MotoAmerica Climate

not necessarily. A chef might have their own knives or pan. A security guard would have their own firearm/holster or tactical boots. A truck driver might have his/her own seat cushion or GPS. A machinist may not have his own CNC but they would have their own measurement tools.

 

Just sharing my experience here. Flat rate tech for 16 years.. Tier one stuff. Money was up and down, mostly down. Will admit the product was seasonal in the salt belt. Moved on to the sunbelt for more volume year round.. a little better. Earned master level ASE and all the rest whatever that's good for. It's ended up being a cash cow for marketing. Read on. As my experience and smarts increased my pay went down. Tool costs over the years are nuts. I liked the hard diag stuff.

Promoted (recriuted) to the corporate level. First position was training instructor, then business operations manager, regional level, proving grounds durability test, then field tech rep..
We had a program with UTI that we shoved on the dealers
These kids came out of there with great scan tool skills, and an ASE master tech level.. Most could not diag a no code to save their lives..They were largely arrogant and were told they would make 60 to 100k at the dealer they were placed with.
The dealers were NOT impressed. The company bailed on UTI and still looks to vocational schools, etc. to fill ranks. The dealer techs became so inundated with paperwork to get paid for warranty work it was rediculous. I have seen and done time studies for warranty work pay. I could go on and on..
I left that life after 16 years.. raced with the boy from kart tracks to MA..
Spin forward a couple of years. I took a job teaching auto mechanics at Job Corps. My what a mess. No screening for basic aptitude just fill the seats. I get that the org is scraping to survive. I get that most of these kids have never even owned a bicycle.. There was a pass em all unwritten mandate. Most were highly discipline trouble. Serious stuff.
But there were exceptions. One kid from Somalia, broke a leg there, in the war zone. Fixed badly and healed very poorly. That kid couldn't get enough. Highly motivated and super grateful. Not too sharp but I would hire him in a heartbeat compared to the majority I see out there. My personal values walked me out of there. Kinda feel bad for some them. Others need a stint in a foreign legion.
I have presented meetings at with dealer principals at the local, regional, and nation level who have literally said they won't pay salaries or a hybrid system because they can keep a man in the building and not pay him. Shame on them. Oops, not a team player.. in that arena I learned. That's okay. I sleep great.
It's just fookin wrong. Way wrong. It's a slice of time out of a life.
I am a great diagnosis guy. I do work too slow for most I think. I am detail oriented, methodical and do not have comebacks. Still wrench. I'm 62. I like where I work now. They let me be that guy.
I've seen it all. Dealers want volume not quality.. they can wash that or burn through newbies.. Never having to provide benefits.
I'm older. I'm expensive. I will not flat rate. Never again. I won't lay down on an employer either. I've paid my dues. I'm not valued except to those that get it.
There are still some great young kids out there who are true enthusiasts. Recruit them on your own two feet at local cruise ins and bike nights. Treat them well with dignity or they'll burn out in ten years in the present system.
It's late, I'm all over the place here.. have a great 2020 racing season

 

Oh... Motoamerica is doing fine. The climate in the paddock is awesome. Who doesn't like being surrounded by like minded passionate professional people. See you there.

 

I agree with you guys.

I was just replying to the sentence "why should the company pay for the tools". I mentioned that in most jobs the company does.
I work in an engineering company and they provide all the tools you need, but I have my own set of tools/caliper at my desk because I prefer them over what they provide, I understand taking pride on your tools.

 

My two went to college and choose different fields than me.

My daughter is a nurse and makes more than my top employee.

My son is mechanical, I had him rebuilding the top ends on his RS125 for last last 1.5 years we ran it. He even worked for a motorcycle shop for awhile, the owner told me he was surprised a 15 year old kid could do a lot of the stuff he did. Nothing major like motors, but he could change tires, springs, shocks, exhaust, etc and make sure to not jack things up.

On his Scion FRS he bought new lowering springs, and put it on at home with my tools. I wasn't even there to see him do it......youtube guided him.

He had no desire to be a mechanic and learn to run our forklift company. I don't blame him, what he choose seems much more exciting. He is an investment banker living in Manhattan, already making more than double my highest paid tech. He wants to move into private equity as his next step, but evidently that is hard to pull off, so we will see.

His other option is going back to grad school for an MBA. He said if he can't get into a top 5 school, in his field, it may not be worth him paying for it himself.

Anyway, it's currently hard to pay new techs enough money to select wrenching as a career.

 

Not really a surprise, but early reports say bike sales are flat for 2019. Off-road is doing well.

https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/united-states-motorcycle-sales-2019/

 

In our shop, I am the youngest person that touches wrenches at 36.

Rick-62
Tim 56
John 52
Scott 50 something
My dad 63
D&D Cycles, Pensacola, Fl

 

I know lots of chefs that use their own. My service writer is sitting next to me and was a lifelong chef.

 

Knives, yes. Pots, pans, mixers, stoves, ovens, salamanders, ad infinitum, no.

 

I have older techs too.
42
44
58
67
68

recently terminated 49

 

I’m sure we can go back and forth with many other jobs that don’t provide the tools of the trade.

But let’s see a show of hands from actual mechanics that would want “community tools”

Each legit mechanic I know would not want to have to go looking for a tool that light or light not have been put up by another person.

Don’t get me started about leaving electronics on, not updated, etc.

 

In the trades, employers will provide high dollar specialty tools, but the daily use and abuse tools are the employee’s responsibility.

It’s gotten to the point where guys are expected to supply their own cordless tools in some shops. I don’t have a corded tool in my van that has a cordless equivalent.

 

Scott is 62

 

My bad. You look great for 62. No homo.

 

Where are you living now?

 

In the scenario I suggested there would not be a community tool set. There would be individual tool sets that a person COULD choose to sign for from the company, and be financially responsible for. Or they could buy/bring their own.

I'm just a hobbyist and even I would hate a "community" tool set

 

FWIW, techs are hard to find. My best one was in prison before I bought my business and went in again after I bought it. He is a tatted up, former gang member in his 40's, with grand kids. Customers love him.

So I've given a few guys chances that don't own tools but claim to be mechanical. Lost the tools in a divorce, or stolen out of the house, etc. I've even hired and tried to help out 3-4 homeless guys over the years, 2 mechanics, one for general cleaning, yard work etc., and one sales guy.

Anyway, every mechanic I've hired that doesn't come with his own set of tools has been worthless. I bought a couple basic starter kits and told them if they like the kit after working for awhile, he can buy his own tools or make payments on mine. Longest one of those guys lasted was probably 4 months. After 2-3 months I was ready to get rid of him, but I wanted him to finish a few things he started and stupidly hoped he would progress and I felt sorry for him in actuality.

 

Quote from a racer, who's son races for Turner BMW in IMSA:

"In sports car racing, having some kind of funding stream, whether sourced from family money, a coaching client or a patron is a necessary evil, unless among the rare few that have the luxury of being on manufacturer retainers. Another key item for year to year and beyond is to have multiple connections, and network those extensively. The race engineer Robby got hooked up with in 2016 For MX-5 Cup is his race engineer on the SRO GT4 stuff; this guy is affiliated with a team where he took a coaching client to full season last year. To be successful as a sports car driver, it’s just a never ending side-hustle, and ideally also never be reliant on a single connection and income stream."

Sound familiar?

 

Sounds like you're searching high and low and struggling to find good people. Good luck. I've never been an employer and don't know what it's like sifting through candidates.

 

It`s what I`m seeing with my trial.

Either they are irresponsible and don`t want to be responsiblle for the tools you provide, or claim someone "stole it".

Botttom line for most part is if they cannot supply their own tools, they probably aren`t responsible enough to be a good employee, or so it seems.

I`m sure there are exceptions, but haven`t found one.

I supply all specialty tools and air and cordless tools; even those come up missing sometimes...