Many of us have had the experience. You have a problem with your bike, it’s a tough job, you don’t have the tools or the time, the know-how or perhaps you just would rather have it done for you because there are other things you need to do. You get to the bike shop, probably your dealer but maybe an independent shop and you go to the service department. You start explaining what the trouble is and they give you a quick brush off or tell you “We’ll take care of it,” but you know they won’t. Something isn’t right. More times than you might realize, the guy you’re about to turn over your pride and joy to is clueless. He hasn’t had the training or experience to perform an oil change safely let alone diagnose anything difficult.
Dealers feel your pain, really. Finding that good mechanic is tough, holding on to him even tougher. There aren’t enough of them and everyone knows it and poaching from other shops isn’t uncommon. What to do?
Motorcycle Mechanics Institute is working hard to be a big part of the answer. You’ve probably heard the name but if you’re like me, you’ve never really closely looked at what they offer. You really should take a minute or two to do so, it’s pretty cool. They work with all of the big guys, Harley Davidson, American Honda, American Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki, to train the interested and motivated individual and get him up to speed, fast. The companies supply the current bikes so the students get hands on time with tools and bikes it would be almost impossible to gain on their own. I like it. There is sometimes this idea that a person needs a college degree to be successful when what they really need is solid training plus some good old fashioned drive and a great attitude.
There are huge benefits on both sides, someone looking to get into the service end of the business has the perfect route to get there and customers, like you and me, feel better leaving our bikes in the hands of strangers when we see they’ve had some training from the pros.
MMI is part of UTI, the Universal Technical Institute which offers a broad line of training including automotive and marine, too, so if you’re the technical type, they’re a good place to look for training and if you need service, maybe a good indicator of the guy you’re about to deal with.
Doug says
Hopefully the MMI executives are reading this excellent website.
I currently enjoy my job but would jump at the opportunity to get into the motorcycle industry. I also can’t afford to move temporarily to Phoenix (the closest MMI campus) for a year to become an MMI graduate. MMI would do well with a campus in the Northwest (hint: Seattle) that offers night classes for those wanting to earn their degree while working full-time.
A local technical college has a motorcycle & small engine program but one cannot complete the program via the evening class schedule. An evening/weekend class schedule could be great for the instructors because it would offer after-morning rush hour time to ride, teach a few hours in the late afternoon/evening & go home at a reasonable hour. If a campus is opened in this corner of the country, Sign me up…
ttocS says
I’m a current MMI student in Orlando taking Harley, Yamaha, and Honda. There are those of us who are well on the way to becoming A-techs because of our willingness to learn, job ethic, attendance, and ability to handle constructive criticism. Then there are those who show up for class when they feel like it, have no/poor work experience, rebel against/don’t like authority, and are “cool” ’cause they go to motorcycle school.
This is a profession where the customer’s life depends upon the technician performing the work on the vehicle. Not all who attend these schools realize this.
I am the best of the best
dm1024 says
i agree with the previous comment, there are so many dudes who go to this school and miss the maximum time every clinic and still expect to get jobs in the industry. they really need to evaluate who they let in this school a little more. id say from your original theory class 25-40% actually graduate. probaly 5-10% graduate on time
biswajeet pangyok says
well i was wondering if anyone can guide me in getting into MMI.Am a current 6th semester mechanical engineering student from India.My queries are:-
1)how to apply for the admission,
2)eligibility criteria,
3)an associate whether worth full or not after a bachelor degree,
4)the financial aid provided,
5)practical interface.
i would be very thankful if anyone can help me with this queries!!!!
i can provide my email if someone personally want to help me out…..
Donald Haythe Jr. says
I was wondering if anyone would be able to provide me some information. I’m extremely interested in the Motorcycle Mechanics field and I’m taking online courses, but they aren’t anything (taught me a little, but not nearly enough). I was a bad kid hanging around with the wrong people and ended up going to prison for 10 years (when I was 15 got out when I was 25). I know it’s hard and when I talked to someone briefly from UTI/MMI he said it would be extremely hard for me to get in because of this. I’m a hard worker and I know it’s going to take a lot for me to make it because of my past, but I’m willing to do the work. My father was very much into Motorcycles and died while I was away so I never had the chance to learn much from him. Does anyone know where I would start or if it is impossible for me to get into MMI. I just need the “hands-on” because there is only so much I can learn without the right tools, bikes to work on, and someone telling me what I’m to do or what I’m doing wrong. I’m 27 now and have a sportbike and trying build a Harley bobber on my own right now. I have a love for bikes, I’m an intelligent guy and a hard worker with a very good work ethic. Can anyone help me?…good guy looking for some answers.
Thanks,
DJ
Tia Crum says
Ithink you need a school in Seattle Wa., it would do well.
Chris Bridges says
biswajeet pangyok, getting in touch with them and getting admision details is very easy and straightforward. Just go to the website and check it out. http://www.uti.edu I’ve just enrolled but wont be starting classes till the fall. Very helpful people so far. Just check this out and send them an email, they send out free information packets. Good luck.
Chris
Jimbob says
I consider myself a smart guy with a good work ethic. In fact have worked diligently for almost a decade at a job I have come to loath. MMI sounds great but the truth of the matter is I don’t know anything about motorcycles. I am fascinated by them, have been ever since my best find got his CBR a few years back, but I do not own one or know how ride one. Further more I have no mechical training of any kind. Will this hinder me, not matter much, or be a good thing?
Jeff says
JIMBOB,
it may help that you have no clue about motorcycles I had very little, I didn’t have much when i started. It would help you pay attention and if you do get in sit in the front row, the first part is theory, 6 weeks, biggest class then everyone splits off in to clinics where they teach you everything, some people think some parts are slow but thats because they’ve been wrenching on bikes of years.