Need some input about after highschool

[ridehonda400ex]

So last year i bought my quad and since then ive been in love with quads and dirtbikes and any kind of engine. I live for riding and working on them. After highschool i wanna go to school for working on atvs, dirtbikes, motorcycles and so forth. My problem is that idk what school i wanna go to. Ive seen UTI, that looks pretty good but idk for sure. For the next 2 years Im going to be doing CACC(capital area career center) for agriculture mechanics thru my highschool, the class is at the community college, anyways they work on cars, atvs, snowmobiles, dirtbikes, and we learn to weld. I get both highschool and college credits at the community college( lincoln land ). My plan is to start a mechanics business and give good services unlike those rip off dealers. And my dad is going to start a merchandise shop in the front, and his girlfriend be the money and finances person. Him and his girlfriend and I have talked about this but with her kid I turning 16 this year itll probably have to wait a year. In my ag mechanics class now(is just a highschool class) i took a non running push mower and tore it down and made it run, i got a 125% on tools and engine parts test. So im not a complete dummy. I just wanna prepare for my future early.


So is what im really wanting to know is what tech schools or colleges would be good? Im not afraid to travel and i live in illinois. My CACC classes get me some certificate too but i dont think its anything major

[Ruby Soho]

Working on bikes, trucks, cars and stuff is a hobby of mine, but I chose a different route with my life. There isn't enough advancement or the pay I want in mechanics. I have countless friends who go from Audi to home garage. Not what I want to be doing for years to come.

I personally went into the electrician field. I like construction, and I don't have to beat myself up doing it.

I would look for employment opportunities for mechanics around your area first, to see if there is work for it.. because with out that there's no point in being certified if you can't work

[ridehonda400ex]

Originally posted by Ruby Soho
Working on bikes, trucks, cars and stuff is a hobby of mine, but I chose a different route with my life. There isn't enough advancement or the pay I want in mechanics. I have countless friends who go from Audi to home garage. Not what I want to be doing for years to come.

I personally went into the electrician field. I like construction, and I don't have to beat myself up doing it.

I would look for employment opportunities for mechanics around your area first, to see if there is work for it.. because with out that there's no point in being certified if you can't work



Once i get my license i want to get a job at a motorcycle shop, not necessarily mechanics but just to get a feel for the industry and as a learning experience . And in my Ag class we are doing electricity and i like it quite a bit. I caught onto the diagramming part real fast which most say is the hardest. Im a quick learner, and im not afraid to work at all. I just really love engines, and i figured if my dad and his gf get this business going then I would start a shop right away since it would already have a reputation but if they dont then i would more likely keep working at a shop for a while then have my own side business then progress till it gets bigger.

[beastlywarrior]

mmi hands down, my cousin just moved to orlando to go there

[ridehonda400ex]

Originally posted by beastlywarrior
mmi hands down, my cousin just moved to orlando to go there




If you dont mind me asking. Whats the cost for it?

[YAMERNA]

Well im currently going for motorcycle mechanics rite now. I go to wcc Washtenaw community college in michigan ..i HIGHLY recomend it hands down the quality work is amazing the class has one numorus championships nation wide against mmi wyotech all the big schools the prograhm is a lil longer but its worth it you learn alot more they have every thing you could imagine.A state of the art bike dyno frame jigs if you have the money you can build a bike from the frame up theres actually a kid in one of the classes who came from mmi and he hated it there if your serious about macking it a career i would look into this school.the best thing i can is advise you to do your resertch i looked into mmi and wyotech and glad i didnt go there prograhms cost around 20 grand maby more some times not including living one other thing i looked into while considering schools were student and graduate reveus.plus this school is half the price with a better progrham..not bashing anyones schools this is just my 2 cents.and good luck :)

[jesseweaver]

Originally posted by ridehonda400ex
Once i get my license i want to get a job at a motorcycle shop, not necessarily mechanics but just to get a feel for the industry and as a learning experience . And in my Ag class we are doing electricity and i like it quite a bit. I caught onto the diagramming part real fast which most say is the hardest. Im a quick learner, and im not afraid to work at all. I just really love engines, and i figured if my dad and his gf get this business going then I would start a shop right away since it would already have a reputation but if they dont then i would more likely keep working at a shop for a while then have my own side business then progress till it gets bigger.

dont get your hopes up on starting your own business the day you graduate from high school though its not as easy as it may seem. i've dremt of owning my own business since i was probably 12. im 18 now and do a lot of side work on my own, i know a lot of people and have a ton of resources but i am still ages away from starting my own business

[beastlywarrior]

Originally posted by ridehonda400ex
If you dont mind me asking. Whats the cost for it?
honesty im not sure

[CJM]

Buddy of mine went to UTI for toyota/lexus, diesel and general auto repair. he loved it, but his saving grace was he lives at home still, and got a job working for toyota as an apprentice tech. He likes it, wouldnt trade it, but as he and I both know the big money is in opening your own shop for custom work (4wd trucks is his thing).


Now, im gonna burst your bubble (dont take it the wrong way but I probably have a bit more experience not only in life but in mechanics than you and most do).

As an automotive mechanic (I can repair most anything and if I dont know how I can figure it out usually, I also specialize in small engine repair, 4wd and trucks) I can tell you this isnt exactly a good field to be in right now. Forget the bad hours, getting dirty and disgusting day in and out and trying to just find a place that will hire you got more than 12/hr its tough.. Specially a powersports mechanic. People dont repair thier stuff alot of the time, they sell it to someone who will repair it and just buy another. cant tell you how many bikes, quads, motorcycles, jet skis, etc people are just DUMPING on craigslist cause they dont want to fix it and they rather buy a new one.

In order for you to get anywhere you gotta do something special and live somewhere near a track or something so you get exposure. If you just advertise and expect people to walk in you might get by. What you need to do is offer things like custom work, sponsor local racers so you get exposure (so when someone asks who built that insane quad you get the props and the word gets out!), advertise in dirt wheels, advertise online, do things in house dont send them out, carry custom parts for popular quads, you gotta offer machine service (machinist) like boring/honing, delicate engine repair, you gotta know wtf your talking about too and how to sell it all to the customers. Sure having an inventory of gear would also go well, still $$$$ to carry stuff and let it sit there, ever notice most dealers dont have jack squat? They make some money on that stuff, but not as much as you would think.

If your gonna do it, get cert not only in small engine/motorcycle repair but maybe boats (specially if you live near water they are floating money pits!). Also get cert in general auto mechanics, you wouldnt believe how handy that is to know as well.

Most of all, have a backup plan. if your good at something else it might be an idea to get a degree first then pursue your tech stuff. my buddy I mentioned before has his AA and is still going (while working) for his BA just incase cause you never know. its exactly what Im doing right now b/c the job market not only sucks but mechanic jobs are dwindling. Friend of mine repairs everything from cars to boats to quads ON THE SIDE, his fulltime job is in construction and when I asked him why not open a repair shop-his repsonse was it doesnt pay.

Good luck with your endeavor, sorry I sounded like a jerk but trust me if it was seriously a good field to be in there would be alot more shops out there. Look at orange county choppers, the guy spent years building bikes in his basement-what got him into the money was Discovery found him somehow and got him that tv show. No show and he still would be in his basement.

[ridehonda400ex]

Originally posted by CJM
Buddy of mine went to UTI for toyota/lexus, diesel and general auto repair. he loved it, but his saving grace was he lives at home still, and got a job working for toyota as an apprentice tech. He likes it, wouldnt trade it, but as he and I both know the big money is in opening your own shop for custom work (4wd trucks is his thing).


Now, im gonna burst your bubble (dont take it the wrong way but I probably have a bit more experience not only in life but in mechanics than you and most do).

As an automotive mechanic (I can repair most anything and if I dont know how I can figure it out usually, I also specialize in small engine repair, 4wd and trucks) I can tell you this isnt exactly a good field to be in right now. Forget the bad hours, getting dirty and disgusting day in and out and trying to just find a place that will hire you got more than 12/hr its tough.. Specially a powersports mechanic. People dont repair thier stuff alot of the time, they sell it to someone who will repair it and just buy another. cant tell you how many bikes, quads, motorcycles, jet skis, etc people are just DUMPING on craigslist cause they dont want to fix it and they rather buy a new one.

In order for you to get anywhere you gotta do something special and live somewhere near a track or something so you get exposure. If you just advertise and expect people to walk in you might get by. What you need to do is offer things like custom work, sponsor local racers so you get exposure (so when someone asks who built that insane quad you get the props and the word gets out!), advertise in dirt wheels, advertise online, do things in house dont send them out, carry custom parts for popular quads, you gotta offer machine service (machinist) like boring/honing, delicate engine repair, you gotta know wtf your talking about too and how to sell it all to the customers. Sure having an inventory of gear would also go well, still $$$$ to carry stuff and let it sit there, ever notice most dealers dont have jack squat? They make some money on that stuff, but not as much as you would think.

If your gonna do it, get cert not only in small engine/motorcycle repair but maybe boats (specially if you live near water they are floating money pits!). Also get cert in general auto mechanics, you wouldnt believe how handy that is to know as well.

Most of all, have a backup plan. if your good at something else it might be an idea to get a degree first then pursue your tech stuff. my buddy I mentioned before has his AA and is still going (while working) for his BA just incase cause you never know. its exactly what Im doing right now b/c the job market not only sucks but mechanic jobs are dwindling. Friend of mine repairs everything from cars to boats to quads ON THE SIDE, his fulltime job is in construction and when I asked him why not open a repair shop-his repsonse was it doesnt pay.

Good luck with your endeavor, sorry I sounded like a jerk but trust me if it was seriously a good field to be in there would be alot more shops out there. Look at orange county choppers, the guy spent years building bikes in his basement-what got him into the money was Discovery found him somehow and got him that tv show. No show and he still would be in his basement.



I agree that its probably not the best and im not gunna start it straight out of highschool. Its gunna be a side thing for a while