Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

How to become a Motorcycle Mechanic

Official title: Motorcycle Mechanics

Also called: All Terrain Vehicle Technician (ATV Technician), Custom Bike Builder, Motorcycle Mechanic, Motorcycle Service Technician, Motorcycle Technician, Motorsports Technician, Scooter Mechanic, Service Technician

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes, or similar motorized vehicles.

Main tasks

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.
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.

How to become one

Small engine mechanics typically enter the occupation with a high school diploma or postsecondary nondegree award and learn their trade through on-the-job training.

Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Motorcycle Repairer.
Certificate or associate's degree: Postsecondary nondegree award. Programs such as Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $48,580 a year The middle half earn $39,550 to $61,510.
About 14,200 people work in this job now, and about 14,500 are projected by 2035. (+2.1%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Motorcycle Mechanic?

Small engine mechanics typically enter the occupation with a high school diploma or postsecondary nondegree award and learn their trade through on-the-job training.

How much does a Motorcycle Mechanic earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $48,580 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,550 to $61,510.

Is a Motorcycle Mechanic a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 14,200 to about 14,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Motorcycle Mechanic?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Postsecondary nondegree award; Motorcycle Repairer.

Will AI change the work of a Motorcycle Mechanic?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.