Hi

Just back from biking around Sri Lanka and now I'm back I really would love to make a career change and get into motorbike mechanics. I only know the basics so I'm looking for entry level motorbike mechanic training with the hope of getting an apprenticeship down the line and progressing from there.

Can see fantastic courses in the US but struggling here in the UK.

I love endure bikes but right now I am not looking to specialise on one type of bike or make i'm wanting to have the skills to repair, customise and overhaul motorcycles.

Hoping to get recommendations of great training courses here in the UK. Anywhere in the UK - have bike will travel



Cheers

Marie xx

Hi Marie,

I'm pretty sure you don't need any experience to get an apprenticeship-the deal is, they train you, you work for them for very little pay. BMW, Honda and Norton are always looking for apprentices.

Option 2-college.

Since I had no time for either I wanted to try somewhere private so I found LW Motorcycle training in Burton upon Trent (Midlands). They do bespoke mechanics courses. It's's expensive (£25 an hour) but the instructor is a great guy, so if that's something you can afford and if you live more or less nearby I'd recommend it.

I decided it was simply too expensive for me so I got a job with motorcycles (sales), and during my lunch breaks/free time I'm always at the workshop asking the mechanics tons of questions for now, that works for me.

If you want a career as a mechanic though, I think college is probably your best option.

What are the fantastic courses you saw on the US? Mind sharing?

The most well known is MMI (Motorcycle Mechanics Institute). They are BIG and pretty expensive ... and reputation is not that great. Main school I believe is in Florida, but may be others.

Many Junior colleges offer Moto mechanic programs (very GOOD and CHEAP!), check in your area.

Now a popular new business offers a place to work on your bike and be guided step by step by a pro. These outfits often branch out and have regular classes/seminars specializes in different areas. (engine, trans, drive train, electrics, clutch, cooling, et al) Most are BASIC, but some go beyond basic.

There are several programs like this in San Francisco, also a women owned shop there that is very successful.
Home
Jennifer, (a friend) the owner is German and did the full mechanics program in Germany. She is a certified Master. Good shop, hires women as well!

I would take EverGreen's advice and try to get an apprenticeship somewhere.
You will learn more doing real world repairs and dealing with mysterious real world problems that can be very difficult to figure out. Being a mechanic may seem romantic but trust me (former mechanic) it is TOUGH and after a few years, hard to stay motivated. Nothing is easy!

I have some considerable experience of teaching and running courses for mechanics and technicians in the UK's further education sector.

If you research on line you should be able to find a FE college near to where you live that will be running a course for beginners. Full time courses usually start in September, although you may find some colleges will have now have start dates thought the year. The course will be about 20 hours a week, comprising of a mixture of practical experience in a workshop and underpinning knowledge in the classroom. Most candidates will be successful and gain a level 1 qualification. You should then be able to progress to L2 & 3 over the following years. L3 should allow you to apply for study for a suitable course at foundation degree level if you want it.

In my opinion just doing a college course will not provide you with enough experience to be able to obtain employment, since the simulated work done in a college workshop alone does not usually provide the same kind of experience and skills necessary to be able to earn a living by working for an employer. Therefore you would be wise to seek out a bike shop that would take you on (maybe an internship) during your spare time away from the course, which will provide the real life background required to round off your training.

If you have difficulty in finding a course, get back to me and I will put you in touch with a college. But bear in mind I will be off travelling in about 5 weeks so you need to do it before I go, or otherwise, after the middle of August.

All the best, Guy

I hope you don't mind me jumping in. I am also very interested in courses in the UK, not for new career, just to learn self maintenance. Any details much appreciated. Many thanks.

Here's the answer I gave to a similar question back in January. It was in response to someone who was planning a trip and wanted to learn some skills before they left. Hope it helps:

A couple of years ago I retired from a life time of earning a crust firstly by repairing motorcycles and then the last 22 years by teaching in a FE college engineering department. One of my responsibilities there was to set up a motorcycle repair and maintenance course for students intending to go on to find apprenticeships. So I write with some experience.
First, I would think about the time left before you depart on your intended trip and consider what you skills can realistically manage to master. It takes a long time for a novice to learn the underpinning knowledge and master the skills necessary to become competent. So unless you are looking at taking your trip some years in the future, I would say it would probably be better just to learn some essential skills before you go. For example tyre changing (there is a good HORIZONS video that deals with this), puncture repair, how to adjust and replace a drive chain, how to replace brake shoes and / or pads and other simple maintenance and repairs.
Get hold of either a Haynes or Clymer manual for your bike and have a go. Use the manual and start with the simple stuff. Chain adjustment, topping up fluids, replacing bulbs etc and build your confidence. Then move on to practicing removing the wheels, start with the front since it is usually easier. Then you can progress to other more difficult tasks. It's all PRACTICE, PRACTICE, as far as dismantling, reassembly and maintenance is concerned.
Where the real skill comes in is being able to make a diagnosis and that will come from understanding how the various systems work and the experience you have already gleaned. To help you understand how systems work you could look at the various tech books published by Haynes and a book published by Pearson called Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair, which is for work based learning courses but it will give a useful insight into understanding motorcycles.
Above all don't be afraid to have a go. You will inevitably make mistakes, but a few mistake made before you go should result in less on the road.

Two good books for amateur motorcycle repairers are:

Motorcycle Workshop Practice Techbook

Motorcycle Electrical Techbook

Another good place I have heard of if you are in or near London, is the Oval Motorcycle Centre. Oval Motorcycle Centre Motorcycle DIY workshop, maintenance, service, repair and training workshop
Here they rent out space and tools to diy repairers and also have experienced staff on hand to offer help and advice.

Or you could try checking FE colleges in your area, sometimes they run evening courses for diy motor and/or motorcycle mechanics.