The Early Days
Allen and his wife riding in the mountains of Western North Carolina just a couple of years after Mean City Cycles was founded.
Still Riding Today
More than 22 years later, the passion for motorcycles and building better seats continues.
Mean City Cycles was founded in 2004 with one simple belief: every rider deserves a seat built specifically for them—not a one-size-fits-all solution.
When Allen Austin founded Mean City Cycles in 2004, he already had 18 years of upholstery experience. After purchasing a Honda VTX, he quickly realized the stock seat became uncomfortable after about 30 minutes of riding. Like many riders, he tried an aftermarket seat. While it improved comfort, it also changed his riding position in a way he didn't like.
One evening, Allen watched a demonstration showing how a rider's weight was distributed across a motorcycle seat. That's when the light bulb went off. He realized comfort wasn't just about adding more padding—it was about properly supporting the rider. Combining that concept with his upholstery experience, he reshaped his own stock seat to improve weight distribution while maintaining the riding position he wanted.
When he finished, he asked his wife to sit on the seat. After trying it, she immediately said, "You have to do mine next." He rebuilt her seat as well, and after posting a couple of pictures online, other riders began asking if Mean City Cycles could do the same for them. What started as a solution to one rider's problem became a business, and over the next several years Mean City Cycles grew steadily through word of mouth and satisfied customers.
Today, more than 22 years later, Mean City Cycles has rebuilt thousands of motorcycle seats for riders across the United States and around the world. Every seat is handcrafted in Maiden, North Carolina and customized for the individual rider's weight, inseam, riding style, and comfort goals. Whether you're looking for all-day comfort, better footing at a stop, an improved riding position, or a completely custom look, every seat is built specifically for you.
Happy customers send more customers. That simple philosophy has guided Mean City Cycles from the very beginning and continues to drive everything we do today.
If you happen to be in our neck of the woods feel free to stop by the shop and check things out.
