WORK never bottoms out for Marty Walker as long as there is a growing demand for soft or sassy motorcycle seats.

From a workshop in his garden, in Danesbury Crescent, Acomb, Marty applies all his skills as a leather trimmer to create dazzling motorcycle seats fit for the finest biker bottoms.

His work is in demand not only throughout the UK, but also Ireland, Holland, Finland, Spain, New Zealand and Canada as enthusiasts discover his website, www.smartrrrs.biz So it is not surprising that Marty is pitching not only for the Small Business Of The Year title, but also the International Trade Award in The Press Business Awards 2007.

You may have seen Marty in action during his 15 minutes of fame on the first "British biker build off" programme on the Discovery Channel, in 2005, when he made a seat for a chopper built by Tooty from Thundercity Motorcycles, in Leeds.

Then there was another moment of glory - when he was given a chance to make a seat for a giant bike made out of plastic Connex building blocks. His fibreglass-based black leather seat, based on photos he had seen of the rest of the creation, was a perfect fit for what was a high-profile launch for a new toy at Christmas.

The completed bike was shown in Times Square, in New York, and was a big hit.

York-born Marty started his career with the British Rail Carriageworks, in Holgate Road, and at the same time at college in Leeds gained advanced City and Guilds qualifications and his indentures as a coach trimmer.

"I was lucky enough to be taught by some of the best craftsman York had to offer and I look back on my time there with fond memories," he said.

He has been building or restoring motorbikes since he was 14, but he realised that making seats for two-wheelers was a serious commercial prospect when he impressed a local custom bike builder with a seat he made for his Harley chopper.

His chance to strike out on his own began when he was made redundant from Optare Bus Company, in Leeds, where at first he had been a trimmer, then a technical author.

At first it was tough, but now there are queues of bike show-offs who want his unusual seats which are covered in many different materials, including ostrich hide, stingray skin, vinyls and leathers. His prices range from about £120 to £500.

He said: "By using my website www.smartrrrs.biz as a shop window, I can show my designs to all the world, give simple explanations of the work I do and display pictures I have made of those seats which bring in the biggest part of my business.

"It makes trading with other countries a breeze."