Why are they so high.

[crystalball]

Are there any adventure/duel bikes 600cc up, that are 30 inch seat height or lower. Or can they be lowered.

[pete-blen]

Are there any adventure/duel bikes 600cc up, that are 30 inch seat height or lower. Or can they be lowered.

BMW F650 seats just under 800mm , 30" or there abouts..
maybe able to put lowering links to get another 25mm lower..

I had my XT660R 50mm lower for a while with links.. but it really needed
a heavyer spring...

[Eddieb]

The DR650 comes with 2 height positions as standard. The rear shock has 2 mounting points and the front forks can be lowered by changing the position of internal components, these lower the bike by almost 2 inches.

They are so high so provide ground clearance when riding over rough terrain. Coming from road bikes it takes a while to get used to not being able to flat foot both feet like on a road bike but its just a confidence thing and a new technique to learn.

[Crisis management]

Any bike can be lowered but you are trading off suspension performance (travel) against convenience, remember that essentially these are dirt bikes intended to travel over lumpy terrain and suspension movement is required to achieve that. Having said that, it depends on what you are expecting from an adventure bike, if it is simply dirt road travel just about any bike with a coarse treaded tyre is capable, my R80 (road bike) is almost as quick on gravel as my 640 Adventure.
If leg length is an issue and you are new to adventure riding have a look at the smaller bikes, WR250, DRZ400, as the lighter weight is a real advantage when you are learning a lot of new skills.....like getting out of mud holes...

If you really need a big bike and want feet down (on the 640 the best I can do is one foot, toes only down on the flat) set aside $2000 for Robert Taylor to have a go at your suspension.

[clint640]

If leg length is an issue and you are new to adventure riding have a look at the smaller bikes, WR250, DRZ400, as the lighter weight is a real advantage when you are learning a lot of new skills.....like getting out of mud holes...
.

If you are new to adv ring I would suggest something light AND low like a Yamaha XT250 or a Kawasaki KL250. The WR250 & DRZ400 have higher seats than most of the 600's, they're lighter but certainly not smaller in that regard.

Cheers
Clint

[Rosie]

I agree that light and low are a good starting point if being able to touch the ground is a concern.

Seat height isn't the whole story though - the overall width of the seat (+ the bike under it) and how high the bike carries its weight have a big impact on how 'tall' a bike feels. Confidence and experience also make a difference - Clint's KTM 640 used to feel stratospherically tall; now I'm used to the (somewhat lighter) WR, the 640 doesn't feel that tall anymore.

If you are looking at lowering a bike - redoing the seat to make the front shorter and narrower can make it much easier to reach the ground, and it isn't going to upset your suspension geometry and ground clearance like other lowering methods.

[ADVGD]

You may find some of this info helpful: Choosing an Adventure Bike

Cheers

Josh

[Night Falcon]

Dont get too hung up on the height thing. The extra height of dual sport bikes is actually your friend (most the time ) but it can be a bit intimadating until you get used to it, especially if your inside leg is a bit short to begin with. Learning to handle a taller bike on surfaces with varying degrees of grip is something you need to get your head around if you want to go anywhere off road. Having said that there are people of all shapes, sizes, age and gender (Male, Female & KLR riders) out their doing it.

Theres lots of good advice on this thread already about bike options; most of us arn't riding the bikes we learnt on so dont be affraid to start small, learn some skills and build your confidence on the taller bikes.

[Pikey]

My DR is 830mm high after lowering

[NordieBoy]

DR650 is about 34" and can be lowered to 32" and then the seat can be trimmed too.