FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

I found a school MMI (Motorcycle Mechanics Instatute)
they have a location in Orlando which is local in a national sense...
Im thinking about going to get more skills and certification and the Snap-on tool set you get when you graduate!

http://www.uti.edu/Motorcycle/tabid/59/Default.aspx

That must be a new school. Go for it. If that doesn't work there's always Wyotech in Daytona as well.

MMI has been around a long time. They have a branch in AZ as well.

I have been told that everyone whose tuition checks clear, passes.

I actually looked at MMI when I was 18 a looking at getting married. The Orlando school was open then too but I wanted to go to the Arizona school. I looked at it recently as well but figured a degree in Mechanical Engineering might get me a little farther in life. (might be going to Auburn in the Fall of 2009)

reelrazor wrote:I have been told that everyone whose tuition checks clear, passes

Most techy type schools are like that unfortunately. Anyway, if you feel as though it would benefit you and its something you want to do...then why not?

BTW have you looked at the tuition cost at all?

Having been to such a tech school (networking) I can say that you have to be a real dumbass to flunk. You get back what you put in to it.

im actually looking for more development stuff....like, I would like to be the guy to help make the new 2012 Yamaha R1.
I would to do something along those lines, and something that will get me far in life...I dont think mechanics will get me very far.
im shooting for $60K/year salary

In that case, start withtrying to get a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. But don't expect to strat off in motorcycle R&D right away -- it's supposed to be a pretty tough market to crack into. Masters and doctorate degrees would give you an edge, as well as using CAD engineering programs, so co-oping with, say, a military contractor while in school would be the way to go.

Also, alot of schools have mini formula teams (think really wicked mini Formula 1 car powered by a CBR600 motor). Experience like that would present you as being more qualified to work in the motorcycle R&D field.

About the R&D thing though....unless you're gonna work fo Buell, you'll probably want to take Japanese language courses...'cause almost all of the real research in that field happens in Japan (for all of the affordable brands of sportbikes, anyway).

I'm hopefully going to Auburn University in the fall to start on my Mechanical Engineering degree, and while I'd love ot break into that field, I don't really think it'll happen for me. That won't stop me from getting some of my ideas patented, though.

shredex wrote:im actually looking for more development stuff....like, I would like to be the guy to help make the new 2012 Yamaha R1.
I would to do something along those lines, and something that will get me far in life...I dont think mechanics will get me very far.
im shooting for $60K/year salary

well thats not gonna get you there. My guess is you'll end up workin at a stealership or something with that program. Getting into R&D for such big companies is tough...really tough. You'll definatly need to go atleast for a mechanical engineering degree. Lots of calculus, statics, dynamics, physics, etc classes. Where's George? I wouldn't surprised if he worked at Yamaha sometime in his life

shredex wrote:im actually looking for more development stuff....like, I would like to be the guy to help make the new 2012 Yamaha R1.
I would to do something along those lines, and something that will get me far in life...I dont think mechanics will get me very far.
im shooting for $60K/year salary

Do like what has been said above and get into a good program. And truth be told, once you learn that stuff you'll want to design your own bike instead of just improving someone else's. Learning programs like Inventor, Solidworks, Alibre Design, and Catia (to name a few-even Google Sketchup Pro is being used for stuff like that now) will help tremendously. The programs are also useful in designing other things like guitars.

Check this site out

Here's a few college Formula SAE programs in Florida you might want to look into
Florida Atlantic University
Universify Of Central Florida <- Their site is under construction but they have contact info listed
University Of Florida

There are also a few colleges doing Hyrid and full on Electric racers too so there's almost limitless possibilities when you really look at it.

There's also technical schools that offer lots of hands on in this field as well. I have been going the last 2 years and I graduate in the spring. YAY! I learned a lot and of course, I got to bring my stuff in to work on it. Also, 50% off snap on tools. I do not want to work for a stealership but would like to open a little shop in my area which right now has no MC shops.

I say go for it! MMI is like $30,000.

Personally, I went to the Nashville Auto-Diesel College... I wish I had saved my money. I got out of that, and nobody wanted to hire me without any actual experience. So I'm doing industrial electrical work, while paying off about twenty grand in student loans for mechanics school...

deernet wrote:Personally, I went to the Nashville Auto-Diesel College... I wish I had saved my money. I got out of that, and nobody wanted to hire me without any actual experience. So I'm doing industrial electrical work, while paying off about twenty grand in student loans for mechanics school...

See, I really didn't want to discourage Shred from schooling...but my experience with techs from MMI and Wyotech, and AMI is just that...they KNOW the stuff but that doesn't mean they can make themselves or a shop they work for any money. We had a jobs placement guy from one of the schools hounding our shop manager to hire 'his' guys. We went through 9 of them before we got one who could make himself (and therefore the shop) any money.

"Booklearnin"...

The tech schools will make a better mechanic out of a mechanic, but won't make a profitable mechanic out of a non mechanic. And, they are pretty pricey. I think between comm college and a state school you coulds get a Bme for the same money.

It seems that no shops are paying on the flat rate anymore either. When I started wrenching, that was the norm. A fully accredited tech made 33% of the shop rate (which then was $44 so you made $14.70) on the flat rate. If a job was listed in the flat rate book for 2.0 hours and you could do it in 1.0..you got paid the 2.0...cause the shop is billing the 2.0. So, on a good day, if you were good, you could flag 10-16 hours in an eight hour workday. You also 'ate' any of your own comebacks. Those were the days when you could be a bike wrench and make some bucks. As the industry shifted away from that I moved into parts where commisions benefitted the guy who was good.

Even the guys I know who work for Harley dealerships make straight hourly pay and not that great pay either.

reelrazor wrote:

deernet wrote:Personally, I went to the Nashville Auto-Diesel College... I wish I had saved my money. I got out of that, and nobody wanted to hire me without any actual experience. So I'm doing industrial electrical work, while paying off about twenty grand in student loans for mechanics school...

See, I really didn't want to discourage Shred from schooling...but my experience with techs from MMI and Wyotech, and AMI is just that...they KNOW the stuff but that doesn't mean they can make themselves or a shop they work for any money. We had a jobs placement guy from one of the schools hounding our shop manager to hire 'his' guys. We went through 9 of them before we got one who could make himself (and therefore the shop) any money.

"Booklearnin"...

The tech schools will make a better mechanic out of a mechanic, but won't make a profitable mechanic out of a non mechanic. And, they are pretty pricey. I think between comm college and a state school you coulds get a Bme for the same money.

It seems that no shops are paying on the flat rate anymore either. When I started wrenching, that was the norm. A fully accredited tech made 33% of the shop rate (which then was $44 so you made $14.70) on the flat rate. If a job was listed in the flat rate book for 2.0 hours and you could do it in 1.0..you got paid the 2.0...cause the shop is billing the 2.0. So, on a good day, if you were good, you could flag 10-16 hours in an eight hour workday. You also 'ate' any of your own comebacks. Those were the days when you could be a bike wrench and make some bucks. As the industry shifted away from that I moved into parts where commisions benefitted the guy who was good.

Even the guys I know who work for Harley dealerships make straight hourly pay and not that great pay either.

Your right about the book learning. If your not wrench friendly and go to a tech school you wont learn anything. You have to know how a bike operates before tearing into one. Its funny you mention this because in the last 2 years I have seen some real dumb young kids not know how to even remove a chain when in class. My teacher knows from class learning which groups he puts you in when we do go to the shop. I dont know everything but I do get my fair share of working in the shop on the A project of the group. Good thing I qualified for the Hope grant and no money out of pocket.

reelrazor wrote:Even the guys I know who work for Harley dealerships make straight hourly pay and not that great pay either.

A guy I knew a little while back just quit the local Harley dealership (where he was a mechanic) to become a police officer. Local PD guys starting off make at or less than 30K a year, and this guy wouldn't have done it unless there was more money in it, if that says anything about Harley mechanic's pay.