For more than 35 years, Corbin Industries has been setting the standards for motorcycle saddles. Recently, Brian Jackson had the chance to sit down with Mike Corbin, the man known as “The Wizard,” and talk to him about a variety of topics.

First of all, to set the record straight, it is true that Mike sold the first seat that he ever made right off his own 1965 Norton Manx! The seat brought him the price of $40 at a rally in Grafton, Massachusetts! Soon, Mike’s friends began to ask him to make seats for their own bikes and soon Mike saw both potential and opportunity; however, it was really his early love of motorcycles that spurred him on to pursue his business dream. Mike told Brian that as a young man he saw The Wild One, and then when he was 16 he had a scooter that he rode to school. Finally, when the business opportunity rolled along, he was encouraged by his mother to pursue his interest. In 1969, when Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper hit the open road in the hit movie Easy Rider, the motorcycle industry literally took off and Mike Corbin was ready and waiting with a product that everyone wanted—a seat that made the “long haul” more comfortable!

By 1971, Mike started by applying for patents for his seat designs—something that hadn’t been done previously! Mike told Brian that there was a unique feeling between having a job and starting his own business. “It’s a glass wall…and it’s hard to walk through that wall.” Mike also said that he was lucky and that he never really had to sell his product. In fact, the product simply sold itself! But, as previously implied, if there is one single element that reflects the success of Corbin Industries, it’s found in Mike Corbin’s love for riding. Mike still holds the World Land Speed Record for an electric-powered motorcycle, and in 2000 he was inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame! Today, he still logs thousands of miles in the saddle each year.

As far as the success of his own business, Mike says that it has been fun and to him it’s not really a business but it’s as if they are making parts for themselves! When asked about what advice he would give someone who was considering going into the motorcycle business, Mike enthusiastically offered these words: “Pursue your dreams, passions, and concepts and get through that glass wall.” To sum it all up, Mike Corbin put it in these terms: “It’s the romance of the road—there’s nothing like it.” What more needs to be said than that? If you are interested in finding out more about Corbin Industries and their products, you can visit them on the web at www.corbin.com.

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