What are the Sizes of Motorcycles? [Motorcycle Dimension Chart]

What are the sizes of motorcycles? In a nutshell, the average dimensions of motorcycles are as follows:

Length: 75-100 inches
Width: 25-40 inches
Height: 40-60 inches
Seat height: 25-40 inches
Wheelbase: 50-70 inches
Rake (fork angle): 23-37 degrees

If you want to compare average motorcycle sizes by category you are in the right place.

We at PowerSportsGuide have gathered the main specifications of the most popular motorcycle categories in one chart. In addition, you can compare the dimensions of 25 popular models head-to-head from 50cc to 6200cc!

Contents show

Average Motorcycle Dimensions

Motorcycle Dimension Chart

Motrocycle category	Displacement (cc)	Length (“)	Width (“)	Height (“)	Seat height (“)	Wheel base (“)
Lightweight	50	75-80	25-35	38-45	28-33	48-53
Lightweight	125	75-80	25-35	38-45	30-35	52-53
Lightweight	250	75-85	28-35	40-50	30-40	52-60
Middleweight	300-500	80-85	28-35	40-50	30-40	52-60
Middleweight	600-900	80-90	28-35	45-60	30-35	55-62
Heavy	1000-1300	80-90	28-35	45-60	30-35	55-65
Cruiser/touring	1500-2000+	90-105	32-37	50-53	28-32	65-80

For informational purposes only!

Since there are so many different types of motorcycles out there, if you do your research you may find some production bikes that do not fit into these categories, not to mention the custom bikes with dimensions that may far exceed those of factory bikes.

However, based on our research the majority of stock motorcycles fall into the various ranges shown in the chart.

As a reference, we’ve gathered the dimensions of some popular models from various categories.

Motorcycle Dimensions List [With 25 Popular Models]

Model	cc	Length (in)	Width (in)	Height (in)	Seat height (in)	wheel base
Aprilia SX 50 Motard	50	80.5	32.5	44.1	32.9	55.1
Aprilia RS4 50	50	76.9	29.1	44.8	32.3	53.1
Mash Dirt Track 50	50	76.8	34.6	44.1	31.9	na
Kawasaki Ninja 125	125	76.2	26.9	42.3	31	52.4
Yamaha MT125	125	77.2	31.5	41.9	31.9	53.3
Yamaha YZF-R125	125	79.3	26.0	38.2	32.3	53.3
Honda CRF125F	125	69.7	29.1	39.8	28.9	48
Honda CBR250R	250	80.1	28.3	na.	30.5	53.9
Kawasaki Z250SL	250	76.2	27.6	39.8	30.9	52.4
Yamaha YZ250	250	85.7	32.6	51.4	38.4	58.3
Honda CBR500R	500	81.9	29.7	45.1	30.9	55.5
Honda CB500F	500	81.7	30.7	41.7	31.1	55.5
Royal Enfield Classic 500	500	84.3	31.1	42.9	31	53.5
Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R	636	79.7	28.0	43.3	32.7	54.9
Suzuki SV650	645	84.3	29.9	42.9	30.9	56.9
Harley-Davidson Street 750	750	87.2	33.1	43.5	25.7	60.4
Suzuki GSX-R 750	950	79.9	28	44.7	31.9	54.7
BMW F 800 GS	800	90.6	37.2	53.1	34.6	61.9
Triumph Street Twin 900	900	na	30.9	43.9	29.9	55.7
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R	1000	82.3	29.1	45.1	32.9	56.7
Honda CBR1000RR	1000	81.7	28.3	44.7	32.3	55.5
Suzuki V-Strom 1000	1000	82.2	na	57.9	33.5	61.2
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic	1746	102.4	na	na	29.1	64.0
Honda GL1800 Gold Wing	1833	97.4	36.4	52.8	29.3	66.7
Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114	1868	92.1	na	na	28.0	66.5
Boss Hoss BHC-3 LS3 SS	6200	103.0	28.0	na	25.0	77.0

For informational purposes only! Sizes may vary depending on the model year. For exact specifications please visit the manufacturer’s website.

Let’s move on and drill into the details of motorcycle dimensions!

What are the Sizes of Motorcycles?

How Long is the Average Motorcycle?

Based on our extended research, the average motorcycle is about 80-100 inches long. The shortest motorcycles are the lightweight models with 50-350cc engines, as their length ranges from 75 up to 85 inches. The middleweight (500-900cc) and 1000cc sport motorcycles are 80-90 inches long, while the heavy cruisers can reach 90-110 inches in length.

The longest motorcycles are the drag bikes, which can reach an incredible length of 200 inches.

How is Motorcycle Length Measured?

The length of a motorcycle is the measurement from its front tip to the rear. The total length of a motorcycle always includes the front and rear wheel as well as the mudguards and taillights.

How Wide is the Average Motorcycle?

The average motorcycle is 30-35 inches wide. The width of lightweight bikes starts at 25 inches while middleweight and heavy street motorcycles are typically 30-35 inches wide. The widest motorcycles on the market are the huge touring bikes with 1500-2000+cc engines. Thanks to their factory-installed storage boxes, these motorcycles can reach a width of 35-40 inches.

What’s more, classic trike motorcycles can be as wide as 50-70 inches!

How Tall is the Average Motorcycle?

The average motorcycle is about 40-50 inches tall. The overall height of sportbikes is 40-45 inches regardless of their engine size. The tallest motorcycles are adventure and cross motorcycles as many of these can reach a height of up to 60 inches.

Average Motorcycle Seat Height

In addition to its overall height, the seat height of a motorcycle is no less important. The average motorcycle seat height is 28-32 inches. But keep in mind that besides its height, the width of the seat and the entire machine are also important factors, especially for smaller riders.

This is because the legs of the riders work like a bipod while the seat height of a motorcycle is measured as a vertical line. Therefore, a wider motorcycle may surprise shorter riders, even if has a lower seat.

Finally, this means that a tall but narrow motorcycle seat can feel like a low but wide saddle!

What’s more, the position of the foot pegs can also be an issue, because if they are right where the rider’s leg is, it’s harder to “duck-walk” the machine.

What is the proper height for a motorcycle seat? The proper seat height of a motorcycle is strongly dependent on its type. The most common motorcycle seat height numbers are as follows:

Cruiser motorcycles: 25-30 inches
Street bikes (sportbikes, naked bikes, etc.): 30-33 inches
Dirt/adventure/dual sport bikes: 32-38 inches

It also has to be mentioned that larger suspensions and higher ground clearance also lead to higher seat height. That’s why off-road and dual sport motorcycles feature higher saddles compared to street bikes.

Which bike has the highest seat height?

If you are a big guy and are looking for the biggest bikes, then you should take a look at the Yamaha YZ450, as this bike has the highest seat height right now (39 inches). However, keep in mind that it’s a dirt bike, which means that it’s not streel legal. If you prefer street motorcycles, then you can’t go wrong with the newest KTM enduros, as these bikes feature a seat height of 35-38.5 inches depending on the model.

Some other popular motorcycles with high seats are as follows:

Suzuki V-Strom 1000: 33.5 inches
Ducati Multistrada 1200: 34.25 inches
Honda CRF250L: 34.4 inches
BMW F 800 GS: 34.6 inches
KTM 1290 Super Adventure R: 35 inches
Kawasaki KLR 650: 35 inches
KTM 690 Enduro R: 35.8 inches
Honda XR650L: 37 inches
Suzuki DRZ400E: 37.2 inches
KTM 950 Super Enduro R: 37.4 inches
KTM 625 SXC: 38.5 inches
Yamaha YZ450: 39 inches

Which bike has the lowest seat height?

It safe to say that cruiser motorcycles come with the lowest seat height. For example, the seat height of Harley-Davidson motorcycles ranges from 25-28 inches. The lowest-seated bike in the fleet is the Harley-Davidson FXS Softail Blackline, as it’s seat is only 24 inches high.

Some other popular low-seated motorcycles:

Honda Shadow Phantom: 25.8 inches
Harley-Davidson SuperLow: 25.5 inches
Harley-Davidson Softail Slim: 25.9 inches
Honda Shadow Aero: 25.9 inches
Harley-Davidson Street 750: 25.7 inches
California Scooter SG250 Cafe Racer: 26 inches
Honda Rebel 300 / 500: 27.2 inches

What is the Wheelbase of a Motorcycle?

Simply put, the wheelbase of a motorcycle is the distance between its wheels. More precisely, the wheelbase is the measurement between the two points where the wheels touch the ground. (It’s nearly the same as the distance between the front and rear axle.) The majority of motorcycles have a wheelbase of 52-67 inches.

It’s good to know that the wheelbase heavily affects the riding experience as well as the stability of the machine.

The general rule is that a shorter wheelbase means less stability at higher speeds but it makes the bike much lively, which results in faster cornering.

Since these motorcycles need to steer fast, the wheelbase of sportbikes ranges from 52 inches up to 57 inches. On the other end of the spectrum, you can find heavy cruisers with a wheelbase of 65-80 inches.

Regarding street-legal machines, traditional choppers have the longest wheelbase. These head-turning motorcycles are easily recognizable, as they feature an unusually long front fork and many of them come with very high, “ape-hanger” handlebars.

These bikes are very stable even at high speed but respond much slower to any steering input.

Also, a longer wheelbase always ensures faster acceleration and braking. This is the reason why drag motorcycles are so long!

Average Motorcycle Rake Angle

The rake of a motorcycle is also known as the caster or fork angle. As its name implies, the rake is the angle of the steering head to the motorcycle’s frame and is measured in degrees. Without rake to their front forks, bikes would be uncontrollable. The rake of the majority of production motorcycles ranges from 23.0° to 33.0°. The higher the number the farther the front forks stick out.

Sportbikes come with the lowest rake numbers, at around 23 -25 degrees. This means the front forks on these bikes are closer to being in a vertical position, which results in a more agile riding experience.

The rake of touring motorcycles ranges from 28-30 degrees while you can see the flattest angles (30-37 degrees) on cruiser motorcycles.

When it comes to custom choppers, they typically add 3-7 degrees to the stock rake, but “long fork” choppers may have an amazing, 45-degree rake angle.

Although this gives a unique look to the machine it also results in a much larger turning radius.

A stock motorcycle with about a 30-degree rake angle has a five-foot turning radius, but with a 45-degree angle this number is increased to eleven feet. This can be an issue in tight places like parking lots.

Some examples of rake degrees of various bikes:

Honda CBR1000RR: 23.0°
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R: 25.0°
Yamaha YZF-R125: 25.0°
Honda CRF125F: 25.3°
Suzuki V-Strom 1000: 25.7°
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic: 26.0°
Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114: 28.0°
Honda GL1800 Gold Wing: 30.5°
Boss Hoss BHC-3 LS3 SS: 33.0°
Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout: 33.0°

What is Motorcycle Ground Clearance?

The ground clearance of a motorcycle is the minimum distance between the ground and the lowest point of its body. The average ground clearance of motorcycles is about 4-7 inches.

Street motorcycles typically have a ground clearance of 4-5.5 inches, while adventure and off-road bikes are significantly taller, with a ground clearance of about 6-7 inches.

Also, keep in mind that these numbers refer to the “unladen” condition of the bikes (without passengers or any luggage).

You can also find some custom motorcycles out there with a very low ground clearance. Although it gives a unique appearance to these machines let’s face it, this is not at all practical.