i am considering going to college for a career in mechanical engineering. Then try to get into an R&D team. Or just use my skills to make my own ATV and market it. )

 

Honda205X,
You first need to decide your goals in life. If you want to be rich, you need to assess whether you have the drive, work ethic, talent and ambition that it takes to make it to the top. Once you understand what your realistic goals are, that better answers what process you need to take to get there.

I used to want to be at the top. But over time my priorities have changed after 16 years in the hi-tech industry. I still make great money, but my family and fun are also very important to me.

Also, in this day and age people will change careers two or three times before they retire. So right now the most important thing is to get a solid, broad education and specialize if necessary later on.

Good Luck!

 

Sorry guys, my scanner is messed up. If you two will email me, I will send you the book.

I agree, WyoDuner has a good point. It might be better to you, career/money-wise, to get a better education, and go into a different career field, and make your money, then tinker with ATVs, and whatever on the side.

 

lonestarbanshee Do you what my street address or do you just need an E-mail?

 

Honestly guys, I've worked in a lot of fields that I enjoyed (before I started doing them for a living)and I've come to the conclusion that it is better to keep it as a hobby. Get yourself a real college education (doctor, architect, programmer)and buy all the toys you want. Example:I used to love car audio, well after 4 years of 15 year old kids coming in with $20 that want "more bass" it lost it's charm. I could now say the same for webdesign which is why at 33 I'm headed back to school. Don't get me wrong I love working on my bike but I don't want to be a 50 year old beat up coot working on peoples machines. Most of the bikes you are going to work on are going to be stock utility quads unless you land a job at one of the rare high performance shops. Take it from experience get a good education and a serious career.

 

A friend of mine wanted a career in motorcycles. He stayed in school, got a B.S. degree in design engineering, got his M.A. degree in the same. Now he works for Yamaha, lives in a house in Anaheim Hills worth close to $1million, and designs Yamahas! He did the initial prototype for the Royal Star and T-wolf. Takes trips to Japan a couple times a year. Still, he gets to go riding and has a garage full of toys.
I went back to college at the age of 40 and finished my degree; now I sit in an office all day, playing on the computer, talking on the phone, doing a little paperwork, etc. I have 3 weeks paid vacation plus 13 paid holidays a year and lots of time for my toys!

STAY IN SCHOOL!!!

 

I agree with those who have said to get an education, and make ATV stuff your hobby. I graduated with a guy from highschool 10 years ago. Now we're both 28. He went to a good tech school and learned to work on motorcycles etc. He works at a shop that sells Honda, HD motorcycles, and golf carts. I got a masters degree, and work for an engineering firm. We have disussed our jobs and compared them. I get to travel throughout the U.S. - he travels to the stock room. I get three weeks vac per year, plus 12 sick days - he gets one paid week of vac and one unpaid and no paid sick days. I get my (and my family's) medical insurance paid for - he has to pay for his wife and children (over $400 per month). I have ample opportunity to move up the ladder. He has no chance of moving up because the owners son will inherit the business. Our saleries per year about $20,000 apart. I have time to make an ATV a hobby. The last thing he wants to look at when he gets home is an ATV. I'm not trying to say money is everything - far from it. But you do have to provide for your family, and family is the most important thing you will have in your life. If it isn't - your doing something wrong.

As for starting your own shop - think about how many shops are around where you live. The companies that make the ATV's work very hard to make sure that the dealers don't overlap areas. What if the only brand that is not represented in your area is a brand that you personally don't like. Could you sell a product that you don't believe in? Would you stake your name and reputation on Polaris? (Ha ha!) Also, it takes a ton of money up front to start a business like this, probably over a quarter of a million just to get building, land, utilities, taxes, parts, bikes, employees, advertising and everything else. Get used to the idea of being in debt for 10 years - if your lucky.

When it is all said and done - my friend from highschool was (and still is) a smart guy. He went after something that he was intersted in - but held little career potential, and now is paying for it. He does not make enough money to go back to school for anything (remember guys - college is expensive!)so he is stuck.

As for the guy who is gonna charge $60 per hour for labor - your not going to have much laboring to do at that price!

Good luck in whatever you choose. Just be careful to differentiate between "hobby" and "career".

 

honda250x-

An education is extremely important these days. In order to get a well paying job that you enjoy, an education is a must. I have one year left for my mechanical engineering degree. Now, that I am almost done, I feel as if it is the best decision I have ever made. I love quads, mechanics, and desiging. Engineering was undoubtly the way to go for me. You have a think long and hard before you decide what you think you want to do. I believe it takes a long time to decided what you really want to do. I have run into so many people that are unhappy where they are and many that still don't know what they want to do. Engineering is NOT a walk in the park. You have to be extremely diciplined and self-motivated. It is though. I never wanted to go to a four-year school. Originally, I enrolled at a tech school. I wanted a quality education that would allow me to start my career in two years. Then, I took a tour of a college and decided on that. Tech schools are becoming more and more popular. This world will always need tradesmen. If you decide to go with engineering, mechanical would be the best. Be prepared though.

Good luck with what you decide.

NT

 

After high school, I went to college and got degrees in pshyc. and criminology. Thinking that this would be intresting work, I used that education for 8 years in govornmental service. I traveled the world and had fun for a while, but never made the money that I desired. I decided to give it up to make more money.

I then started work as one of the most sought after finish carpenters in Las Vegas, hired to build $20 million homes and $5 million offices. The money was great, but the work was hard, tiring, and took up all of my life. I decided to give it up and start over again.

I've now started Knutz Concepts, an ATV shop with a different type of plan. I now work in a field that I truely enjoy, talk with loads of intresting customers and suppliers, and have control of my own path. I hope the money rolls in eventually[possibly when my quad hits the November cover of Dirt Wheels], but if it doesn't, I can look back and say that I enjoyed this part of my life.

My point is, regardless of what you chose to do now, if you really want to, you can change your path later on in life. I'm on my 3rd path now, and started from scratch each time. At first I thought I knew what I wanted, then I thought money was the answer, now I want control of my life and work. Who knows, I may change again some day.

As far as getting into the ATV field, I weigh experience much more heavily than tech schools when hiring my employees. Start working with a shop now, while still in high school, even if you don't make money at it, just to learn. I had a kid volenteer for me for 1 week, so I hired him because he was honestly intrested in learning, and worked hard at everything he did. That's not to say that a tech school will hurt, but I would prefer someone with experience outside of the school as well.

 

Zoinks and Knutz have it.

Have your own business is a must if you want to make serious money...and you can always try different things...but if you don't know what you're talking about...you're down.
As far as "working in utility quads"...your customers come for what you advertise to be...