To reap the full rewards of a dirt bike, a lot of things have to go right. The dirt bike should match the rider’s age, experience, weight, and height. If the bike is too tall or too short for the biker, then they won’t be able to ride the bike to the fullest. So how tall should a dirt bike be?
There is no straightforward answer to this. The correct height of the bike usually depends on the height of the biker. It also depends on the engine capacity of the bike. For example, the right seat height for a rider with a height of 5’4″ is 33 to 36 inches. Likewise, on average, a 2-stroke 125cc dirt bike has a seat height of 38 inches.
Let’s take a look at the ins and outs of bike seat heights.
Dirt bike heights: What’s right for me?
Dirt bike heights are the heights of their seats. So any query about how tall a dirt bike should be will be answered by how tall the dirt bike’s seat should be. There are quite a few factors that decide the perfect dirt bike seat height for a person. They are:
1. Rider’s height
The first question almost every rider asks before buying their first dirt bike is ’What dirt bike should I get for my height?’ There are no hard and fast rules for choosing a dirt bike according to the biker’s height.
But the general rule of choosing a dirt bike is by sitting on the bike itself and then seeing if the feet of the biker touch the ground. The feet should only just touch the ground. The only parts of the feet that should touch the ground are the toes and the ball of the feet while the heel shouldn’t touch the ground.
Choosing the correct dirt bike with the perfect seat height is a must even if it feels uncomfortable at first. If the heels touch the ground, it cramps up the biker which increases the chances of injuries. A study shows almost all bone injuries related to dirt biking are below the waist, and they are for this particular reason.
Here is a chart that will make it easier for you to have an estimate of what the dirt bike seat height should be. But remember, these are not written in stone. Some people have longer legs compared to their bodies while some others have shorter legs. So, the chart below is just a general estimate.
| Biker’s Height | Estimated seat height |
| 5ft 2in or 157cm | 31 to 35 inches |
| 5ft 4in or 162cm | 33 to 36 inches |
| 5ft 6in or 167cm | 34 to 37 inches |
| 5ft 8in or 172cm | 34 to 38 inches |
| 5ft 10in or 178cm | 35 to 39inches |
| 6ft or over | 37.5 inches or taller |
Even after seeing this dirt bike size chart for adults, it’s better to measure the correct seat height using the aforementioned method. If the seat is not of the correct size, it should be adjusted to make things more comfortable.
2. Rider’s age
Notice that I haven’t mentioned the correct seat heights for riders that are below the height of 5ft 2 inches. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any dirt bikes for people who are under this height. I kept this portion separate because I wanted to include the kids in this section.
Dirt bikes are an extreme sport, that is indisputable. But this doesn’t make it exclusive to adults only. There are plenty of dirt bikes designed to teach kids how to ride them. Kids of various ages from 3 to 12 can ride a dirt bike, with proper supervision of course.
But what is the perfect dirt bike height for kids? Or people who are under 5’2″? Let’s take a look:
- For Children of ages 10 to 12: 26 to 31 inches
- For Children of ages 8 to 9: 24 to 28 inches
- For Children of ages 3 to 6: 5 inches
Again, this is an approximate measurement. Some 8-year-olds may be even taller than some 10-year-olds or vice versa. The seat heights have to be adjusted according to their heights.
3. Engine Capacity
The engine capacity of a dirt bike, or any motor vehicle for that matter, is expressed in cubic centimeters (cc). There is a common misconception that the higher a bike’s engine capacity is, the larger it is. But we will see shortly that this is not the case at all. So if you want to know the perfect cc for your height, take a look below:
| Engine Capacity | Seat Height |
| 50cc | 21.5 inches or 55 cm |
| 110cc | 26.4 inches or 67 cm |
| 4-stroke 125cc | 30 inches or 76 cm |
| 2-stroke 125cc | 38 inches or 96.5 cm |
| 250cc (Trail) | 35 inches or 89cm |
| 250cc (Enduro/Max) | 37.5 inches or 95cm |
| 450cc | 37.5 inches or 95cm |
If you carefully look at the chart above, you will see that having a higher engine capacity. doesn’t necessarily mean that the bike will be taller. Even in the same engine capacity, the seat height of the 125cc differs from 2-stroke to 4-stroke. The 2-stroke 125cc dirt bikes are much taller than 450cc ones, which have more than three times the engine capacity.
4. Weight of the rider
The weight of the biker plays an important role in determining the perfect seat height of the dirt bike. All dirt bikes have suspensions that can carry a certain weight. If the rider’s weight is too much, then the bike’s height will not be as much as it was supposed to be.
Most problems arise when people choose between 250 and 450 cc dirt bikes. After seeing the 250cc trail bike’s seat height, they often ask if the 250cc bike is too small. The 250cc bikes are designed for riders who weigh less than 150 pounds. So if your weight is within this range, then it’s not too small for you. But if you weigh north of 150 pounds, riding a 450cc dirt bike is the best option for you as its suspensions are stronger.
Final thoughts
As dirt biking is an extreme sport, the risks involved in this sport are also quite big. Even the smallest of things can have a big effect on a biker’s body. The height of the dirt bike’s seat is one such factor. It’s a must to choose the right height for the dirt bike. That’s why, always make know how tall your dirt bike is, and whether or not it’s appropriate for you.
