A motorcycle is the top most appealing vehicle to me and the reason is that describes the freedom that I want to avail I know it’s the same for most of you who ride a motorcycle even some of you who don’t know how to ride and regret it. Whatever, after the handlebar, the seat and seating position is the most important segment of the motorcycle ergonomics to me in terms of comfort features. So, here I am Saleh, describing readily available motorcycle seat categories & types considering the current motorcycling trends.

Motorcycle seat categories and types

In modern motorcycles, we can see various categories and types of motorcycles considering riding purpose, riding terrain, and of course, economy ranges. Accordingly, these days commonly motorcycles are available in the categories of commuter, street naked, sports, scrambler, cruiser, dual-sport dirt, ADV, etc.

Therefore, different categories of the motorcycle feature different categories and types of seating arrangements and seats where the most basic category can be elaborate as the single-piece seat and split-type seat. Here split seat is not a modern addition at all as some of us seem that is wrong and above that it truly has come and been modified from old-school styling.

Meanwhile, I should add the step-up-single type of seats can be honored as a modern invention that is very widely popular among modern commuters and dual sport machines. Whatsoever, the single seat is very frequent since the old age when modern motorcycles very uncommonly feature the single-piece single seat that comes with custom cruisers or scramblers. So whatever it is, let’s get a look at each type of motorcycle seat with a small brief below.

Old-school upright motorcycle seats

Old-school upright formation of motorcycle seats is very popular from old age even in this modern time. It features wider and cushioned seating both for the rider and pillion positioned in solid horizontal alignment. Thus solid upright seating is very comfortable for a rider and a rider can stay comfortable while riding for long hours even continuously for days or weeks.

Further, upright seating allows better control over the machine in any terrain and surface conditions. Moreover, it helps to keep the rider’s backbone position straight or semi-tilted whatever he/she wants and it aids to tackle different riding conditions very easily. That’s why upright formation is now customized and adopted in various types of motorcycles like commuters, cruisers, dual-sport, dirt, and adventure motorcycles.

Narrow front upright motorcycle seats

The narrow front upright seat can be called the next-generation seat from the old-school upright seats. This type of seat is placed slightly in a vertically tilted position to the motorcycle fuel tank and the front end is narrower to give extra space to the rider’s inner thigh for better grounding of feet while tackling tight city traffic or in uneven surface conditions.

These types of seats are very common in the modern commuter, dirt, dual-sport, adventure, and even partially in aggressive-styled sportbikes. Hence narrow front upright seats can be a single-piece unit that is frequently used in commuters and dirt bikes or can be split typed where the front part or the rider seat features the narrow front end featured in naked-street, sportbikes, and in some ADV bikes.

Semi-step-up single motorcycle seats

The Step-up type of seat is nearly a modern concept in motorcycle seating ergonomics and the semi-step-up seat is very widely used in modern-age commuters, scooters, cruisers, and even in naked street and adventure motorcycles. These types of seats allow better load distribution in the motorcycle even in fully loaded conditions and the rider can experience a comfortable ride and better control over the motorcycle.

Semi-step-up split motorcycle seats

The semi-step-up split seat is very popular in the modern naked street and sports motorcycles. It offers quite an aggressive styling but allows competent controlling characteristics over the motorcycle. Thus, modern street naked and sportbikes widely feature these types of seats. Further, some commuter motorcycles also are adopting this type of seating for better styling.

Step up sporty split motorcycle seats

Fully step-up sporty split seats are the most aggressive styled seating arrangement for motorcycles. Here riding comfort is fully compromised especially for the passenger whereas it focuses on styling and aggressiveness. Therefore, aggressively styled fully-faired sportbikes and naked sportbikes are these days adopting this type of seating arrangement whether it is comfortable or not, no matter.

So, guys here I elaborated on the most common and basic types of modern motorcycle seats above. But one thing is sure you will see other types of seats in the latest model of motorcycles which is some kind of a fusion of the above specifications where every manufacturer wants to do some unique thing in design to their motorcycles and set up the seat accordingly, that's it. Thanks.