How to Become a Motorcycle Mechanic???

steelhead

Registered
What are the legal requirements to become a motorcycle mechanic in your state?

Does a person need to be licensed by their state before they can become a motorcycle mechanic??

Specifically, is there an apprenticeship program or a trade certification program that is necessary in your state?

I understand there are schools such as MMI, but must a person attend these schools or factory training programs before they can call themselves a mechanic? See this link, it says no state license is required in Iowa.

http://iwin.iwd.state.ia.us/iowa....on=full

Confused,
SteelHead.
 
anyone know?
rock.gif
 
You want to be called a "Technician" now days... used to be fixing stuff required a mechanic but now you need to be well schooled in a lot more of the technical aspects as the technology keeps advancing..

If it follows "auto" techs, then no, you do not need a "license" but you can "certify"

Schools must license to train you however..

Most factory certs are given only to "dealer" techs but you can get "national" certifications from other organizations.

Some schools may have factory certs available as they train for specific makes.. Check with the school you want to go to and get the particulars from them directly..
 
Thanks for answering my question about state licensing requirements for becoming a motorcycle mechanic.

In Toronto, we must go through 5300 hours (4 years) of apprenticeship at a motorcycle mechanic's shop before we can get a government license to open our own shop and call ourselves "motorcycle mechanic".

In USA (such as California), it seems that we can go to MMI (for example) but it is not mandatory. I don't see anything in LAW like Toronto where specific paperwork is absolutely REQUIRED before you can hang your own sign up. Is that correct?

Mind you, factory or national certification is
critical to the success of a shop, but it is not a legal must do, right?
 
The states could use some type of certification but it just brings govt in where it can just cause more trouble..

Suppose if you do not know what you are doing, you wont last long anyway... I certified as a "Master Tech" with ACE when it was NAISE (late 70's).. pretty good program but it still does not prove a guy can actually work or fix a thing, he can read and take a test..
 
In the Magnificent Province of Ontario (haha), you would not believe it, but a teenage babysitter must get a license. Granted, it's only a one day course, but everything in our province is regulated causing severe delays in actually getting started in a career.

For a motorcycle mechanic, if you can't find a shop willing to apprentice you, then that's it...finished! If they apprentice you, but they don't go through the course book with you and sign off on each repair section (engine, transmission, forks etc..) and they have you doing oil changes for five years, then again, you'll never become a licensed mechanic! It is an "old boys club" system here that makes upward mobility and career aspirations much more difficult to attain.

In this context, the American Free Market and American Dream is much better than the one based on class and "connections". Wouldn't you agree?

Thanks!
 
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