Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126292
Owens visits w ith graduate Dave Cox. service school instructor at American Honda. '-1 Lorain. Ohio Ama rillo. Tx. Increase sales this week! Afool and his cycle are soon parted. Call or write today for i nf 0 r mat io n o n "Advertising That Works." Luft SlIocl,s Call 213-636-8844 213-427-7433 Luft Shocks and Monoshock Reservoirs Gas Adjustable Rebuildable huo.. Greetings ·f~ ~; . l~ Free Adjustment Service '. Write or call for more information and for the dealer nearest you 1115-A Washington Blvd. Wh ittier. CA 90606 213-699-2349 Luft Shock Factory 7831 Alabama St.• #1 Canoga Park. CA 91304 (213) 341·0448 24 D••I., Inqulrl.s Invited • TC LUBRICANTS, INC . P.O. Box 26187. Trotwood, Oh~ "sue 5131_2511 • ~*******************' instructor. service manager, or even motorcycle journalist. There's also the likelihood of serving in customer relations , research and development, or advertising. One graduate with only marginal mechanical ability recently became regional ~anager for a moped company. Such diverse associated fields give the Trade-Tech graduate choices which would otherwise be limited to the individual with experience. A case in point is Dave Cox , hired right out of the program as a service school instructor for American Honda. "The education at Trade-Tech is ground level and provides something solid to build on ," says Cox. "The training developed my confidence and a mental attitude fo r diagnosing problems. 1 now know what amperage and voltage and resistance is, and all that 1 do for American Honda seems to fall bac k on the old basics, basics that were driven home to me by the instructors at Trade-Tech." Cox pu t it _succinctly: "For me to go out and work in the industry and learn what l,Iearned in two years at TradeTech would have ta ken 10 years at least . 1 feel the two years 1 spent at Trade-Tech was a short cut. "Competitive price cutting has been reducing profit margins for a large number of our dealers in southern California," Cox said . "So they are taking a serious look at what the true capabil ities of their service departments really are. The sales price war has caused a tremendous boom in the back end of the shop, prompting dealers to ask how much the service department contributes to the number of motorcycles that are selling; how much does the service department contribute to the number of parts that are selling; and how much does the service department itself financially contribute?" Cox ,has been training many people with upwards of 15 years experience who are really not awa re of what a particular component does or how it functions, especially when it comes to carburetion and electrical theory . "Infrared analyzers an d scopes we are trying to develop with the cooperation of Sun Corporation and others will defi nitely be part of the service departments before long, and your contemporary mechanic is going to have to be as technically advanced as the machine he is trying to test and the specialized equipment he is trying to use, .. he warns. That takes training. When money is to be made in the "back end of the shop," as Cox points out, then dealers can't afford to train the inexperienced. Greg Charles is a Trade-Tech alumnus who became interested in motorcycle mechanics because of the poor repair service he was receivin g at exorbitant expense. Having read in a cycle magazine that Trade-Tech offered a highly rated motorcycle repair program, he enrolled. That was six years ago. He went from parking lot attendant to motorcycle ser vicem a n at the L.A . Police Depa rtm en t garage at a $17 ,000 yearly salary. "I wouldn't have my current job with the city if 1 hadn't gone to this school, because 1 wouldn't have ha d a sufficient knowledge of int ernal combustion and electrical theory to pa ss the test they gave," says Greg. "All the knowledge 1 gai ned at Trade-Tech is what got me int o that job , and with an Associate in Science degree, you're one step ahead of the pers on who just has experience." Changing pantyhose for coveralls Women, too , are advancing into what has been traditionally a male domain by seriously pursuing careers as motorcycle mechanics. Take Linda Zierer for example. She recently entered her second semester at Trade-Tech with an enthusiasm, initiative and drive which has convinced even the ardent skeptics. Soaking wet she can't weigh more than Kenny Roberts' leathers. Linda was a finisher in the last Greenhorn Enduro. "Motorcycles are the only thing 1 really enjoy," she admits. " I have numerous friends who are mechanics, and they all said that Trade-Tech was the best place to go for training. Everything that I've learned in this course has been a new discovery that 1 find very interesting and a challenge. The instruction is in-depth, and there's an excellent balance between theory and practical application . 1 know if 1 had a shop 1 wouldn't hire anybody who hadn't graduated from here." One woman has made-it to the final semester, and another is just getting started in the program. Now see there, guys; aren't the p rospects for a career in the motorcycle field growing brighter all the time? •