Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 16,600 people employed as motorcycle mechanics in the United States. The median annual salary is $38,170. Entry level employees earn approximately $27,890 per year and senior employees earn approximately $60,420 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Remove cylinder heads and grind valves to scrape off carbon and replace defective valves, pistons, cylinders, or rings, using hand and power tools.
• Install motorcycle accessories.
• Reassemble and test subassembly units.
• Hammer out dents and bends in frames and weld tears and breaks.
• Repair or replace other parts, such as headlights, horns, handlebar controls, gasoline or oil tanks, starters, or mufflers.
• Disassemble subassembly units and examine condition, movement, or alignment of parts, visually or using gauges.
• Repair or adjust motorcycle subassemblies, such as forks, transmissions, brakes, or drive chains, according to specifications.
• Reassemble frames and reinstall engines after repairs.
• Mount, balance, change, or check condition or pressure of tires.
• Replace defective parts, using hand tools, arbor presses, flexible power presses, or power tools.
• Dismantle engines and repair or replace defective parts, such as magnetos, carburetors, or generators.
• Connect test panels to engines and measure generator output, ignition timing, or other engine performance indicators.
• Listen to engines, examine vehicle frames, or confer with customers to determine nature and extent of malfunction or damage.

Career List