At Rusty Stitches, we love all kinds of motorcycles, but there is a special place in our hearts for the custom builds. We admire the unique creations and the passionate builders who bring them to life. When you are crafting a custom motorcycle, every single detail has to be perfect. That is exactly where the seat comes in.

In this episode, I sit down with Marcel Miller, the artist behind Miller Kustom Upholstery, to talk about the craft of upholstery. Over the past twelve years, he has built a thriving independent business, navigating trends and steering through setbacks with a remarkably relaxed mindset.

Late Friday afternoon in Zutphen
On this afternoon, I step inside a large industrial hall in Zutphen. The space is filled with classic vehicles, camper vans, motorcycles, mopeds, vintage relics, and even a tattoo shop. When I enter Marcel’s workshop in the corner of this big hall, I am welcomed with the scent of leather and contact adhesive. Heavy metal music screams from the speakers, almost matching the rhythm of the sewing machine.

Marcel is just finishing up a chopper seat, his final project before the weekend. He tells me that almost every Friday, everyone working in the hall gathers with friends for a friendly get-together and a beer, and it’s almost time to leave the tools on the workbench.

The Monkey Project connection
Our bond with Marcel goes back to a special collaboration. When Moto Adonis built our custom Honda Monkey, they knew the seat had to be absolutely perfect. For Moto Adonis, Marcel is the only seat maker who shares their vision for the final finish. They reached out to him, and he immediately understood the goal. He crafted a custom seat that perfectly captured the retro, playful vibe of the build.

The man behind the sewing machine
Behind the machine stands Marcel, a big man with a beard, arms full of tattoos, and a custom cap. He might look tough, but he has an incredibly warm and friendly presence. His workbench is heavily decorated with faded, worn-out stickers from custom bike shops worldwide. This workshop is where Marcel shapes foam and leather into motorcycle seats.

While many of his creations travel to clients worldwide, including Japan, Australia, and America, a massive part of his work stays right here in the Netherlands. His craftsmanship has even caught the attention of some big names. From professional football players to Formula 1 drivers, they know exactly where to find him when they want a unique seat.

Marcel’s journey started years ago during his time at the vocational school, where he first discovered his love for woodworking and upholstery. He quickly realized that working with his hands was his true calling. After completing his education, he began working for various upholstery shops. He eventually found his niche at a company specializing in interiors for classic, aircooled Volkswagens.

That single project ignited a fire inside him

An unexpected first seat
His transition into the motorcycle world was never actually the plan. A close friend who was building custom choppers asked Marcel if he could help upholster a motorcycle seat. Marcel took on the challenge and immediately fell in love with the creative freedom of shaping motorcycle foam. That single project ignited a fire inside him, and in 2014, he decided to launch Miller Kustom Upholstery. Today, he has been successfully running his own business for twelve years.

Shifting trends and custom demands
Over the past twelve years, Marcel has seen all kinds of design trends shift and evolve. When he first started back in 2014, the cafe racer scene was booming. It was the ideal takeoff point for his business, with a massive demand for custom retro builds. Clients flocked to Marcel because he instinctively understood the exact aesthetics of the style. He crafted everything from pristine leather to rugged, washed finishes. Working with such different materials kept the daily routine incredibly fresh and exciting for him. While custom bobber and chopper seats have always been a staple of his work, their popularity has surged even more in recent years.

Many modern motorcycles look almost identical straight from the showroom floor, which drives owners to want something truly unique. A stock factory seat is also rarely the most comfortable option for long rides. Because of this, Marcel gets countless requests to modify existing seats, completely rebuilding the internal foam and reshaping them for better support.

Lately, a completely new crowd of offroad riders has also found its way to his workshop in Zutphen. They bring entirely different requirements for durability, grip, and seat shape. Every single seat remains a unique project, keeping his work fresh and exciting.

A relaxed mind and the love of the craft
Of course, Marcel has plenty of work to do, but he doesn’t do this job just to make money. He simply wants to make people happy, work in a relaxed way, and meet cool people. Having a self directed and relaxed life is much more important to him than building a massive business. It gives him the freedom to spend quality time with his wife and children, making sure they have time to do fun things together.

This relaxed mindset is fully visible in his daily routine. Lately, his son Skip has been deeply interested in mopeds, and he and his friends can often be found working in the warehouse on a custom Tomos moped. For Marcel, being able to step away from his workbench on a random weekday to help his son is pure gold. “It is just super cool to be able to do that while you are working,” Marcel says with a laugh. “Though to be honest, I think Skip might actually know more about mopeds than I do by now!”

Having a good atmosphere and camaraderie are what truly matter to him. That is also why he loves visiting and co-organizing events like The Gravel Gunners Swapmeet. Unfortunately, Marcel couldn’t organize the event in 2026 because his wife fell ill. This naturally had a massive impact on him, bringing a lot of uncertainty while caring for their two children and still keeping the business running. But a tough time like that also shows you exactly who you can rely on. Without his family, close circle of friends, and the help of his own kids, this past year would have been even more difficult. He is deeply proud of them.

Wrapping up
Thank you, Marcel, for welcoming me into your workshop and sharing your story with me. Seeing how you choose to live your life on your own terms, and how you and your family fought through the tough challenges of this past year, is incredibly inspiring.

If you want to see more of his craftsmanship or get a custom seat built, check out his latest creations on Instagram.

Author: Arthur Renkema