Call a local auto shop or just drop by and ask if you can talk to someone about being a mechanic. Be ready to ask questions, like what someone who wants to work in this field should do to get started.

Interview a mechanic.

Gain mechanical knowledge by taking a class at your school. If your school doesn't offer it, try a community college or see if you can intern or shadow a mechanic in your community.

Take a mechanics class. 

Try these quick projects from Khan Academy that you can do at home. Build a simple motor, a ping pong ball launcher, or something else from the list!

Develop mechanics knowledge with hands-on projects!

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

Motorcycle Mechanics

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

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

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.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Small Engine Mechanics

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

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.

Remove cylinder heads and grind valves to scrape off carbon and replace defective valves, pistons, cylinders, or rings, using hand and power tools.

Microsoft Excel

AbbottSoft QuickFix

DealerTrax ShopOrder

TRACKUM Repair Manager

LightSpeed Cloud

Santa Maria Software Counterman Pro

Microsoft Office software

Apple iOS

Microsoft Word

Facebook

Inventory tracking software

Bushing pullers

Flywheel pullers

Seal removers

Spring hook tool sets

Battery cable wrenches

Oil filter wrenches

Timing cover plug wrenches

Valve stem inserters

Air lifts

Crate lifts

Hydraulic vehicle lifts

Sportbike lifting arms

Carburetor diagnostic tools

Electrical diagnostic tools

Flow benches

Peak voltage testers

Bubble balancers

Tire balancers

Wheel balancers

Sliding T-handles

Socket adapters

Socket extensions

Automatic part cleaners

Spray washers

Ultrasonic parts cleaners

Large slotted bits

Phillips bits

Small slotted bits

Automatic cylinder hones

Brake cylinder hones

Head surfacing machines

Lock ring tools

Snap-ring pliers

Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?

Every day

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Continually or almost continually

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable

Once a month or more but not every week

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

Very important

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Once a week or more but not every day

What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Very important results

Important results

How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?

Extremely serious

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Motorcycle Mechanics

Overview

Career

What Motorcycle Mechanics Do

Other Job Titles Motorcycle Mechanics May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Motorcycle Mechanics

Overview

Career

What Motorcycle Mechanics Do

Other Job Titles Motorcycle Mechanics May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Motorcycle Mechanics

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders