Posts
169
Joined
9/16/2014
Location
AU
Edited Date/Time
3/4/2015 9:47am
What does it take to become one? Its my dream job. i don't care if the income is shitty, even if I'm living in a trailer or sleeping in my car, I'd love the chance to build race bikes for a living!
1. Be willing to work for free, or very little money especially at first
2. Work at the local shop that best supports "local hero" type racers and offer to be their mechanic at local races for free.
3. Find an up and coming kid that has potential to win(or place in the top 5) Loretta's be willing to work for almost free for a few years and then hope he brings you along if they make it professionally.
4. Go to Corona, California and go to the race shops and try and get any job(almost working for free) and work your way up.
5. A lot of times the saying goes like this "It's not what you know, but who you blow" it helps to know people in the right places especially in this tight industry.
6. Be willing to work 80-120 hours a week, but only get paid for 40.
7. Don't slack even one time or you'll be fired, ask Chad Watts about that.
If you still want in the industry Google the Podcast that Steve Matthes and Jason Weigant do about what they both had to do to get in the industry. They both worked for almost free for 3-4 years.
When I built a practice track a guy came up to me and said, you want to know the fastest way to earn a million dollars in the motorcycle industry, and of course I enthusiastically said "Of course", he said "You start with two million dollars"
I'm not trying to crush your dreams, but it's not as glamorous as it looks, and it takes some luck, dedication, and a lot of hard work. You can make a lot more money by putting your energy in another industry and then enjoy going out and riding your dirt bikes for fun.
Well that's how I see being a factory mechanic. From your house it looks awesome.... the proverbial hot chick. But when you dig deep, you're only as good as your rider, it's a non-stop grind, many try for year and never get a shot, if you do reach the pinnacle and you end up with a TOP rider there is a decent chance they are arrogant and difficult to work with, but you've invested years of time and potential wages elsewhere into this career so now you're stuck...... etc.
It sure does seem fun though....
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Free shipping: VITALMX
"The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross track crew is looking for a few new members to come on board for the entire 2015 season. Applicants should be hard working individuals with a strong passion for the sport. This is a great way to get your start in the motocross industry.
For more Information please email Ayers@gear.mx with your resumé and a brief background of your motocross experience, either working in the field or riding."
Shane
Probably more long term than a race team with ever dwindling budgets. Put in the work and you can do exactly what you want to be doing, be home to have a real family life and probably make more money.
Shane
I find most people want to be handed the job of their dreams on a silver platter covered in money and then complain when it turns out it's actually work.
Pit Row
Racing bikes is where i think its at
Buy a used van and a sleeping bag and get comfy. Drive to all the shops (corona/riverside area), walk through the front door with resume in hand and say you just flew from Australia and are willing to do ANYTHING to get your foot in the door. Sweep the shop floor, coffee runs, take out the trash, basically be everyone's whipping boy until you have proved your worth. I would be willing to bet that if you actually flew here with nothing and are willing to sleep in the back of a van just to follow your dream, one shop would give you a shot making $8.00 an hour.
Not saying its what you should do, I am just saying if it truly means that much to you, you will do whatever it takes to make your dream come true.
Best of luck, don't let your fire burnout
If you must, you could absolutely tell a potential employer that would you be willing to come out for a couple days at no charge so that they could asses your skill level before extending an employment offer. There is nothing wrong with that, and it should be done no matter what the circumstances. But don't make it a long term situation, no longer than one week. That's plenty of time for an employer to understand whether of not you are good enough to stick around.
Any serious racer that is going in the right direction will have some sort of a budget for a mechanic, unless they are doing the work themselves. If they don't, they are simply going to use you for your services and spit you out when they're done. In that case, it's not someone you want to work with anyway.
My advice is try to get hooked up with a good AX rider with some support and follow them into SX/MX.
That offer above to mechanic for Chase Bell would be about the best rider you can luck into. If you are serious, get in touch with the Op ASAP.
It seems that most of those guys end up moving into the race shops as soon as they can. I'm sure that the travel is cool for a season, maybe even a couple seasons, but for most the ether seems to wear off pretty well. Good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for, and more importantly I hope you still want it after you've had it for a while.
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