A Wild Ass Product Bringing Comfort to Riders
As co-founder/owner of Wild Ass Motorcycle Seats, host of the Wild Ass PodcASSt, and self-described “guy who did a long-distance ride,” Craig Johnson joins host Heather Wilson Schiltz to talk about building a recognizable brand and what the Hoka Hey Challenge taught him about preparation, grit and focus.
Craig has heard stories of riders who thought their days on two wheels were over until a Wild Ass cushion gave them back their freedom. From a young woman recovering from a devastating crash to a Spyder rider in a wheelchair finding his way back on the road, these moments fuel Craig’s passion to keep innovating.
In this episode, he shares how feedback from riders shapes the product, why vending at motorcycle rallies is key to connecting with customers, and how a simple seat cushion has made a life-changing difference for so many.
🎧 What You’ll Hear:
• How riding minibikes and racing locally led Craig into his first dealership job (and the pitch that got him hired)
• Launching Wild Ass: a lawsuit, a business partner’s health fight and fully taking the reins in 2019
• How the name “Wild Ass” came to be
• Vending at Daytona Bike Week, Arizona Bike Week, Americade, the BMW Rally, Sturgis Motorcycle Week, Milwaukee’s Homecoming, Bikes Blues & BBQ, and more
• The tech in the cushions: interconnected air cells
• Customer stories that stick: from a young rider with a smashed pelvis to a Spyder rider in a wheelchair getting back on the road
• The Wild Ass PodcASSt: sharing riders’ stories, pausing during a busy season, and gearing up to record again
• Riding 10,293 miles in 11 days 9 hours during the Hoka Hey Challenge
• Entrepreneurship talk: shedding distractions, handling stress, and treating setbacks as lessons—not failures
📲 Connect with Craig Johnson on Instagram
🌐 Wild-Ass.com
🌐 Wild Ass on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
🔔 Subscribe for more stories and strategies from inside the motorsports world
“Use the long distance rider term loosely. I did a long distance ride. That was it.”
-Craig Johnson, Wild Ass Motorcycle Seats Co-Founder & PodcASSt Host
“I mean, if you did the Hoka Hey Challenge — in my book, you’re a long distance rider because that is not something that I have ambitions of tackling. So whether you’ve done it once or hundred times, I’m giving you that label.”
-Heather Wilson, Momentum: A Motorsports Podcast Host
“Thank you. That’s funny. People say that to me at the booth. They’ll come up and see me and be like, ‘Well, you you’re a long distance rider.’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m just a guy that did a long distance ride.'”
-Craig Johnson, Wild Ass Motorcycle Seats Co-Founder & PodcASSt Host
