We measured seat dimensions and seat heights and found some pretty interesting things. The REV seating position is too far forward and too aggressive and some other models followed suit. The new REV-XP seat position is much better and more comfortable for a wider variety of people without sacrificing aggressive riding. But we found that it is more than seat height that makes the ergos so comfortable.

The Yamaha Apex/Vector seat height is the same as the XP from the running boards, but the taper of the XP running boards is more aggressive and offers a much better foot position. The Nytro seating position follows the older REV chassis more, and while more comfortable than the Apex, it can be too forward for some and I found myself hugging the tank more than I like. The Phazer is closer to my liking, but the seat can feel a tad narrow.

Polaris’s redesigned fuel tank and seat is a half-inch higher than last year on most IQ models and offers more comfortable ergonomics for 2009, a very close second to the REV-XP. Arctic’s Twin Spar offers decent ergos, too, but the seat can feel too wide at times and if you raise it to a higher position, which I personally like, it makes the transition from seated to standing harder with the way the seat moves forward. Winner: REV-XP.