Motorcycle Mechanics
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes, or similar motorized vehicles.
- Median annual earnings
- $46,843
- Projected change
- +5.2%
- Typical education
- Certificate
- Employment
- 14.55K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
59.6% of the workforce
Growing to 15.31K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What motorcycle mechanics do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Reassemble frames and reinstall engines after repairs.
- Install motorcycle accessories.
- Remove cylinder heads and grind valves to scrape off carbon and replace defective valves, pistons, cylinders, or rings, using hand and power tools.
- Reassemble and test subassembly units.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $32,357
- 25th percentile
- $37,516
- 50th percentile
- $46,843
- 75th percentile
- $60,613
- 90th percentile
- $75,124
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $46,843 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
754 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Certificate
- 59.6%
- High school diploma or less
- 25.7%
- Bachelor's degree
- 9.5%
- Associate degree
- 4%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 1.3%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Motorcycle Technicians404 postings
- 02Harley Davidson Technicians202 postings
- 03Motorcycle Mechanics157 postings
- 04Bicycle Technicians47 postings
- 05Mechanics13 postings
- 06Technicians12 postings
- 07Bike Mechanics7 postings
- 08Motorcycle Sales Associates5 postings
- 09Bike Technicians3 postings
- 10Mobile Technicians3 postings
- 11Small Engine Technicians3 postings
- 12Electric Technicians2 postings
- 13Electrical Mechanics2 postings
- 14Experienced Auditors2 postings
- 15Field Mechanics2 postings
- 16Golf Course Mechanics2 postings
- 17Mobile Mechanics2 postings
- 18Small Engine Mechanics2 postings
- 19Assembly/Packers1 postings
- 20Bike Builders1 postings
Top employers
- 01Harley-Davidson106 postings
- 02Ridenow Powersports36 postings
- 03Mountain Motorsports15 postings
- 04Lime13 postings
- 05Sonic Automotive11 postings
- 06Ed Morse Automotive Group9 postings
- 07Honda7 postings
- 08Paramount Placement7 postings
- 09Speeds Performance Plus7 postings
- 10Wise Auto Group7 postings
- 11Astemo Ueda6 postings
- 12Shawnee Cycle Plaza6 postings
- 13National Powersports Distributors5 postings
- 14Used Bikes Direct5 postings
- 15Car Keys Express4 postings
- 16Motorcycle Performance Services4 postings
- 17Xtreme Motorcycle Group4 postings
- 18American Road Group3 postings
- 19Asv Inventions3 postings
- 20BMW3 postings
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