I'm enrolled at Phoenix MMI for november this year and just got my financial aid info so it's definite now. Anyone who's gone to the school, whats your opinions and what kind of wages can I expect to make out of school and eventually as a Master Tech? Either way, it'll be cool to be working on bikes as opposed to siding and remodeling houses through the winter.

 

Cant help you with any of the pertinent info you asked for, but just wanted to say CONGRATS for trying to find some happiness and peace of mind.

 

I know of many that have spent there 20K to end up with getting an $10. per hr job at the dealer. Most all end up moving on to another type of work.

 

congrats, let us know how it turns out for you. ive heard good things about mmi

 

Did you sign the dotted line yet? If not, give very serious reconsideration to doing so. It is way too much money to spend to end up sweeping dealership floors. Of the eight guys I personally know who went to either MMI or AMI, not one is still in the bike business but still owe on the student loan.

 

Hmm that doesn't sound very promising. I was seriously considering doing this when I retire from the Navy, I do still have 9 years to go so maybe it will be better then lol

either way good luck to you, and for what it is worth if I were to retire today from the Navy I would do that as well.

 

Interesting, I have a good friend who wants to go there now that he bought his Nightster. He was intrigued by the commercials and has been looking into funding. I have warned him about going though due to similar experiences in my industry (Aircraft Maintenance). The local school here pumps out dozens of techs with no experience and they find out real fast that there are not many jobs available anywhere local and that a lot of places will not hire anyone without real experience whether they have a license or not and a lot of them go on to something else but have lots of school loans to pay off. I still say that there is no fast track in the maintenance industry. Just because you have certification does not mean you are a mechanic. The best road to take is one where you start at the bottom washing bikes / planes (your going to start off there anyways when you get out) and show interest to the director of maintenance and one day someone will offer to have you help them R&R an alternator or an oil change or two. From there, if your good (both in skill and attitude), they will offer up more and more until one day when a position opens up they would rather hire you, a trusted apprentice, than some guy with a piece of paper that says he sat down in a desk, read some books and heard lectures about engines, structures and electrical. If they do want you to have a certificate at that point, then go out and get it. The one and most important thing those schools don't and can't teach you is troubleshooting skills, but an apprenticeship will. Customers don't bring the bike into you because they know what is wrong with it. They come in and say crap like "It sounds like a clicking noise for a split second at this and that and sometimes it sounds like a hammer" and you have to figure it out and fix it without breaking your bosses payroll. I worked in an aviation shop for three years as an apprentice and then I took the test to get my A&P certificates once my boss told me too and I moved up in the world from there (Currently Crew Chief at a large business aviation MX company). My licenses cost me a grand total of $1000 vs. $30,000, and I was paid to learn from my boss at that old shop for three years. Same certificates the schools get you, just cheaper. I wouldn't do it any other way. You don't need a certificate to work on a motorcycle, so why pay someone for something that technically doesn't exist? Work on them yourself and learn on your own if you have to. Hell, for the cost of tuition, you could buy and rebuild a Harley and about three Honda CB's until you can do it with your eyes closed. Experience pays a lot more than an overpriced piece of paper. Just a suggestion from a professional mechanic. Good luck with whichever road you choose.

 

Great advice.

 

I went through the Basic and advanced Harley, Harley Early Model, and High Performance programs in 88-89. Learned enough to get me into trouble but it was a good base for becoming a good wrench. I worked in the business from late 89 thru 93 and like so many others got out because I found that besides not really paying that well I was starting to get to the point that after working on them all day I didn't want to work on my own when I was off and riding started to lose some of it's pleasure for me. If you apply yourself and are able to learn all you can and develop a following you can etch out a living with your own shop but unless you farm out most stuff the start up cost's can be staggering for all the machining equipment etc.

If it's something you think you will enjoy by all means do it. If you want to get rich find something else.

Also if you do go don't get sucked into becoming a "New Tool" junkie!!

I had about $90,000.00 worth of tools and equipment when I got out of it. Most of which I bought at garage and yard sales and out of the local classified ads and I don't think I had anymore than $15,000.00 tied up in them.

Where allot of guys get themselves into trouble is they go into debt with the "Snap on and Mack and Matco dealers and end up giving them half their checks every week to pay for all the fancy new tools they just "Have to Have".

A good way to really screw yourself is to take on work outside of the shop you work at. If you get caught you will be out of a job and if word gets around to the other shops in the area you won't be able to find another job.

Like I said before...If you want to do it just go ahead and do it!!

I don't regret it and sometimes wish I'd stayed in it.

 

Personally, I would go for the associates program. With many jobs all they require is a degree. Some certification in motorcycle mechanics won't get you an assistant manager position at Wal-Mart, but an associates degree in motorcycle mechanics will. The biggest risk with a school like MMI is that you're putting all your eggs in one basket. Hopefully you know what you're doing, hopefully you have more aptitude at this than most people, hopefully if you go to MMI it proves a good choice, but should it not work out that way have the degree to fall back on and get your foot into other doors.