Passes & Canyons Blog

OK, I don’t make a regular practice of it, but I was actually approached twice recently about running guest posts here. The first had to do with motorcycle insurance and this second one is about a career as a motorcycle mechanic. I just want to note that I’m not getting anything for running these, and I wouldn’t run them if I didn’t think they contained information that might be useful to readers. I’m assuming there won’t be any more any time soon.

Have You Ever Thought About Becoming a Motorcycle Mechanic?

Which state has the highest concentration of its work force in the motorcycle mechanics field? If you think it’s Wyoming, you’re correct! Fortunately, there are plenty of job opportunities across the country for qualified motorcycle mechanics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 18,800 motorcycle mechanics in the United States in 2008. However, only 5 of them knew what they were doing! Just kidding, of course. But nevertheless, there is some demand out there for well-trained, knowledgeable, hard-working mechanics.

The median wage for motorcycle mechanics in 2008 was $15.08 per hour. The highest paid 10 percent earned over $24.27 per hour. The lowest paid 10 percent made less than $9.76 per hour. With any luck, you’ll be at the higher end of this range if you decide to enter this field.

Dealerships typically pay the most and employ the largest number of motorcycle mechanics. Some of the higher-paying jobs require the skills necessary to install the newest specialized components and computerized equipment on high-end bikes.

Due to harsh winter weather conditions, location matters for steady employment. Even the courageous moped crowd finds alternative forms of transportation during the winter.

Here’s a list of the metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of motorcycle mechanics:

• Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida
• Grand Junction, Colorado
• Winchester Virginia-West Virginia
• Yuma, Arizona
• Altoona, Pennsylvania

Here are the top paying states for motorcycle mechanics along with their average annual salaries:

• California: $41,590
• Maryland: $39,940
• Connecticut: $38,860
• Nevada: $38,630
• Massachusetts: $38,470

Employment Outlook

The number of people riding motorcycles has steadily increased in recent years, leading to a greater demand for motorcycle technicians. Most of the new jobs will continue to be in the motorcycle dealer sector. The increasing complexity of motorcycles will also provide job opportunities for specialists in independent repair shops.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 9 percent employment growth for motorcycle mechanics from 2008 to 2018. Job prospects should be good for people who have formal training.

Besides repairing and restoring motorcycles, some motorcycle mechanics also work on mopeds, motor scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and dirt bikes. And no, mechanics that work on mopeds are not necessarily wimps. Some motorcycle mechanics also make minor body repairs. Besides repair work, many mechanics add aftermarket components and make modifications to meet an owner’s appetite for speed.

A growing number of mechanics graduate from accredited motorcycle postsecondary degree programs. Many employers prefer these mechanics due to their advanced knowledge. These folks also require less on-the-job training.

Career Options

According to the book “Best Jobs for the 21st Century” (by Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin), motorcycle mechanic ranked 493 out of the Best 500 Jobs Overall. Whoever put together that list probably wears an ascot, because some of the higher ranking jobs seem EXTREMELY boring.

Motorcycle dealerships: Motorcycle mechanics working at dealerships usually need specialized training from a formal education program. However, some dealers do provide on-the-job training. Steady pay and dependable hours are additional benefits of working for a dealership.

Repair shops: Secondary education, such as an associate’s degree or diploma in motorcycle mechanics, makes it easier to find employment at repair shops. However, apprenticeships are also common. Typically, large shops provide better benefits than small shops.

Self-employment: An associate’s degree, diploma, or certificate can help a self-employed mechanic attract customers.

MotorcycleIndustryJobs has a web page with an extensive amount of job listings. Check it out to get a better idea of what’s out there.

Education

Associate’s of Applied Science degrees in motorcycle service technology are available, as are diplomas and certification courses. These education programs can last anywhere from six months to two years. Some of them include an apprenticeship as a requirement for graduation. Any one of these programs can really enhance a resume.

Professional certification is available through motorcycle manufacturers. This training is provided by technical schools. Some of these schools have partnered with motorcycle manufacturers to provide training for specific brands of motorcycles. Some schools allow you to specialize in Harley-Davidson, European, or Asian motorcycles.

Motorcycle mechanics who perform warranty work for insurance companies or manufacturers usually need to complete courses offered by motorcycle manufacturers. Enginecycle.com has an extensive list of schools that offer motorcycle technician training.

Harley-Davidson

By the way, William Harley and Arthur Davidson first built motorcycles for the public in 1903 in a 10×15 foot wooden shed. Harley-Davidson Motor Company was scrawled on the door. That’s just another lesson that proves that even the most successful people in our country have to start somewhere.

Harley-Davidson mechanics need a formal education in core motorcycle mechanics. The company has partnerships with several colleges to provide specific training for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These schools are as follows:

• Pittsburgh State University (Kansas)
• Fort Scott Community College (Kansas)
• Lake Washington Tech (Washington State)
• Central Carolina Community College (North Carolina)
• Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (Arizona and Florida)

If you want to work on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, then try getting an internship with a participating Harley-Davidson dealer.

Technician and related jobs at Harley-Davidson dealerships include:

• Service staff
• Service technician
• Service technician expert
• Master service technician
• Service writer
• Master of service technology
• Shop foreman

Harley-Davidson technicians can find job opportunities at dealerships, with race teams, and at shops that restore old bikes.

By the way, Harley-Davidson no longer uses the term “mechanic.” They instead go with “Harley-Davidson technician.”

If you decide to enroll in a motorcycle education program, do thorough research on the schools you’re considering. Ask representatives of local motorcycle dealerships and repair shops which schools they recommend. Admissions representatives at private, technical schools are usually sales people, so make sure they provide actual data to support any claims about employment for their graduates.

Brady Daniels writes about a variety of topics related to motorcycles for Motorcycle Insurance Quote.

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Above Ground, and on a Harley, Life is Good!!

I didn’t intend to ride in the Elephant Ride this year but we all know about the best laid plans.

I did head up to Grant Saturday evening to partake in the joviality around the campfire, and to identify the guys riding Rokons so I could do a story on those moto-tractors for RumBum.com.

It turned out there was only one Rokon in attendance this year, but that was enough for me to get a story. And then Psycho Steve, who hosts this shindig each year, asked me if I’d like to ride a Kawasaki quad he had. Cool. Sure. You bet.

So Sunday morning came and everyone headed out. I was one of the early starters but was quickly passed by the bat-out-of-hell riders who blasted past me like this was a racetrack, and then a few more, then the Ural sidecar guys, and everyone else. That quad’s not real fast.

I didn’t get very far on it either. The first spot I came to where the road was drifted I just turned around. The quad is only two-wheel-drive and with everyone in front of me I didn’t want to get stuck with no one following after to stop and help me out. Besides, I got the interview and the photos I needed.

Next time, though, I’m going to take all my gear with me even if I’m not planning to ride. I didn’t have a helmet so Steve got one for me. It didn’t fit very well but it fit better than the only other one he had. Plus, it didn’t have a visor and I didn’t have any glasses or goggles, and when that wind started blowing fine little ice crystals in my face it was pretty hard going. I held my hand over my face with just a crack separating two fingers, which is where I peeked through.

Once again, the Elephant Ride was a fun time. Doesn’t everybody go riding their motorcycles in the snow?

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Biker Quote for Today

Don’t mess with old bikers. They don’t just look crazy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gentleman_rook/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

How can you save money on motorcycle insurance? Pam King, who writes about such things for Direct General, a company dealing in motorcycle insurance, contacted me to ask if she could do a guest post here discussing that question. After reading her piece I told her yes, but that I would be adding my own comments in a few spots where I take a different view of the matter.

10 Simple Questions for Cheaper Motorcycle Insurance

Whether you’ve just purchased your first motorcycle or have been riding for years, motorcycle insurance can make a HUGE impact on your budget. As with auto insurance, your rates will depend on things like your age, the type of bike you own, your driving record, and your geographic location.

Aside from these factors, there are several other ways you can save money on your motorcycle insurance. All it takes is knowing the right questions to ask! Here are 10 questions to ask your insurance agent and potentially save yourself quite a bit of money on your policy.

1) Do you have a detailed copy of your current policy? If you currently have a motorcycle insurance policy, having it in front of you when talking to your agent can be a big help. The agent will want to know the specifics of your current coverage and how much you pay for each portion. This can help them determine the best rate – and hopefully save you money in the end.

2) Does your state require bodily injury coverage? Many locations require you to have bodily injury coverage, which pays for injury to others if the accident is your fault. In most states, the legal minimum is $10,000 per person, per accident. However, insurance companies recommend you carry as much as three times the minimum in case of litigation or a lawsuit.

Ask your insurance agent for the specifics of their policy, but as a rule, bodily injury coverage pays for the medical bills incurred by injured parties and their guests, the cost of repairing or replacing damaged property, the lost wages of the injured party, and more.

3) Can you afford to increase your deductible? Increasing your deductible, the amount you pay for a claim before insurance kicks in, is a great way to lower your monthly payments. Having a higher deductible will cost more if you get into an accident, but it can save you quite a bit of money from month-to-month. If you do increase your deductible, you may want to consider putting part of the money you save each month into a savings account. Then, this can be saved in case of a future accident.

Ken says: I hear this all the time and I personally take a different approach. Yes, you can reduce your monthly premium if you take a higher deductible, but if you have a single claim in 5 years or even more, what you save with the lower deductible can easily more than pay the extra premium amount. I can deal with paying a few dollars extra each month. I don’t want to get hit with that BIG expense all at once in case I have a claim.

4) Do you plan to ride with a guest? Unlike auto insurance, passengers aren’t automatically covered under a policy. If you plan on riding with guest — and this means ever — you’ll want to add guest passenger liability coverage to your policy. This will pay for any injuries your passenger gets while riding with you.

5) Do I need collision coverage? Take a look at the following factors. If any apply to you, you may want to consider dropping your collision coverage:

Your bike is more than five years old
Your bike is valued at less than $3,000
You’re a safe driver and haven’t had an accident in the last years
You’ve saved enough money to pay for repairs if needed

Talk with your insurance agent before you decide to drop it completely. They can help you determine if this is a good choice based on your deductibles and the value of your motorcycle.

Ken says: Both my bikes are more than 5 years old and I say yes to the other points except that my Concours is worth more than $3,000. I carry only liability on my Honda CB750 but I have collision on my Connie. The reason is the bodywork on the Connie. That stuff is expensive. Coupled with my low deductible, an accident that does not total the bike but causes serious damage would not cost me much, and it would more than justify my choices for a lot of years.

6) Do you need all the extras? Motorcycle insurance plans sometimes include things like roadside assistance, extra medical coverage, and towing. Sit down and consider whether or not you can live without these items, or if the money you’ll save by dropping them is worth it.

Ken says: This should be a no-brainer. Don’t pay extra for roadside assistance or towing: join the American Motorcyclist Association and get these at no extra charge as part of your membership, provided that you sign up for automatic renewal each year via credit card.

7) Do you want accessory or custom parts coverage? Some policies don’t cover the extras you add to your bike, even if they are damaged or destroyed in an accident. This includes things like highway pegs, radios, CBs, custom seats, a luggage rack, safety guards, and more. If you want coverage for these, be sure to add it to your policy. If you can live without it, don’t opt for the coverage and save yourself some money each month.

8) Do you plan to drive your bike to work? If not, let your insurance agent know. Some companies give discounts for putting less than a certain number of miles on your bike each year. Quite the opposite, others give discounts for using your bike for transportation to and from work. Of course, this will be something you’ll have to bring up with your agent to get the appropriate discount.

9) Do you live in a low-cost or high-cost area? If you plan to move in the near future or garage your bike in a different area than you live (For example, a vacation home), make sure to tell your agent this. Generally, the more urban the area you live, the higher your premium. And, rates can vary significantly from state to state. If your winters are spent in Arizona, but your bike is stored at home in South Dakota, your rates may be significantly different.

10) Do all drivers on your policy use the motorcycle? This is particularly important for young drivers. If you have a student who’s moved away to college and no longer drives the motorcycle, drop them from your policy. Why? Because the insurance rates are much higher for teens. However, be cautious–if you take a driver off your policy but they eventually take your bike out for a joy ride and have an accident, you’ll be liable for everything.

There you go, my friends. Consider the above questions before talking with your insurance agent about motorcycle insurance coverage. It will not only help you be well-informed, but will also help negotiate the best rates and save money in the long run.

About the Author:
Pam King writes on frugality, safety and insurance literacy for Direct General, a motorcycle insurance provider. When not saving money on her insurance, Pam enjoys knitting, NASCAR, family and watching rollerderby! :)

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Sweat wipes off. Road-rash doesn’t.

It’s that time of year again: time to go camping and ride motorcycles.

Yeah, I know. You’re looking at me like I’m crazy, but I’m serious. Next weekend, on Sunday Feb. 13 to exact, is the Elephant Ride.

I did the Elephant Ride last year and it was one heck of a lot of fun. (That’s a picture from last year up above.) This is an event put on through Adventure Riders and the objective is to ride up Guanella Pass from Grant over to Georgetown on motorcycles. Never mind that the pass is closed and choked with snow. That’s the adventure part!

And of course, nobody made it to Georgetown last year but again, who cares? We tried. And had a heck of a lot of fun in the process.

So here’s the scoop. To really enjoy this thing you need to go up to Grant the night before. Camp, sleep in your car or your camper, or whatever, but hang out around the campfire eating and drinking and having a great time the night before. Then get up in the morning and give it a go. Here’s the thread in case you want more info.

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Biker Quote for Today

Rode to hell and back and have the T-shirt to prove it!!! It’s not as bad as I thought and now I know why it’s in Michigan.

If you read Rider magazine you may have gotten a bit of a shock when you opened the latest issue (March 2011) that arrived this past week: There’s a picture of me in it, and it ain’t pretty.

You can see it in this section of one page that I scanned and have included here. That’s me and Klaus Herder, who is with Motorrad magazine, at dinner on the last night of the EagleRider media tour we went on in October out in California.

We were sitting across the table from Donya Carlson, who is an editor at Rider, and who had been on the tour as well. She shot this picture and later sent it to me, with no hint that she actually planned to use it with her article. What a surprise when I saw the article!

Of course, we both made it into another picture as well, because it’s a group shot and we’re all in it. And then there’s the matter of one of my pictures also being used in the article. The day we rode along Big Sur I went ahead and waited for others in the group to come along so I could get pictures. I was waiting on the far side of a bridge and Donya came along with Simon Weir, who writes for RiDE magazine in England. I got a good shot of them on the bridge and sent it to both of them later. Donya contacted me to ask if they could use it with her article, so at least I knew about this one.

So anyway, it’s a silly picture of us but that’s OK. Everybody gets a laugh. And thank you, Donya, for the fun. Not to mention the opportunity to get published in a major national magazine. I usually pass my magazines along to my friends after I read them but in this case they’re going to have to buy their own copies–I’m hanging on to this one.

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You want me to go where??? On that???? OOOOKKKKKAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve been up-front about my disinclination to even try doing an Iron Butt ride but Dan Leffert has managed to plant a seed. (That’s Dan in the picture. Notice that Iron Butt pin on his hat.)

The Iron Butt Association (IBA), of course, is a group of motorcyclists who have ridden 1,000 miles in 24 hours. Their slogan is “World’s Toughest Riders.”

The longest rides I’ve ever done have been around 500 miles, and I’ve done that three times. They were doable but I had no desire whatsoever to continue and cover that same distance again all in the same day.

I mentioned that fact in a recent post here, “What I Want to Do: Motorcycle Bucket Lists,” where Dan, an Iron Butt rider himself, read it. He tells me he made a note to contact me and see if he might change my mind. Then my editor at RumBum.com asked me to do a profile on an Iron Butt rider so, long story short, I posted a note on the IBA forum where Dan saw it and gave me a call.

Dan and I met on Saturday and talked. The story that will come out of that will presumably be posted on Rum Bum on Feb. 9, unless my editor does something unexpected, which happens. What I want to tell you now, though, is what that headline above suggests. Dan got to me, just a little. He’s made me start thinking about it.

Turns out Dan is helping organize an Iron Butt event here in Colorado in September. For beginners, they’ll be doing a three-pointed star ride that will start in Denver, go south to Trinidad, back to Denver, west to Grand Junction, back to Denver, then northeast to Brush, and back once again to Denver.

That’s a lot of riding in one day. I’ve ridden from Denver to Grand Junction and the reverse, but never both in the same day. That alone looks like a lot to me. But what makes this at least a tiny bit appealing is that I could try it and go to Trinidad and if, when I got back to Denver I didn’t want to go any further I could just stop.

One thing that has put me off in the past is the idea that if I started a ride, once I was a few hundred miles from home, if I wanted to chuck the idea, I’d be stuck riding at least another few hundred miles to get back home. The star route eliminates that issue.

Now suppose I went to Trinidad and back and then headed for Grand Junction. That would, all by itself, be the longest day’s ride I’ve ever done. But I have a brother who lives in Grand Junction so if I got there and just didn’t want to ride any further I would have a place to spend the night. And if I did go back to Denver, once again, I could call it off at that point.

But I suspect that if I made it that far it would be hard to resist the relatively short run out to Brush and back to Denver to make it complete.

So I don’t know. I’m still very skeptical, but Dan got the seed planted. We’ll see. I’ve got till September to make up my mind.

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Biker Quote for Today

It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end. — Ursula K. Le Guin

Up till now, carrying your golf clubs on your motorcycle has been a bit of a challenge. Or how about loading your bicycle on? Well, rest easy, your problem is solved.

OK, I just came across this company website and I’m going to pass it along to you. The company is 2×2 Cycles and designing racks to carry these things is their business. I guess they’ve actually had the golf bag rack on the market for awhile. Their new product, which is how I came to learn about them, is the bicycle rack.

Now I’ve got to tell you, the idea of riding down the road on my Concours with a bicycle hanging in the air behind me makes me a bit skeptical. Especially since I was just reading recently about how loading bags high on the back of your bike unweights the front of the bike, making the bike less stable. And yet, I’ve got buddies who go on our annual OFMC trip with not just a rear trunk bag but a rack on top of it where they attach another fully loaded bag. Yikes!

So really, these racks for those guys. This is for you Brett. You’re such a big-time golfer anyway, now you can ride to the course on your Harley and just load the golf bag right on with no problem. Me, I guess I’ll stick to renting clubs when I go to the golf course on my bike.

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Adventure is taking inappropriate equipment to out-of-the-way places.

Just a heads-up here for anyone who might want to join in the fun. Tag-O-Rama has hit Colorado.

What the heck is Tag-O-Rama? I thought you’d never ask.

A game of Tag-O-Rama starts when someone goes out on their motorcycle to some place where there is a distinctive building or some other kind of landmark and then shoots a picture with their bike in the picture with the landmark. The photo is then posted with clues on an Internet forum, such as Adventure Riders, and the game is on. That photo above of the Spyder at Red Rocks would be a good example.

The first person who can identify the location, go get a shot of their bike with the landmark, and get that shot posted gets the tag. It is then up to them to pick another landmark, shoot a shot with their bike, and post it.

From what I read, Tag-O-Rama is very popular out east, although they don’t face some of the challenges we do out here. As one person noted, we have counties larger than some of their states.

So anyway, Charleetho on Adventure Riders got this game going on Dec. 24 with a photo of his Beemer outside Vintage Motos in Denver. The game has gone in spurts as cold weather and snow have created some delays, and most recently the place has centered on the Colorado Springs area. Denver metro area players are calling for someone to bring the tag back north so perhaps we’ll get some rivalry going on.

Check it out if you’d like to join in. Here’s the link:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=646566

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Biker Quote for Today

He who dies with the biggest gas tank–wins.