Motorcycle instructor

[Mikekitts81]

So iam looking at changing my job shortly and have thought about doing motorcycle instructing . I searched all the .gov sites and understand i would need to go to cardington dvsa test centre etc to pass courses ... but is this a worth while change of career and can you actually make good money doing it. Every job has pros and cons but more than anything i just wont to know if it would be worth while as its gonna cost me if i go this route.

[tuftywhite]

I've often thought about doing something like this, but never got off my arse to do anything about it.

My first step would be to phone up and have a chat with someone who already does it. Take them out for a coffee and see what they think about it etc. Find out the plusses and the pitfalls.

You can't beat a bit of first hand experience.

Saying that, there's probably folk on here that will be able to tell you how it all works.

Good luck if you go for it.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Take a look at this:

https://uk.jobrapido.com/jobpreview/514 ... ructor&p=1

You are talking a six-day week, which may wear a little thin after a while.

I suspect that it's the kind of job where you'll not get rich working for someone else, but it's quite a risky business to go into on your own account. I would imaging the public/pupil liability insurance won't come cheap.

Some of the more successful schools seem to operate out of a motorcycle dealer.

You would need to be in the right place at the right time. A big urban area is likely to have loads of schools already operating, while a more rural area may not have enough would-be bikers to support the business.

Good luck, whatever you do.

Richard

[Brenhden]

I don't think there is big money in it but it all depends what you want.

Looking at the current political climate it might be worth thinking of a career where lots of EU currently work.

Cheers

Bren

[OB1]

I considered becoming an instructor about 5 years ago when I was made redundant from a job that I'd been doing for over 6 years.

My mum and girlfriend both suggested it and I did look into it but quickly came to the conclusion that it would put me off riding for pleasure.

Consider the fact that you are out in all weathers throughout the whole year, regardless of whether you want to be there or not. The fact is that I do ride all year round but that's my choice and if I decide that I don't want to get the bike out on a certain day (like today), then I can leave it in the shed and come to work in the car. You can't do that if you're a motorcycle instructor.

Then there's the wear and tear on your bike and riding gear. I had a girlfriend who, after almost 20 years of teaching, decided that she wanted to be a motorcycle courier. She bought a relatively new NC750S with around 4,000 mile on it and she wore a relatively new set of Klim clothing. After 8 months, the bike had over 50,000 miles on it and was being services every 3 to 4 weeks along with a regular change of tyres, chains and sprockets. She was also on her third helmet and, after the Klim suit failed, she was wearing a new Rukka suite.

I'm not saying that you'll cover the same mileage as a courier but, like a courier, you'll probably be self employed so these things won't be provided and you'll be living in your motorcycle gear.

Not trying to put you off as we always need capable instructors to bring on the next generation. Just some of the thoughts that went through my mind when I considered the same career change.

[Tonibe63]

Isn't that what Minkyhead used to do in some capacity?

[clutchspring]

When I thought about doing it as a full time job I had a word with our local motorcycle instructor & was told he couldn't survive on instructing alone & he did truck driving to supplement his income .
Same as driving instructors , my niece qualified leased a dual control car struggled to make it pay .
Then went with the AA driving school & by the time they had took there expenses (car / advertising etc ) she still wasn't making a living wage so she gave it up .

Ian.

[Jak*]

I did it briefly as a student, but got a job as a youth worker which paid more money. Most of the people I taught arrived by cars that they drove themselves, realising that there were so many people out there with no road sense or interest in looking around them was frightening. One woman I taught who seemed to have a lack of sense of balance or coordination admitted that she was on a very heavy prescription for Valium. Two truck drivers failed to understand that if they did not look in their mirrors before pulling out to avoid parked cars they were likely to die.
It was fun but as others have said unless you run your own training school you ain’t going to get rich.
Cheers Jak
Ps Being a courier was much more fun and vastly more lucrative, although I do not think there is much money in that trade anymore.

[bowber]

A friend of mine trained to be a driving instructor and struggled to make a living, he also looked a becoming a motorcycle instructor and quickly decided against it. He now drives wagons.
The upside is his qualifications help reduce his insurance premiums

Steve

[Tonibe63]

I'm often aware that when your hobby becomes your living, the joy of the hobby is lost.
With your PSV licence it would be easier to move on to an LGV licence and have the broader range of skills and flexibility to work for yourself to suit yourself ie. sit in a nice warm cab with the radio on whilst getting paid to sit in traffic.