If you’re looking to take your home-mechanic skills to the next level, a career as a motorcycle mechanic might be a good option for you.
If you’re someone who knows they like working on bikes, have a good hand for working with tools, and are able to learn and diagnose mechanical problems, it can be a good career.
The steps to becoming a motorcycle mechanic don’t take too long, and depending on where you live and how you specialize, you can potentially earn a decent salary.
Training Requirements for Motorcycle Mechanics
The bare minimum requirement to become a motorcycle mechanic is to get your high school diploma or GED.
With this, you’ll typically be able to land an entry-level job performing some of the basic motorcycle maintenance tasks or land a job as an apprentice.
If you really want to jumpstart your career, you can enroll in a motorcycle mechanic training and certification program.
You can even help to up your earning potential by specializing on certain makes or certain systems.
Motorcycle Mechanic Certifications & Training Programs
Most motorcycle mechanic training or certification programs will take anywhere from a few semesters to up to two years to finish.
Enrollment in these programs requires:
- High School Diploma/GED.
- Valid driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement.
Your training options include:
- Associate’s degree through your community college.
- Diploma through a technical school.
- Certificate through a specialized program.
Each program will teach you how to work on bikes, how to diagnose problems, and more.
Some of the most popular manufacturer-specific training programs include:
- Harley-Davidson.
- Honda.
- Suzuki.
- Kawasaki.
- Yamaha.
Some of the top schools for becoming a motorcycle mechanic inlcude:
- Motorcycle Mechanic Institute.
- Wyotech, formerly Wyoming Technical Institute.
- Universal Technical Institute (UTI).
How much does a motorcycle mechanic make?
On average, motorcycle mechanics earn about $35 to $40K per year.
Your salary will be dependent on where you live and how you specialize.
Some of the top states where motorcycle mechanics can expect to earn more include:
- Alaska.
- Colorado.
- California.
- Hawaii.
- Washington.
- Nevada.
- New Hampshire.
- North Dakota.
- Wyoming.
If you decide to work for a motorcycle manufacturer or open up your own shop, you can expect to earn more than the average mechanic.
