Motorcycle mechanics courses/training

[Gazfirestormowner]

Ok so having my vtr and rebuilding my tzr has made me realise how much I like fixing and tinkering with bikes again so I'm thinking of trying to get some qualifications behind me so I can do it as a hobby maybe buying and doing up bikes to sell on or maybe mechanic bikes for other people.

My question is would anyone know what qualifications I would need in order to be able to do it.
Also any where I could train to get said qualifications.

I've googled it but a lot of it seems to be university degrees but I'd prefer hands on qualifications.

[Virt]

No idea, but I'll keep an eye on this thread (only commenting so it's easy to find in my post history) as I know f all and need to improve that

Have you checked out Rugby College actually? Or Real Motorcycles/ R&J's and asked them? They might do it for a cost

[Gazfirestormowner]

I haven't but not a bad shout

[VTRDark]

Motor vehicle craft studies is what you want to be looking up. You will find the courses a mix of classroom work and hands on. Neither of these are a substitute for being out there and working in a garage and gaining real hands on experience, but do greatly help, especially the theory side of things. These will be from one to three years of training which will get you work in a garage, but if you want something that is more towards the do it yourself maintenance and servicing, I would have thought there are less in depth courses one could take. I done my City & Guilds years ago, but I expect it has all changed now and most likely NVQ's.

(:-})

[tony.mon]

The trouble is that most courses teach you what dealers do, that is replace a damaged part for a new one.
Like the idea of seeing if, with suitable mechanical know-how, machine tools and a bit of ingenuity parts can be repaired or adapted so the bike can be kept on the road.
As you can see form recent posts, it's easy this way for a damaged bike to become an economic write-off, but nearly always it's repairable, perhaps using 2nd hand parts, or adapting something you have to hand from another model.

To get this sort of knowhow you just have to get down and dirty, think about it, play around with things, see what works and what doesn't. To my way of thinking, there's no substitute for getting oily and greasy.

Put a few pounds together, buy some damaged bikes, turn them back into runners, sell them on, repeat.
The experience comes naturally.

And do your research! Read every magazine, study, join forums, read books....

[Gazfirestormowner]

thats what im thinking tony quite happy to buy non running bikes or damaged bikes that i can strip and rebuild rather than replace but wasnt sure if qualifications were needed to do it as a way of making abit whilst im teaching myself. first thing im going to do is buy a bike lift lol sick of laying on cold floors lol

[Shauned71]

If you were looking to learn so you could ply your trade in a workshop working for someone else then I would definitely say you would need to look into collage courses etc.

As a hobby though... you can go and find some courses to get on but I would say get straight on the tools and get started. Get yourself a fixer upper.. nothing to major to start. There will be plenty of cheap bikes coming up over the winter months. Then, just get on the web... forums, clubs etc etc all info is either out there or can be found if you ask. Many service manuals can be downloaded and many can be bought for only a couple quid.

Fix up a bike, when you are done if you have any doubts about any work you may have done.. well there's not usually too far a way a local mech who can cast an eye over a job for you at a cheap price if you feel it's needed. If it all checks out the worst case is it will give you reassurance about your work. Sell the bike, buy another... rinse and repeat.
I would say to try and stay within your comfort zone though, more so starting off. If need be start with bikes needing jobs that fall towards the easier end of the scale and work up. Bit of tinkering and reading up and soon there won't be any problem taking on small jobs for other people but again, try and stay within your limits. All the time you are doing smaller jobs you can still read up, your knowledge will soon build up and you will be able to take on bigger and more complicated jobs.

I'm a panel beater and sprayer myself although I do do some mechanics when the mood takes me. I started as a sprayer and can remember starting off doing nothing more than mixing paint. Will admit i did have someone showing me the ropes when I first started (in your case you have internet for that) I was in a family Business and it was my Brother who was the sprayer before me but out of the blue he decided he wanted to leave the trade to pursue other interests.. My Father who also worked with us handed me the spray gun and simply told me it was all on me week later I did my first complete respray.. went on to paint everything from bikes and cars to lorries and even helicopters... years later the business wrapped up.. long story short I reopened the place 6 months later on my own.. just me the sprayer, but i had to be more.. I had to panel beat and weld too... I was just careful what i took on and built things up.. you will not believe some of the things that I have straightened, repaired and welded since and I never went near a college or school to learn any of my trade. I just read, asked and got on with things.

Same applies to my mechanical side.. although I don't do much of it iv'e still had a vehicle on the road for over 25 years and have yet to pay anyone else to do a job for me.. will admit i'm very tight when it comes to the idea of paying others to do jobs on my motors.. have always had the attitude that im in the motor trade, i should be able to fix it myself.. Few months ago took my Pajero for a MOT.. fuel leak from diesel pump, was told by the guy I bought the seals off that I had to take pump out of the car to fix, spoke to a mate who got a local garage about the job and he's time served mechanic.. he said he wouldn't even attempt the job. I did it, and in the car

It's just built up knowledge that gives me the confidence to do things I do.. same can and will happen for you if you want it too. Good luck with your hobby

[StormingHonda]

I looked into this around the London/Essex area and there is nothing about that really refers to working on motorcycles.

Its a shame really.

[Furrybiker]

What about this?

http://london.floodlight.co.uk/london/c ... -info.html

Or they may have other courses..

[darkember]

The trouble is that most courses teach you what dealers do, that is replace a damaged part for a new one.
Like the idea of seeing if, with suitable mechanical know-how, machine tools and a bit of ingenuity parts can be repaired or adapted so the bike can be kept on the road.
As you can see form recent posts, it's easy this way for a damaged bike to become an economic write-off, but nearly always it's repairable, perhaps using 2nd hand parts, or adapting something you have to hand from another model.

To get this sort of knowhow you just have to get down and dirty, think about it, play around with things, see what works and what doesn't. To my way of thinking, there's no substitute for getting oily and greasy.

Put a few pounds together, buy some damaged bikes, turn them back into runners, sell them on, repeat.
The experience comes naturally.

And do your research! Read every magazine, study, join forums, read books....

As Tony said most of the mechanics in the dealers are just fitters, they ar'nt true mechanics. Still looking for a local Tonymon in my area

[AMCQ46]

. Still looking for a local Tonymon in my area

I am also worried that my local area might be blighted by that type of person, it would be worse than a gypsy camp

[Virt]

Very basic stuff but this is available

http://www.rampandwrench.co.uk/main/new ... ng-classes

Once I get the Storm on the road I'll probably be going to the bike ones. I need to learn this stuff

[lloydie]

Very basic stuff but this is available

http://www.rampandwrench.co.uk/main/new ... ng-classes

Once I get the Storm on the road I'll probably be going to the bike ones. I need to learn this stuff

James is a good guy at ramp and wrench and knows his stuff .
Or I can teach you that .
Why don't you come round to mine with ck and I can teach you both :-)
When my road bike gets rebuilt

[Virt]

James is a good guy at ramp and wrench and knows his stuff .

Glad to hear that 2 sessions a month, £10 a session doesn't sound so bad either. Plus it's an excuse to ride the bike, as I won't be commuting soon :'(

[ging500]

I've only recent got into repairing my own bike as I've had new ones in the past. Fir me personally, I find its about having someone you can talk to or look over ya shoulder whilst doing the job. Moat of the basic stuff can be found in a Haynes manUal/ workshop manual. The biggest probs that I have are tools (the more tools you have the easier the job) and what happens when the bike doesn't come to pieces as Haynes says (as I have a Suzuki there are quite a few broken bolts or the manual states you need to remove swingarm, rear wheel and possibly exhaust to fit a cct !!)

If it was me, I would save the money spent on a course, bike small project bike (I would love an rd400 or nd30!! )you can play with and once its working a bike you perhaps want to ride.