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Being a Bike mechanic

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  • June 3, 2013 at 10:09 am #102830

    David Jones
    Member

    After 25 years as a Cabinetmaker i have been thinking about doing a mature aged apprenticeship as a Motorcycle technician.Does anybody in OB land have any experience as a mechanic(retired), working at a bike dealership, versus a smaller specialised workshop have anything to say about the industry?
    I know the pay rate during the apprenticeship will be a bit of a struggle for the next couple of years,and having 2 kids its not going to be easy, i wonder if after 4 years of crap money will the pay be worth it?,I know its not all about the money,but as a rich person once said “life is like a shit sandwich,the more bread you have, the less shit you have to eat”.So the pay has to be doable.
    The HR person at the bike shop said things like”were always short staffed”and “as soon as apprentices finish their time they leave to do something completely different” and” a lack of up and coming mechanics”which i read as its not a great income and you really have to want to do it.I would love the chance to learn more about bikes,and with all the new technology in suspension and EFI and ABS thats becoming standard,there is a lot to learn.I looked at a web site called pay scale and it showed the pay rate for a experienced mechanic at around $24- 26 , is this about right?,i know i wont get this as soon as i finish my time,but hope it wont take too long to get near what i’m getting in my current trade.
    The thought of $21-22 is a bit of a put off to say the least!….
    So i just wanted to get a feel for what i might be getting myself into,and what anyones thoughts were about the trade in general.
    Thanks PJ :huh:

    June 3, 2013 at 10:19 am #242956

    Nick Jackson
    Member

    PJ , my hats off to you mate B) I know very little about the mechanics trade / pay but anyone who changes career to do something that are passionate about is a legend in my eyes. It’s a big call dropping your wage and starting again but if you can make it work why not ?

    Good luck

    Nick

    June 3, 2013 at 11:02 am #242957

    Dwayne O
    Member

    Crikey :whistle:

    That rate for experienced mechanics has made me realise why we have a least 2 bike mechanics, at least 6 motor mechanics and an outboard mechanic with us at my workplace !!!
    Saying that , we have more than that combined and multilplied by about 4 on the cabinetmaker and builder front as well….
    $36/hr is worth chasing I guess (but it is a short lived contract as well) :unsure:

    Damn, our country is in trouble when it comes to the good old trades, no wonder so many workshops are doing it tough and can`t find good tradies anymore :angry:

    Hats off to you for having a passion to do it and being prepared to follow your dream.
    All the best with it mate B)

    June 3, 2013 at 11:12 am #242967

    alan
    Member

    B)

    June 3, 2013 at 11:19 am #242958

    Dwayne O
    Member

    I hear ya Rocket,,,
    That`s why I am not still in my Trade either,,, noone wants to pay in the small businesses.
    So we all chase the big (usually government) contracts where the money is, BUT the timespan is usually limited :pinch:
    We have around 300 guys doing exactly that at the moment, and I have worked with close to 150 of them all before on multiple projects !!!

    I have been extremely lucky so far, but will be chasing something new early again next year :pinch:

    Anyway,,, Back on topic for PJ,
    Credit to you mate for having a go I say B) B)

    June 3, 2013 at 11:34 am #242961

    Greg
    Member

    I am a diesel mechanic by trade and some could say the pay for that is crap, and if you are a crap mechanic it is. If you are good at what you do you have the chance to be paid what you are worth. Diesel mechanics are better paid then car and bike mechanics in the first place but I am sure you get my point.

    When I left school I wanted to be a bike mechanic right or wrong. I wise man who has passed since told me if you do that your passion / hobby becomes a job and you will end up losing the love for it or even hating bikes and the people around them. This has been told to be since by a few bike mechanics.

    Good people in their trades can be in demand and paid as such if they get known for the ability ;)

    TB

    June 3, 2013 at 11:39 am #242972

    Dwayne O
    Member
    Trailboss wrote:
    I am a diesel mechanic by trade and some could say the pay for that is crap, and if you are a crap mechanic it is. If you are good at what you do you have the chance to be paid what you are worth. Diesel mechanics are better paid then car and bike mechanics in the first place but I am sure you get my point.

    When I left school I wanted to be a bike mechanic right or wrong. I wise man who has passed since told me if you do that your passion / hobby becomes a job and you will end up losing the love for it or even hating bikes and the people around them. This has been told to be since by a few bike mechanics.

    Good people in their trades can be in demand and paid as such if they get known for the ability ;)

    TB

    Very wise words right there mate ;)

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