i have been thinking about going to wyotech for there motorcycle program then becoming a mechanic but iam not sure on the wages and if its a good job to have. i love working on bikes and everything in general, iam a mechanic in the army and iam getting out soon and looking for a career. so can anyone help me out with making my decision. i know iam not going to be rich by no means being a mechanic but i dont want to be broke neither.

 

From what little i know... I would say go to school and if you have the funds/support, open your own shop. Sure its risky, but thats where your gonna make the best money once you get going good. If you dont want the headaches and just want a paycheck... im sure you would start off being able to make it. Biggest thing would be working for someone who actually reconizes your work and rewards you. Most owners/bosses dont give a **** and will pay you the least they can and expect you to do double. This world is so full of pieces of ****.

 

My buddy's dad owns a motorcycle shop here in town, he pays his mechanic 35$ an hour and charges the public 48$ and hour labor.... pretty good pay imo.

 

keep it as a hobby, bike mechanics dont make ****! if you love it and want to take it further, cool. If you think you are going to get a job at a dealer and pay your mortgage every month, do the world a favor and kill yourself.

 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and how does the guy stay in business????? all the mechanics I know are making $13-$22/hr and the shop charges $73/hr. And to top it off, the **** suckers charge 30 minutes labor if you bring your rim in off the bike for a tire change.


the money is in owning the business.

 

iam just going to keep it as a hobby. get a good job to pay for my hobby lol

 

not sure, i just know thats what he charges. I think it's because he keeps his rates lower than the other local shops so the majority of the buisness comes to him. kinda like walmart.... cheap prices same product kind of aspect.

but it's life, sometimes you can find a kick *** job and sometimes you can't.

 

+1111111 mechanical work on bikes or cars is a cut throat buisness. in 20 years you will be a toothless grease ball making 15 bucks an hour working for someone. there is no money in that trade. everyone wants to do it.

 

Then don't go to Wyotech. Just buy some tools and a manual and go to town.


I looked into MMI years ago and decided it wasn't worth it. I talked to a local shop and they would have paid me $8/hr to uncrate and setup bikes, no thanks.

 

MMI is supposed to be good, Wyotech I have heard stories about. If thats your passion, find out what school(s) are the best to get trained and then open your own shop, wrench on bikes for a couple years and then start hiring other trained mechanics. Bike dealers dont make **** on selling bikes, all the money is in the labor of the mechanics and sale of parts and accessories.

 

I got paid to do that without MMI. And I got to wheelie their 4wheelers

 

its always nice to abuse machines that dont belong to you! LOL I rode with all the squids at one of the local dealers here in IL, It was so mismanaged that we used to go there at night, the people that worked there would let their friends take out the used bike of their choice and we'd all go tear up the streets. The owners were clueless....... some retarded couple that didnt know how many wheels were on a motorcycle, they bought the business as an investment, kept all the same employees and never stepped foot in the door. During that time there was about 80 units that disappeared from there and probably $100,000 in parts/acc. that grew legs. Thankfully only 1 of the joy ridden bikes was crashed, my buddy took a 98 R1 to Michigan and high sided it on the track. He had to buy the bike to avoid theft charges and was fired.

 

i know working at bike shops the last 5 years or so has made me like motorcycles LESS. Kinda getting burned out & I dont make ****

 

yeah what all said above unless it's your place don't do it. I was a tech for a long time and lef that **** 2 years ago and will never go back. One tech that worked with me was a teacher at MMI and his come back rate was 98% and this guy was a teacher there hahahahaha what's even funnier is he got fired and went back to teaching there lol. Like i always said if you like bikes work on cars if you like cars work on bikes cause if you love your bike now and you become a motorcycle tech when you get home from work you will want to put a bomb on your bike and push it into the street trust me.