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Motorcycle Mechanics: Job Description
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes, or similar motorized vehicles.
What Do Motorcycle Mechanics Perform?
Typical responsibilities of motorcycle mechanics span:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top motorcycle mechanics draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Motorcycle Mechanics Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- All Terrain Vehicle Technician (ATV Technician)
- Bike Builder
- Bike Technician
- Custom Bike Builder
- Dirt Bike Mechanic
- Frame Repairer
- Frame Straightener
- Lube Technician
How Many Motorcycle Mechanics Are There?
The U.S. employs around 490,735 motorcycle mechanics working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -0.3% over the projection horizon.
Motorcycle Mechanics Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $83,695 |
| Hourly median | $40.24 |
| 10th percentile | $48,353 |
| 25th percentile | $66,024 |
| 75th percentile | $101,366 |
| 90th percentile | $119,037 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Motorcycle Mechanics Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $59,440 |
| California | $58,620 |
| New Jersey | $54,760 |
| South Carolina | $53,900 |
| Massachusetts | $52,590 |
| New Hampshire | $52,080 |
| Maryland | $51,690 |
| Nevada | $51,160 |
| Oregon | $50,980 |
| Wisconsin | $50,270 |
| Wyoming | $50,020 |
| Minnesota | $49,770 |
| Colorado | $49,360 |
| Nebraska | $48,970 |
| Virginia | $48,410 |
| New York | $48,280 |
| Alaska | $47,600 |
| Kansas | $47,480 |
| Kentucky | $47,430 |
| Vermont | $47,370 |
| Washington | $47,260 |
| Florida | $47,200 |
| South Dakota | $47,110 |
| Tennessee | $46,830 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,780 |
| Texas | $46,670 |
| Missouri | $46,540 |
| Maine | $46,460 |
| Arkansas | $45,590 |
| Oklahoma | $45,240 |
| Montana | $44,840 |
| Michigan | $44,520 |
| Iowa | $44,370 |
| Rhode Island | $44,160 |
| Indiana | $43,920 |
| Georgia | $43,700 |
| Arizona | $43,640 |
| Alabama | $43,270 |
| Connecticut | $43,250 |
| Louisiana | $43,170 |
| Utah | $42,120 |
| North Carolina | $41,940 |
| Ohio | $41,460 |
| Illinois | $39,620 |
| Idaho | $38,840 |
| West Virginia | $38,630 |
| New Mexico | $35,080 |
| Mississippi | $32,570 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for motorcycle mechanics shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $54,673 | 18.5% | 1.36 |
| Middle Atlantic | $49,388 | 8.3% | 0.63 |
| Plains States | $48,710 | 10.2% | 2.32 |
| New England | $47,041 | 2.8% | 1.44 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,729 | 8.8% | 2.40 |
| Southwest | $44,996 | 12.6% | 1.19 |
| Southeast | $44,668 | 24.8% | 1.17 |
| Great Lakes | $43,987 | 14.0% | 1.15 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Motorcycle Mechanics
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | CA | $64,820 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $61,820 | 110 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $60,320 | 220 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | ND | $59,440 | 40 |
| Bismarck, ND | ND | $59,330 | 60 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $58,870 | 220 |
| Bend, OR | OR | $58,620 | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $58,100 | 80 |
Industry Breakdown
Most motorcycle mechanics are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 11,710 | $47,330 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,790 | $46,780 |
| Manufacturing | 310 | $36,630 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 110 | $44,330 |
| Wholesale Trade | 50 | $52,860 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for motorcycle mechanics is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Spend Time Standing
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level motorcycle mechanics positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Avionics Technicians (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles (Supplemental)
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (Supplemental)
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers (Supplemental)
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (Primary-Short)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring motorcycle mechanics commonly pursue programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-3052.00 (Motorcycle Mechanics).
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