What do bike shop employees make?

[Clutch]

Hey y'all,

I was wondering, what do those of you that work at a shop make? I was thinking about applying at a local shop really close to my house, because I want to see if I would like a career as a mechanic. I don't care if I'm a parts guy, or working in the shop as a porter or whatever.

 

[spanky250]

The mechanics at the shop nearest to me aren't worth $.02...
I stopped in to ask about dropping my shock off to have it serviced, because I haven't had the free time away from work to bother with it. When I told the man at the service counter it was getting a little soft, he said "Aw hell, all it needs is a good shot of nitrogen, it'll be good as new!" Needless to say, they aren't working on my shock. I guess that's the type of help you get when you pay minimum wage.

 

[KawieKX125]

Shop slave-around 8 an hour unless you are really good
Parts guy-8-14, maybe even around 16-18 if you are really good or the manager
Mechanic-14 and up depending on skill, quality of work, length working at one place, etc.

It varies ALOT. My friend makes 15 as a 20 year old mechanic, but the service manager makes close to 30 and hour from what he tells me!

 

[Clutch]

Which shop is this? I hope it's not Millennium Kawasaki in Lilburn; they're my favorite. I drive all the way up there from Conyers instead of going to MotoSports Kawasaki/Suzuki close to my house in Conyers- they eat it- HARD.

I know that people behind the counter usually suck, but that's the type of work I'm doing right now, working at a computer help desk, and I have the ambition to do this type of work, just not for the computer field. For the motorcycle industry, I think I'd be great at it. I'm already used to dealing with customers and such. And no, I don't offer my opinion about everything like "aw heck, just give it a shot of nitrogen." I hate that crap myself. Get it all the time at auto parts stores, etc.

 

[spanky250]

Originally posted by Clutch
Which shop is this? I hope it's not Millennium Kawasaki in Lilburn

I wasn't going to name them, but yes. After his innane comment about the nitrogen, I asked how much to do a full service on the shock. He proceeded to quote me over $500 for parts and labor! I explained to him that I only wanted it serviced, not to purchase a new shock. He said he understood what I wanted, and that was the price. Obviously, he did not understand what I wanted, he just wanted to soak me for some major dollars by doing a complete rebuild of the shock instead of just serviceing it. I won't set foot in there again.

 

[Sage]

Originally posted by spanky250
He proceeded to quote me over $500 for parts and labor!

HOLY CRAP MAN!!! Are they sending it next day & back to Japan for servicing using 5wt gold for oil? This poor guy had no idea what he was talking about, think how many people didn't know how much things are suppost to cost and really got it. :mad:

 

[mcracer]

As someone who has been in the motorcycle industry for fifteen + years, I can tell you that it is near impossible to make a good living in this line of work. Most all shops pay a mere pittance because the profit margin in the industry is so tight. This is why most people at shops barely have any brain function. Why would an intelligent, motivated technician work on motorcycles for $20-25K/year when he could work on automobiles for $50+K/year? Do the math.It is impossible to have a wife, kids, a home or any of the good things in life on the wages paid. I was about to leave this field untill I decided to give it one more go by opening my own shop.
If you find a good shop with good people, support them! Remember those people are trying to put food on the table just like you.:D

 

[Sage]

I've made 40-45k per year as a motorcycle / watercraft / *** / snowmobile mechanic since 1996 with a dip to 30k in 98 & 99 when I worked for a factory race team (they don't pay as much as everybody thinks!!). After that I was getting close to 50k at the last dealer I worked at till I left and opened my own shop. Now a ton of money goes through my bank account and I get to keep very very little of it!! I might make 22 - 25k this year......... I hope :)

 

[Clutch]

This is great, I was in need some of contrasting opinions. Basically everything I have been hearing from different sources is that "the industry" needs qualified people. I'm thinking that all this new technology that is popping up in bikes and ****s is going to eliminate the backyard mechanics and force more people to take their powersport toys to the shop, especially with the move toward four-strokes, and ***'s having push-button 4WD, automatic transmissions, Honda's new turbocharged PWC, etc. While I realize that I could make more money working on cars, I just am not as interested in cars as I am in bikes, ****s, and jet skis.
I have heard that race mechanics don't make as much, so my dreams of being a pro rider's mechanic has changed. So now I'm thinking I can make more money after attending MMI and getting certified by the manufacturers and working at a pretty large dealership. It seems like the flat-rate pay system would appeal to my work ethic, because I like to just be left alone by my coworkers, lower my head, and get absorbed in the task at hand and work efficiently until I get it done. So it seems like if a mechanic can be productive and get things done, he can make some good money. I also like doing the kind of work where I can see the fruits of my labor. Right now, working at the help desk, basically I just fix little piddly software problems, and I don't really feel like I'm doing much of anything. I'd rather start with a bike that doesn't run well, and use my skills, and in the end be able to feel like I did something productive by having a great-running bike.

 

[Clutch]

Why would an administrator ban the word A....T....V...testing,testing...... A-T-V A.T.V. A/T/V A~T~V :cool:

 

[ochster]

Something else to think about... Most motorcycle dealerships are typical retail establishments, i.e. they have typical retail hours. That means usually 10-7 Tue.-Sat. (summer), and usually 10-6 Tue.-Sat. (winter). Most do not close up on three day holiday's, nor do they promote taking the proverbial day before or after to make it a three dayer or four. As a matter fact, you will work every Sat. usually of a Holiday weekend. In many parts of the country, the work load is seasonaly dependant. While some obviously have plenty of work year round, for thier eager flat rate mechanics, not all do. It has also been my experience that the service dept. recieves alot of attention from the "powers that be", because they often have the highest overhead. This is not to sour anyone, a good wrench can find work anytime!

Taking a cut in pay is not alway's a bad thing.... nice to walk out into my shop with my Ugg's on, onto the heated floor. Then put on couple favorite CD's and a fresh pot of Starbucks, and pick and choose what work you wan't to do for the day. Maybe that entitles some tuning that can only be done at 3000ft., or maybe it means working on the Snap On dealers Wing, for some credit in the toy store! An old friend once told me, "lifes greatest pleasures, are having options".

 

[Clutch]

Yes, I had been thinking about the retail hours. A lot of the jobs I have worked required me to work on Saturday anyway. Honestly if I don't have to work Saturdays I just end up sleeping anyway. I figure at least I'll have Friday and Saturday night to go out to eat and stuff. One plus of having Mondays off is that I'll be able to get more errands done. For example, it would be easier to go to the grocery store or Wal-Mart on Monday morning than it would be on Saturday morning when everybody else is out there. So it might be nice to be able to go out and do stuff on a weekday morning when it's not crowded. Also, it's nice to have a day off after riding on Sunday. One of the things I hate about riding on Sunday is that sometimes you need a day to recover, but you have to go to work.
The seasonal thing had me a little worried, but a lot of the ads I look at in the Cycle News classifieds says "year-round work". I assume in the winter you do a lot of winterizing of jet skis, and start up work on the snowmobiles if you live in the snow belt. I had asked the lady at MMI about snowmobile training, and she said snowmobile engines are similar to jet ski engines, so it wouldn't be hard to adjust over. The Honda "Hontech" unit at MMI also covers all their power equipment, so I guess I can also fix lawnmowers and pressure washers and generators. I figure I can earn extra cash by fixing my friends' bikes and stuff, at least that's how my auto mechanic friends earn extra money.

The only real thing that has me concerned is that if I try autos, then I know people are always going to need cars. But if I do motorcycles, that is more of a luxury item that not everyone can afford. But I think the baby boomers are getting older and have more disposable income to spend on motorcycles and such, so maybe there will always be a demand for this. I would think that GoldWings would be more like a GoldMine because of the ABS, big 6-cylinder motor, and all the fancy instrumentation, etc.

Thank you for the insight, I'm really gaining some knowledge of how this business works.

 

[BigR]

I used to work in a shop many years back at the parts counter/shipping and receiving/ blah blah blah. Pay was not great, but sufficient for me at the time. A nice perk depending on how into riding you are is the discount you can get on parts. I never paid anything more than 10% over the shops cost for the part. Not bad. Something to think about.

 

[mxracer724]

If I get a job before I am through with school it would definately be at a motorcycle shop. I don't care what it would pay. My friends who ride have jobs at everything but motorcycle shops and they hate it. They are burnt out at 15, 16, and 17! I don't think I want a job until I have all day to work. Not enough time for me now I don't want to be 16 and look like my dad when I come home:scream: , but one day I will get a job and it will be at a motorcycle shop, and one day I will be posting on DRN that I opened my own shop!! That is my dream.:D

 

[AJ Waggoner]

normal day phone convo of a parts guy:

Hello honda west may i help you?

>> yea i need a part for my bike

ok sir what year and model?

>> i dunno..its green?

umm sir i need the year and model to help you and the part you are in need of?

>> well its old and green and the part looks like a dog bone with a crook in it...

sir what brand is it ?

>>>pause..not sure think its a Bimoto or motoguzi

umm sir this is a Honda shop sorry cant help you , youl have to find the make and call the brand of dealership.

>>why ?? dont you have the part in stock???


ARGGH we arnt paid enough no matter what trust me..
:)

 

[MRKRacing125]

Well, I can say that I will find out tomorow when I call our shop. They are hiring me.

 

[jly51]

A.J.,how`s the leg,I broke mine one week before you.Got the full leg cast off Tuesday,replaced by a short cast.I`m to start puting the bad leg on the floor with about 10lbs of pressure building up to throwing the crutching the crutches away in 3 weeks.It`s hard to beleve how much athrapy has accured in the leg in 5 weeks,also the knee is very sor and stiff,i bet my ankle is going to be even worse in 3 more week`s.My son is the part`s manager at a high volume honda-harley dealership,it`s amazing how many people don`t have any idea what brand,year,style,etc motorcycle or *** they have and still expect him to find the parts they need.Some of them get really pissed of because they have to go back home to get serial -frame numbers but most just get embarased at not knowing what they own.

 

[scrambler220]

I used to work in the service department. The parts guys always complained people that would call asking for parts for a kamazuki or hondahama that they picked up in '94, but they were the 4th owner, so it's older than that, and it's got purple plastics. Or they'll bring in a part needing a replacement, and not know what part of the bike, or even what bike they took it off of. It really is amazing how people can think they can get the parts, and do the work themselves, to fix something they don't even know the name of. And then once they get stuck with a million pieces, and no idea what to do, they glue it back together and drop it off in service.

 

[Sage]

aahhhhh!, the dumb a$$ customer, this could be a thread all in itself!!!

(first, picture the shop - industrial building, 5 big doors, car place - taxi place - my shop - double door car shop)

I had a guy about a month ago walk in look at the bikes, play with some tires on the tire rack, pick up a set of bars - I got off the phone and here's how it went -

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm touring through Oregon and I've developed a fuel leak, I'm on the road and kinda need it fixed now if you can"

"No problem, let have a look at it"

we both walk outside to a toyota camper/truck thing, I'm thinking he's got a bike stuffed in the back or something and he grabs a flash light from the camper and start to craw under the rear end.............

"uhh, sir? this is a motorcycle shop"

"It is??? is there a car shop near by??"

"theres one on both side of the parking lot"

"Oh, well thanks for all your help"

"No problem, good luck with the camper"

 

[Jimmy!]

Good luck MRK :), I'd like to change careers(back) to the MC industry but I can't afford to work at any of the shops around here ... :confused:.

These "Tales from the parts counter" reminds me of the time I had a guy(civil engineer no less) wanting parts for an old GMC V-6. When I asked him for the particulars, model/yr/displacement, he couldn't tell me, but instead produced a fuzzy long-range polaroid of the engine sitting on blocks in his yard! :eek: Astounding!

 

[Miltonyz]

Typical phone call with dealership goes something like this.
Me- I'd like a (insert part here) for a 97 YZ 250
Them-I'll page parts for you.
15 minutes and after the lady comes on 2-3 times asking if I have received help yet.
Parts Counter- Hello
Me- I'd like a (insert part here) for a 97 YZ 250
I always have to repeat this at least once. Seems like I have a speech impediment or something
Them-We don't have any in stock but if we order them they will be in in three or four days.
Me- How much.
Them- It will be (put crazy way to high of price here)
Me- Thanks just checking prices

For me the dealerships have no advantages. Both times I have taken bikes in I have had bad experiences.
Then I order from a magazine or the internet for cheaper
It's gotten so I only call them for I need a part right now type emergencies. The majority of the time they do not have it anyway.

The ones that come to Dutch are nice though it seems that they always have tires cheaper then the dealerships around here. I won a free video from one. And on Service Honda weekend I got a Moose tool and Moose socks.:)

 

[rames90]

Miltonyz...

You left out the best part..

Them-We don't have any in stock but if we order them they will be in in three or four days.
Me- Can you check and make sure that it will actually be here in three or four days?
Them- (Parts guy disappears in back, when there was a phone right beside him)
Me- Well, how long
Them - Three days if you pay rush delivery charge of 15% extra.
Me - duh OK
Them - (On the phone three weeks later) Sorry it still hasn't come in, we'll call you when it does
Me - well I already bought one after the one I ordered was a week late, can I just cancel this one?
Them - that will be a 20% restocking fee and you also lose the 15% rush delivery payment.
Me - What? Are you on crack? There's nothing to restock! If there was I wouldn't have had to go somewhere else to buy what I needed!
Them - Sorry sir, that will be $35 for the parts you didn't get, we'll refund the remaining $15 of you 50% manatory deposit if you come in to the shop.
Me - Can't you just refund my credit card, you got the deposit over the phone?
Them - No.

... and that why if I can't find it in stock somewhere I don't buy it.

 

[moto614]

wow ,i now feel better i thought i was the only one that got those type of parts calls todays example:

mr phone customer: i have a yamaha i need main seals and gaskets

me: what yamaha would that be sir?

mr phone customer:uuuuhhh i don't know

he then proceeds to tell me his life story and his rich motorcycle history
i think i fell asleep after the 1947 indian or something
after much poking and proding(after 19 years in the business you learn to be a detective)i figure he's got an early 70s rd350 yamaha

me: sorry sir i don't stock those parts but can .........(he cut me off)

mr phone customer:jezus #$%@!& you guys don't have nuthin in stock----click!


if your gonna be a parts guy get used to it.
i got into this game because i love bikes(still do)and the people (still do for the most part) but it gets trying sometimes.
remember most of us start the day WANTING to help you people but after 10-15 of the above calls it's hard not to have the deer in the headlights look on our faces when YOU happen to walk up.

enough i'll get off my soapbox now


peace+love y'all

 

[dave31]

AJ & Sage

I couldn't agree more with you guys!! As Honda parts manager for A very high volume dealership(#1 in Tennessee, top 5 in the U.S.) , I get those type of calls daily! "Don't you remember, I bought it here??" Yeah, right, I haven't done a darn thing since we sold you that 1979 ATC110. We've just been waiting for you to come back so we could sell only you parts!! I love it, some people are just nuts, we always have a good laugh about it after they are gone. I've always said I'm gonna write a book about the things customers say or ask about bikes. My favorite line of all time has to be "It's Red." LOL No Sh!@ Sherlock, unless its a streetbike, most Honda's are!! Especially old 3-wheelers and dirt bikes. :mad: Enough of my soapbox for now! On a more positive note referring back to the original topic of this thread, I have worked at this dealership for 13, almost 14, years. I have a very good salary, plus a commision every month based on profits of the parts sales, plus insurance, 401K, all parts and bikes I want at dealer cost. It is a good job to have if you get hooked up with a dealership that is motivated to put out some product, such as we are. It sure beats working in a factory doing the same thing day after day!