of this bike, which makes it a true taller rider motorcyclist, is its spacious ergonomics. It is one of those chopper-style cruiser bikes with a longer wheelbase.

On top of having a long wheelbase, the footrest position is also forward, providing enough legroom for taller riders with longer limbs to adjust their legs comfortably.

The unusual thing about the Harley Breakout is its low-mounted, less sweptback handlebars on a chopper. It makes riders stretch their arms a great deal to grab the bars.

Considering such riding position, the Breakout can be a very uncomfortable bike for smaller and even average-sized riders. However, it makes a perfect chopper-style cruiser motorbike for taller riders.

The 2024 Ducati Multistrada V2 is another premium and versatile adventure bike. It is a highly advanced middleweight to high-capacity ADV bike with several advanced features.

What makes the Multistrada V2 a preferred choice for many tall riders is its stock-adjustable seat height of 32.7-33.5 inches. As a taller rider, if you don’t find this height tall and comfortable enough, you can go for the optional high seat accessory.

The optional high seat allows taller riders to make the Multistrada V2 more compatible for themselves by increasing the seat height to 33.5-34.3 inches.

However, due to being universally designed for all adventure seekers, the Ducati Multistrada V2 can also be fitted with an optional low seat.

This option allows shorter or average-height riders to reduce the height of their motorcycle seats to 31.9-23.7 inches.

In case you want a more superior, a more potent, and more suitable option for taller riders, the Ducati Multistrada V4 is even bigger and taller than the Multistrada V2.

Despite being an ADV-style motorbike, the Multistrada V2 is more biased towards extraordinary on-road performance. It is inherently an ADV tourer for long journeys with comfy ergonomics.

Seat Height: 35.2 in / 894 mm

Wet Weight: 331 lbs / 150.14 kg

Wheelbase: 57.2 in / 1452.88 kg

Engine: 286 cc Liquid-Cooled Single-Cylinder Engine

Horsepower: 27.3 hp at 8,500 rpm

Torque: 26.6 Nm at 6,500 rpm

Base Price: $6,199

The Honda CRF300L Rally is an adventure-style trail bike in the Honda CRF family. It is the lighter version of an adventure bike without the heavy fairing and panels, making it highly maneuverable.

By nature, the CRF300L Rally is a true enduro bike that can be used for even extreme dirt riding.

If you are a taller rider looking to conquer challenging off-road terrain and to live your life to the fullest, the Honda CRF300L Rally is a perfect ride partner.

This bike offers a standard seat height of 35.2 inches. It is quite tall from the ground and also has a high ground clearance for extreme off-road conditions.

The Honda CRF300L Rally also operates decently on paved roads. The 286 cc single-cylinder engine and a wet weight of 331 lbs make it an ideal entry-level motorbike for taller riders who are looking for a multi-purpose bike.

The ergonomics and riding stance are also quite spacious and comfortable for taller riders. You can even ride the CRF300L Rally for hours without getting uncomfortable on this bike.

As a taller rider, you can maintain an upright stance while covering long miles. The rider triangle also ensures a balanced posture, making off-roading more practical and enjoyable.

So, as a taller rider, you are never short of options, even in the low-displacement, lightweight dual sports category.

Seat Height: 34.25 in / 870 mm

Wet Weight: 507 lbs / 230 kg

Wheelbase: 61.8 in / 1,570 mm

Engine: 1200 cc Liquid-Cooled, Parallel-Twin Engine with 270° Crank Angle

Horsepower: 66.2 kW / 89hp / 90 PS at 7,000 rpm

Torque: 110 Nm / 81.1 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm

Base Price: $15,295

The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE is a retro-style scrambler bike designed for taller riders. Despite being a modern-day bike with good-quality equipment and advanced features, it still boasts several retro elements and the Triumph’s heritage.

The Scrambler 1200 XE has a tall seat height of 34.25 mm in stock form. The legroom and rider triangle are adequately spaciously and well-suited for taller riders who want to take this bike off-road or continue riding on the road.

The bench-style long saddle allows riders to adjust their seating position easily to increase the legroom. The reach to the handlebars is also quite comfortable for taller riders.

The footpegs position also allows off-road riders to stand on the pegs when required. Overall, it is a well-suited and comfortable bike for taller riders above six feet tall.

The Triumph Scrambler 1200 “XE” trim is specifically designed for extreme enduro adventures. It features premium long-wheel travel suspension and specialized off-road tires. The 1,200 cc parallel-twin power plant allows superior fun rides on paved and unpaved terrains.

Seat Height: 26.7 in / 678.18 mm

Wet Weight: 675 lbs / 306.18 kg

Wheelbase: 71 in / 1803.4 mm

Engine: 1,312 cc Liquid-Cooled 52° V-Twin Engine

Horsepower: 53.7 hp

Torque: 98.97 Nm

Base Price: $11,499

The Honda Fury is a very uniquely designed chopper-style bike currently produced by one of the major motorcycle manufacturers. The stick seat height is only 26.7 inches stall due to being a cruiser.

However, this bike has roomy ergonomics and a rider triangle thanks to its extended front end. The distance between the rider seat and the front wheel is quite long.

The forward-mounted foot controls and sweptback handlebars on the Honda Fury make this bike a notable cruiser for taller riders. Unlike the Harley-Davidson Breakout, this cruiser bike makes taller riders sit very comfortably.

The Honda Fury is one of the best modern-day choppers for riders with taller limbs.

As we have observed, taller riders don’t look good on most good-looking bikes. They make motorcycles look uncool while riding them. However, the Honda Fury is an exception. It looks like it has been particularly designed for taller riders.

Taller riders can comfortably extend their legs on longer rides. Being a cruiser, the low seat height, low center of gravity, and longer wheelbase ensure better stability and linear performance.

Meanwhile, the 1,312 cc liquid-cooled V-Twin engine makes the Honda Fury a blast to ride.

Seat Height: Vulcan 900 Classic: 26.8 in / 680.72 mm; Vulcan 900 Custom: 27 in / 685.8 mm

Wet Weight: Classic: 619.6 lbs / 281 kg; Custom: 610.8 lbs / 277 kg

Wheelbase: 64.8 in / 1645.92 mm

Engine: 903 cc Liquid-Cooled, 55° V-Twin Engine

Horsepower: 50 hp at 5,700 rpm

Torque: 78.9 Nm / 58.2 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm

Base Price: $9,399 (Classic); $9,899 (Custom)

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 is another prominent middleweight big cruiser, boasting a spacious rider triangle and seating position. Despite being a midsize cruiser motorcycle, it is quite bigger for taller riders to sit and ride comfortably.

Being a very stylish old-school cruiser bike, the Vulcan 900 features a class design. The Vulcan 900 Classic has a seat height of around 26.8 inches. Meanwhile, the Vulcan 900 Custom offers a 27-inch seat height.

What makes it an ideal choice for taller riders is its ergonomics. The seat is quite plush and wide while offering decent lower back support. The Vulcan 900 Classic trim features forward-mounted floorboards for riders to comfortably place their legs while cruising.

The handlebars are also decently tall, wide, and pulled back for riders to sit in an upright back position. Overall, it is among the most comfortable midsize cruisers for taller riders.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 is suitable and another option for taller riders. It is a very comfortable cruiser for taller riders who want to cover miles on a motorcycle that fits them perfectly.

The Vulcan 900 also looks pretty and stylish, making big and taller riders look good on a motorcycle.

Seat Height: 705 mm / 27.8 in

Wet Weight: 347 kg / 764 lbs

Wheelbase: 1710 mm / 67.3 in

Engine: 1783 cc Liquid-Cooled, 54˚ V-Twin Engine

Horsepower: 128 hp

Torque: 160 Nm / 118 lb-ft

Base Price: $15,799

Another top-of-the-line big cruiser motorcycle, specially designed for big, heavy, and tall riders, is the Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. It looks quite intimidating, big, and long.

Suppose you are an experienced, taller rider who wants a large-displacement hefty cruiser motorcycle for cruising stylishly on freeways and within the city. In that case, the Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. is a good option.

The rider triangle this bike offers is spacious. The legroom is ideal for taller riders with longer limbs. Though the handlebars are decently swept back, it makes you sit a bit forward.

However, if you are a tall rider, you can manage to sit with an upright back on the Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S.

As a priority, you must first consider the seat height of a motorcycle to find the ideal match that suits your height. Ensure you can comfortably sit on a motorcycle with both feet touching the ground.

Being able to flat-foot a motorcycle makes you feel more confident and comfortable riding a motorcycle. Riders are also better able to balance a bike with confidence,

Seat height is quite an important consideration, especially if you are a tall or short rider.

Another important consideration while choosing a motorcycle is the legroom. You must sit and test ride a motorcycle before buying. The legroom must be sufficient to adjust your legs comfortably without having them kinked up and uncomfortable.

Also, the handlebar must be within a comfortable reach for riders. If you have to stretch your arms completely, you have no room to turn bars while taking a slow-speed turn.

Similarly, the space between the rider’s seat and the handlebar must not be too restricted as it can make riding difficult, particularly while turning bars.

Sports bikes are the hardest-to-ride motorcycles. It requires specialized training and practice to ride a sport bike.

There are various reasons why sports bikes are the hardest to ride. These include:

• Sports bikes offer aggressive and sportier stances.

• The handlebars are quite low-mounted with almost zero sweptback angle.

• The rider has to lean forward a great deal to grab the bars.

• The legroom is highly restricted to ensure better aerodynamics.

• Sport bikes are very uncomfortable.

• The ergonomics and rider triangle are very limited.

• The rider’s vision is quite limited, considering the rider has to lean forward a great deal.

• For this reason, they are also quite dangerous to be ridden on city streets and roads.

• Handling and counter-steering a sports bike are challenging tasks, especially for beginners.

• Sports bikes are for high-speed performance with top-end horsepower and a high power-to-weight ratio.

• The statistics also show that sports bikes are involved in most fatal motorcycle accidents.

We understand how tough it can be for taller riders to look for a perfect bike in the market. The options for taller riders are quite limited. Motorcycles are usually built and designed for average-sized riders.

It is, therefore, difficult for a taller rider to be a motorcyclist. Nonetheless, we have compiled a list of 12 motorcycles ideally designed for taller riders.

These 12 best motorcycles offer a tall seat height, adequate legroom, and comfortable seating for taller riders.

We suggest you first sit and test-ride a motorcycle before buying one. So, considering your preferences and riding style, you can decide which bike to choose from the above list of motorcycles.