Reaching New Heights: A 157cm Rider’s Adventure with YAMAHA’s Latest Models

20250621_latest_model_yamaha_check_your_feet_result.webp Motorcycle & Industry

Check it out at the Yamaha booth at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show

The Tokyo Motorcycle Show, held at Tokyo Big Sight for three days from March 28 to 30, 2025, attracted 118,812 visitors over the three days, creating a fitting start to the motorcycle season this year.

The author is a die-hard Yamaha fan who owns two motorcycles, an early model YZF-R1 and a 2017 model MT-07. At the Tokyo Motorcycle Show, I headed straight to the Yamaha booth after entering the show and checked out the motorcycles that interested me, mainly the new models.

One thing I noticed was that many of the models that Yamaha is releasing this year seem to be very well designed with foot placement in mind.

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At the Tokyo Motorcycle Show, in addition to new models such as the new YZF-R1, new Tenere 700, new YZF-R25/R3, motorcycles capable of riding the upcoming YZF-R9 were available.

 

The body of the motorcycle is aimed at young people who want to ride for the first time, and the attention to foot placement is outstanding! Even the large body is available in a low-down version.

Since the 2000s, Yamaha has released many motorcycles, especially in the supersport category, that are quite high-riding, making it difficult for riders under 160cm tall to reach the ground. However, this year's models stand out for their "considerations of how easy it is to reach the ground in the stock state" and "offering a genuine lowered specification." Let's introduce them in order.

"YZF-R25/R3" - Same seat height, but better foot reach than ever before!

This was a motorcycle that boasted particularly good foot placement at the Yamaha booth this year.

The 2025 model YZF-R25/R3 was just announced in March.

It seems to be a model targeted at the younger generation of Yamaha riders who are just starting to ride motorcycles, and the model exhibited at the venue was the striking "Matte Yellowish White Pearl 1" color, which combines two polarized colors. In fact, this color itself is a new color developed for young beginner riders in their teens and twenties.

The seat height of the YZF-R25/R3 has always been 780mm since its introduction in 2015.

It has an exceptionally low seat height among Yamaha's super sports models, many of which are high-riding, and has a reputation for good foot placement. In the 2025 model, the seat width has been narrowed by up to 6mm on both sides, and the side cover has been slimmed down by 13mm on just one side, making it easier to reach the ground than ever before, even though the seat height is the same.

I am 157cm tall, and when I straddled the motorcycle, I put both feet down at the same time, and my heels just slightly lifted off the ground. To be honest, I have never come across a motorcycle that I can put both feet on the ground like this before (except for cruisers) at my height. It's not like you can put one foot on the ground, but even with both feet down, if you lift one heel a little, the other foot can be placed flat on the ground, so I didn't feel uneasy at all.

"This is Yamaha, they've really committed to beginners and small riders!"

I felt that if you know a beginner who wants to ride a cool supersport with a fairing, but is worried about not being able to put their feet on the ground, you can't go wrong recommending the YZF-R25/R3 to them. At the exhibition booth, young people in particular gathered around this motorcycle, and it's a motorcycle that small riders can look forward to.

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NEW YZF-R25 / R3

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New YZF-R25/R3: Lower both feet at the same time until your heels are slightly raised.

YZF-R9" - A foot reach that's worth considering if you want to ride

The YZF-R9 (reference exhibit) attracted particular attention in the YZF series exhibition corner.

This completely new supersport motorcycle, which is equipped with a dedicated deltabox frame and an 890cc in-line 3-cylinder engine similar to the MT-09, and is awaiting the announcement of its release date in Japan, also made an appearance at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show. Many visitors were waiting in line to get on the motorcycle, as it was possible to straddle it.

The seat height of the YZF-R9 is 830mm.

When I straddled it, the ball of my foot (the bulge just below the base of the big toe) was on the ground with one foot on the ground. It was a level of foot reach that made me think, "I can ride this."

By the way, in the YZF series, the R1 is 855mm and the R7 is 835mm. Compared to both, the foot reach is better. With the lower-end R7 model, I was able to reach the ground almost to the point of "one foot on the tiptoe," so I was surprised that the R9 had better foot reach.
Although it cannot be said that petite riders can feel safe and secure without having to worry about where their feet reach the ground, the motorcycle offers enough foot reach that it is worth considering if you are thinking of riding.

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YZF-R9 (reference exhibit) One foot on the ground with the ball of the foot on the ground

"XSR125 Low" - released as the official model with improved foot reach!

"Is it necessary to discuss foot reach on a 125cc model?" you may be wondering, but please wait a moment.
The seat height of the XSR125 is 810mm.
Looking at the numbers alone, it seems like a spec that someone of my height would be able to ride without any worries, but because the seat is wide and the side covers overhang, even though the body looks compact, when I straddle it, my feet don't reach the ground as much as I expected. For me, who is 157cm tall, I can barely reach the ground with one foot, and to be honest, it's at a level that makes me hesitate to ride.

This poor foot reach turned out to be a disadvantage, and it seems that many small riders did not end up purchasing it, so the 2025 model will feature the "Accessory Package XSR125 Low" with official foot reach improvement specifications.
By incorporating a low seat and low-down link into the body, foot reach has been improved by about 30mm compared to the standard.

This photo shows the author, who is 157cm tall, straddling the Low. The ball of the foot is firmly on the ground, providing a level of foot reach that allows you to ride with confidence.
Furthermore, both the low seat and low-down link used in this model are designed specifically for the model, and the price is only $151.24 more than the standard model, and the price includes the labor costs of installing the low-down parts, so it is highly rated for being quite good value.
Petite people who wanted to ride the XSR125 because of its unique looks no longer have to give up because of foot reach.

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XSR125 Low: Firmly grounded to the ball of the foot

"Tenere700 Low" - The Low is 3cm lighter, so even someone who is 157cm tall can manage it!

This is a bit of an exception for smaller riders, but...

The Tenere 700 also has an official lowered version, the Tenere 700 Low.

The Tenere 700 boasts aggressive riding performance as a big adventurer. The 2025 model is a hot topic for its improved comfort and convenience, with an electronically controlled throttle, smartphone linking function, and a large display.

However, the Tenere 700 has an extremely high seat, even among Yamaha models, with a seat height of 875mm. With the exception of some competitive motocross motorcycles, it is the highest seat height among road models, so much so that even a person who is 170cm tall has to stand on his tiptoes.

In my case, I am 157cm tall, and even if I straddle the Tenere 700 with the side stand up and try my best to shift my hips to the left, my toes don't even touch the ground.

The Tenere700 is the king of high-riding motorcycles, and it's not a question of whether you can ride it or not, but rather that you simply can't ride it from the start.

Perhaps because the Tenere700 is a motorcycle that is not for everyone, an official lowered version has been released.

This is the "Accessory Package Tenere700 Low".

This model is $151.24 more expensive than the standard model.

It includes the lowering parts and installation costs by attaching a lowered seat and lowering links.

I thought, "30mm is certainly big, but at 157cm tall, I'm sure I won't be able to reach the ground even on a lowered model," but to my surprise, one foot reached the ground and the top of the ball of my foot touched the ground.

This model is sure to be a lifesaver for riders who are short and can't reach the ground, but really want to ride the Tenere700!

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New Tenere 700 Low - Amazingly, one foot reaches the ground and the top of the ball of the foot touches the ground.

 

"A lower seat height does not necessarily mean you can reach the ground easily." What are the standards for petite riders that they can "ride this"?

Here, I would like to reconsider the question of "foot reach for petite riders."

Recently, with the spread of lowered parts and thick-soled boots, more and more people under 150cm tall are enjoying motorcycle riding, so there seem to be various opinions on how tall someone must be to be considered "petite." This time, I considered anyone under 160cm tall to be petite.

"If the motorcycle fits your body, you can ride it without special measures such as lowering it, but if the motorcycle is large and high-riding, it is difficult to ride it without measures."

Does that make sense?

For people with a fair amount of riding experience, if they are around 160cm tall, they will often feel comfortable riding up to a seat height of around 810-820mm.

For your information, I am 157cm tall and straddle an early model YZF-R1 with a seat height of 815mm, with my right foot on the footpeg and my left foot down, I can reach the ground about as shown in the image. It doesn't look like it's that hard to reach the ground, but it feels like the ball of your foot is supporting your body. For me, it's just the kind of foot reach that makes me feel like "I don't think the ground is good, but it's not a problem when it comes to handling or riding."

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The author, 157cm tall, straddles an early model YZF-R1 with a seat height of 815mm, with his right foot on the step and his left foot on the ground. The feeling of supporting his body with the ball of his foot.

 

"It's not that I can reach the ground easily, but I can ride without any problems" is a feeling that is difficult to understand for tall riders. This is because for tall riders, it is natural for both feet to be flat on the ground, and even a slight lift of the heels can make them feel that they can't reach the ground. However, for riders under 160cm tall, it is natural for the heels to lift on any motorcycle, except for some cruisers. Assuming that the heels will lift, you will have to explore "how far the feet need to reach the ground to be able to ride."

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The author, who is 157 cm tall, straddles the 2025 model MT-09. The feeling is that the top of the ball of the foot is slightly touching the ground.

 

This is the author straddling the 2025 model MT-09 (seat height 825mm).

The difference in seat height from the YZF-R1 mentioned above is only 10mm, and it doesn't look like there's much difference in foot placement, but the feeling is "quite unsettling" with only the top of the ball of the foot touching the ground. (*This motorcycle is a Y-AMT that does not require clutch operation, and there is no need to switch feet when starting and stopping, so once I started riding, I didn't feel too unsettled with this foot placement.)

When considering foot placement for petite riders, it is important that the "ball of the foot (the bulge just below the base of the big toe)" that has been mentioned several times so far is on the ground, and it seems that many riders think that even if the heel is off the ground, as long as the entire ball of the foot is firmly on the ground, they won't feel too unsettled.

Also, if you put both feet down at the same time (both feet on the ground), which results in standing on tiptoes, you can put one foot on the footrest and move the other foot away from your hip to "one foot on the ground" and you can firmly reach the ground with the ball of your foot, which will reduce anxiety.

By the way, when considering foot reach based on the motorcycle's specifications, many people refer to "seat height".

In this article, we have discussed foot reach based on seat height.

But the truth is, a low seat height does not necessarily mean good foot reach, which is the tricky part.

In reality, two factors that affect foot reach more than seat height are "seat width" and "whether you can straddle the motorcycle and put your legs down straight". The wider the "seat width", the worse the foot reach will be because your legs will spread outward. As for "straddling and straight", covers on the underside of the motorcycle, and in some cases the footrest, can interfere with the lowered legs and make it worse.
It is important to think of seat height as a reference material only and not to accept it at face value, but to straddle the actual motorcycle and check how well your feet can reach the ground.

For petite riders with a long riding career, this may be like preaching to the choir, but I would like to emphasize this point again in case someone closer to a beginner sees this article.
And for those who are thinking of buying a motorcycle, preferably one that they can easily reach with their feet,
I would like to conclude this article by emphasizing that "this year's Yamaha models have great foot reach!"

Report and photography by Masuda Keiko

 

→Read the full story

 

See YAMAHA Moto Index Page
See YAMAHA Tenere700 Parts & Accessories Page
See YAMAHA XSR125 Parts & Accessories Page

Original Source [ Mosai powered by Motorcyclist ]

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