motorcycle mechanics institute? anyone gone if so your opinion is wanted!?

Question

ok so I am thinking of going to mmi. the phoenix campus. If I do go I want to take their hontech program. Which once I am done I will be a entry level certified american honda technician. What kind of salary can I expect to make once I graduate from mmi working for american honda as a motorcycle technician?
I have tried looking online but there is nothing really specific I also browsed the questions and answers from other people. From what I have been able to find online motorcycle mechanics make about 30-40k a year. Well I love motorcycles and it would be great to do that for a living. But right now I have a very cushy job. I work 5 days a week. 6 hours a day. and I make 30k a year already. so I am wondering if I should give this job up to pursue a motorcycle career. Of course if I ask mmi or the reading I found on the page try to dazzle it up but they dont say anything about salaries. heres a link to the website and programs available:

http://www.uticorp.com/default.aspx?tabid

Answer 1

I'll tell you a little story, Joe is a motorcycle mechanic. He attended AMI and received Honda factory training (a full registered technician). Joe has thousands of dollars of Snap-on tools. Joe works hard and gets dirty everyday. Joe has no health insurance no retirement plan, and if Joe makes a mistake he has to fix it on his own time, and God forbid he ever puts someones brakes together wrong and someone gets hurt. Joe made close to $40,000 last year.
Then there was Tom he was a salesman, worked in the front room with a white shirt and air conditioning. Tom's tools were a pen and pencil. Tom had a few days training. If Tom made a mistake he simply crumpled up the sales form and started a new one. Tom made over $60,000 last year.
This is a true story and I hope it helps you make your decision.

Answer 2

I've met lots of guys who have gone through this training. I think the main problem with it is that it teaches how to work on bikes but not how to be a mechanic. Anyone who has done much wrenching will know just what I mean. Personally I have never met an MMI graduate who could so much as properly gap a spark plug. I am convinced MMI is the main reason service at HD dealers is so bad these days. That and the lousy attitude of everyone at the dealerships.

Answer 3

I've been in the business for going on 11 years now. In that time I have either: hired & fired, had input into the hiring/firing, worked with, or knew someone else in my same work situation and had discussions about several MMI grads.

Consistantly I have found that; they all had an 'attitude' about them. It seems as though it was part of the course at times because each of them seemed to have it. None of them knew near as much as was implied. All of them required a consisderable amount of other training and work experiance to be more effective than the average assembly/set up guy.

Of them all, only one lasted in the business (to the best of my knowledge) for more than a year. That one is still in the business and is now the lead tech at a high profile multi-line franchised dealership. It is with MMI as it is with anything else... In the end it'a all about your work ethic, desire, drive and personality.

For me, I would look at an MMI grad, but only as a set up guy or with the understanding that he would be hired as and paid as a basic entry level mechanic. Even so, it would depend more on the person than the MMI endorsment/qualification. That being said I would urge you to consider looking into a local community college for simular training (some close to me offer 'motorcycle and marine' specific training) or even pursue an internship with a STRONG local dealership.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

PLEASE DONT READ AND BELIEVE IN EVERYTHING THEY AND THOSE ONLINE COURSES SAY MAN IF YOU WANT TO GO THEN GO BUT BEFORE WARNED THAT ALOT OF DEALERS STILL DONT RESPECT THE TRADE ENOUGH TO HIRE REAL MECHANICS LIKE THE ONES THAT COME FOM MMI ////I AM A GRAD IT IS SOMETHING THAT I AM VERY PROUD OF AND WOULD RECOMMAND IT TO ANYONE THAT IS WANTING TO GO IF YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH ///THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT YOU GO 5 DAYS A WEEK 5 HOURS A DAY YOU CANT BE LATE AND YOU CANT TAKE IT AS A JOKE IT IS SERIUOS ALOT OF KIDS GRADUATE AND THINK THAT THEY WILL MAKE A LOT OF MONEY AND BE AROUND MOTORCYCLES AND RIDE THEM ALL THE TIME NOPE /// ALOT OF THEM AFTER A YEAR OR SO GIVE IT UP BECAUSE THEY CANT HACK IT IF YOU ARE MECHANICALLY INCLINED AND AM WILLING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT THEN GO THERE AND DO IT // I TOO HAVE WATCHED THE COMMERICALS AND FRANKLY MAN THERE CRAP THEY TELL YOU THE THINGS YOU WANT TO HEAR JUST TO GET YOU TO SIGN UP TRUTH BE KNOWN YOU CAN EXPECT TO MAKE ABOUT 8-10 DOLLARS AN HOUR AFTER GRAD BECAUSE YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A LOT GUY AFTER THAT SORRY TO SAY THAT BUT IT IS THE TRUTH //ALSO WHEN YOU GET THERE UNLESS YOUR PARENTS ARE RICH HAVE ALOT OF MONEY OR YOU DO AS WELL EXPECT TO GET A JOB AND THAT SUN IS HOT MAN LET ME TELL YOU HOT //I MADE MORE MONEY AS A TIRE TECH THAN I DID AS A MOTORCYCLE TECH //PLEASE DONT LET ME TALK YOU OUT OF IT BUT ONCE YOU SIGN THE DOTTED LINE THERE THEY OWN YOU TRUST ME THEY RUN IT LIKE A CONCONTRATION CAMP SHIRTS TUCKED IN NO RIDING OF THE MOTORCYCLES EITHER // ON A NICER NOTE MAN IF YOU DO GO AND WANT TO BE A IMPORT TECH I WOULD SUBJEST ALL OF THEM HONTECH YAMAPRO F.A.S.T. SUZUKI] THAT IS AND TAKE SOME HARLEY COURSES ALSO SO GOOD LUCK IN WHAT EVER YOU DECIDE

Answer 5

Working as a motorcycle mechanic is not as cool as it sounds. Long hours, low pay.

But it could be something that you would enjoy doing. Job satisfaction counts for a lot too.

Ask around at your local indepentent motorcycle shops. You mgiht be able to find a shop that will let you apprentice for them part time. There are always parts that need to be washed, floors that need to be swept, toilets that need cleaning and other little odd jobs that need to be taken care of.

If you show that you've got a decent work ethic maybe they'll teach you some small stuff. Tire changes, oil changes, stuff like that. You could learn enough about the work to decide if it's something you want to do with your life, or if you need to look elsewhere.

Answer 6

That $12/hr is the absolute minimum you will get paid so do not worry although the education is expensive it is suppose to be hands on and very focused training, hence, it only takes about a year to graduate. In your field you need experience and thats the bottom line. Yes, a bachelors degree will hep if you want to be a designer or engineer or something but if you just looking to be a mechanic than go with something that is going to get you into the workforce fast. Also, with a bachelors degree you are not limited to just being in your field as there will be other opportunities in case you choose not to go with that path. Good luck.

Answer 7

I also am thinking of joining MMI this year and lately I have been wondering the same thing. I have applied to them but havent received the info packet yet. I was also wondering how much I would be able to make after doing it. I think we can help each other, write to me.