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Posted by: Need4Speed
The way I look at it is dealers around here for the most part don't take me seriously just because I'm 16. Some of the parts guys and mechanics don't know their heads from their A$$. I've gone there told the guys exactly the part that I needed and even pointed it out on a floor model and all I ever hear is "Can you come back behind the counter and find it on the microfilm?" Seriously I've been done playing their games for a while. Now all I do is order stuff from service Honda. I always thought you had to take classes to beome a mechanic. Since dealerships wont take me seriously I do small engine work on the side for people around here. Why don't you try doing that? Word of mouth is very good advertising.
Posted by: Todd400
Ive been a diesel mechanic for a few years now and can only say one thing for the mechanic profession, ASE & MMI have really nice certificates for the time and money you invest in them but most places hire exclusivley on experience and your inventory of tools, I started out in a junk yard 10 years ago and progressed through the local goodyears and such and worked my way to a fleet job mainting semi-tractors for Pepsi, What im basically saying is invest in some tools and a few good manuals and be willing to start at the bottom, Once you realize you need to learn it all the hard way the only place to go is up, All shops are willing to train new guys, It saves them from paying the big bucks to all of us old guys
Posted by: CdaleRacer
I wouldnt pay the money for those kinds of courses expecting to get a job with the training that you will receive. I've took the course a few years ago mainly to help me save some money by working on my quads my self. Its an o.k. course I guess but all the books and everything seemed realy outdated (had pics that looked like they were from the late 70's/ early 80's) I dont know the specs about age laws ect. but I'm thinking if a dealership can hire someone to help out around the shop then other places can also. What I'm saying is that if no dealerships or anything will hire you try some Machine Shops, they usually cant keep many long time workers and are always looking for help. Thats the way the ones are in my area anyway.
Posted by: MickeyDunlap
Why don't you go to POWROLL?Talk to PETE FISHER the owner.I live and work there for about 5 years and now have a company called "FOUR STROKE TECH".
Posted by: KNOWSALOT
Despite what the Motorcycle Mechanic Institute says, you aren't any better off getting a job with their diploma than getting one if you only worked on your own machines.
I don't know of any dealers within a hundred miles who have a mechanic who has gone to these schools. While I'm not saying it's wasted money and time, you just don't have to have it to get a job as a mechanic. I seriously doubt it would get you any better pay starting out either considering that dealers don't pay their mechanics like some of the big car dealers do.
Most people who don't have alot of mechanical experience on motorcycles or quads learn over time at the dealership. If you can do your own work on your machine, it is possible to land a job as a mechanic. Most times, you will start out by doing jobs like tire changing, oil changes, regualr service maintenance, and simple R&R of parts. Over time, you will learn from other mechanics there and schools that your dealer sends you to a few times a year.
Dealers pay their mechanics based on productivity and quality of work. Depending on dealer size and the ammount of work done in the shop as a whole, a mechanic's salary can range from 25,000.00 to 45,000.00 a year.
KNOWSALOT
Posted by: YoDaddy
Take an ATV mechanics course in the summer if your really interested in that kind of stuff. If your just looking for a job, than trout is probably right... You would be the guy that goes to get stuff and maybe you'll get to ride the motorcycles and atv's back into the shop at closing (maybe... depending on the shop)... That would be a pretty cool job. I wanted to work at the local Yamaha dealership and they said that they would hire me but it was to far away for me to drive everyday .
Posted by: trout
Journeyman license is something that I have heard that plumbers get, it is like a liscense to practice plumbing anywhere, it also applies to other trades like electrical engineering, and contracting, I think you could probably be a "Go-For" at a local shop, you know, go for this go for that, etc. The best way to find out is go knock on the door. I admire your desire to work though, i know this isnt much help. I wish you lived here in Denver I would hire you for a couple of months until you made enough to get a quad, but that is not realistic obviously, keep in there though, where there is a will there is a way! Paper route?
Posted by: trout
Ive seen ads in Dirlwheels and other mags for ATV mechanics classes look in there.
Posted by: OregonMXracer
Since you guys are the most helpful, can someone tell me if there is such a thing as a " Mechanic Apprentice or Journeyman"? I am oging to call all of the local Mx shops and see if they have an apprenticeship program but if ther aren't any shops that do such a thing, I don't want to waste my time. Thanks.
Posted by: OregonMXracer
Well, I'm looking for a job but if I could be learning mechanical stuff at the same time, than thats a plus for me. Anyway, I just called the local Yamaha/Honda shop and the guy I talked to said he hasn't seen it done before but he'll have the Servicee manager call me when he gets in to talk to me about it. Wish me luck! lol. Hopefully they'll need help since it's winter time and it's usually to cold to ride so people will be taking their machines to the shop to be "freshened up" or rebuilt. Who offers these ATV mechanics courses? Where can I find some info on it?
Posted by: OregonMXracer
I've sent for info on those, they cost alot of money that I don't have to spend. when I received my packet they were running a "back to school" special, and it was $500 to start, but you got some craftsman tools when you "graduate".
Posted by: OregonMXracer
I will probably try a machine shop if I can't get a job anywhere else. As a matter of fact, the whole reason I thought of this is because one of my friends is a Machinist's Apprentice but he is a year older than me so I don't know if that matters.
Posted by: OregonMXracer
Pete Fisher lives about a mile from me, but I doubt he would hire me. Oh, I like what you and Lurch did to that Mojave, it's sweet.
