ABOUT MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS INSTITUTE (MMI) CAMPUS NEAR PHOENIX, AZ

For many, motorcycles are more than just a method of transportation. Experiencing the road on two wheels versus four wheels means freedom. It’s part of their DNA … it’s who they are.

For those who love motorcycles, working on bikes is an integral part of that lifestyle. Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) near Phoenix, Arizona, helps students channel that passion as they prepare for careers as motorcycle mechanics.¹

A Real Campus and a True Education

MMI Phoenix is now part of the UTI Avondale facility. With 48,224 square feet, 26 classes and labs, and a curriculum made of a core program and manufacturer-specific training from 6 leading brands, it looks and feels like a classic college campus. But MMI Phoenix is anything but ordinary.

MMI Phoenix offers a formal education in motorcycle mechanics, ATVs, side-by-sides, personal watercraft, snowmobiles and even generators, helping students develop the skills they’ll need for the job market as entry-level technicians after they graduate.

Footage from the former site of MMI Phoenix.

Partnerships Build Stronger Knowledge

MMI's curriculum provides students with the opportunity to work hands-on with motorcycles from leading brands as they receive industry-aligned motorcycle mechanic training.

Strong relationships with manufacturers and OEM (original equipment manufacturers) allow MMI Phoenix to give students an immersive experience as they prepare for careers and get their motorcycle mechanic training. After all, the manufacturers help develop the curriculum.

“Since MMI has been in existence, the goal hasn’t changed,” says Jim Wagnon, Education Director at MMI Phoenix. “We want to train people to be competent techs. MMI’s curriculum has evolved right along with the changes in motorcycles.”

Outside of the core programs, MMI also offers brand-specific specialized training. That training gives students the opportunity to focus on brands like Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda and BMW Motorrad.

“We do a lot of industry training on campus,” says Gary Stiles, Education Manager at MMI Phoenix. “We have a Harley Davidson Motorcycle Mechanic School on campus, and we have post-graduate training for technicians once they’re working in the field.”

Honoring the Past While Leading the Charge into the Future

For people who want to immerse themselves into the evolution of motorcycles, MMI offers a Vintage Café Racer class. This class is open to current students and the general public alike.

“We’ll talk about antiquated technologies,” Stiles says. “Things like carburetion, points and condensers, some of the older ways of controlling suspension, all of the systems that have been computerized in modern bikes.”

Students in the Vintage Café Racer class also have the opportunity to learn basic TIG and MIG welding, do some basic fabrication, and learn about and even work on Café Racer bikes, the motorcycles the class is named after.

Students and Teachers: Kindred Spirits

From the instructors to the staff on the education team to just about everyone who works on the campus, there is one commonality: a passion for motorcycle culture.

Stiles is the perfect example. He grew up immersed in the surfing and motorcycle cultures of Southern California, where he customized his own bikes that he rode through the winding hills of Malibu.

He later got involved with racing and eventually managed his own teams. Afterward, he joined MMI Phoenix, where he ensures that students receive the education and access to the tools and vehicles they need to have a successful postsecondary experience.

Stiles understands the needs of motorcycle mechanics because he’s worked on motorcycles most of his life. He also understands the passion of the culture, because he shares that passion.

“Everyone at MMI shares the same focus,” he says. “Whether it’s at work, at leisure, or even reading a magazine, everyone shares a love for motorcycles. For us, it goes deeper and it’s what brings us together.”

More than Motorcycles

For most of us, motorcycles are more than a hobby. They represent a way of life that speaks to our desire for freedom and our need to live life outdoors traveling familiar highways and undiscovered roads alike.

For some, turning that passion into a career is a natural extension of that lifestyle … and MMI is a good place to do so.

MMI Phoenix exists to help students prepare for a career doing something they love. If you want to find out more, you can visit the MMI Phoenix campus page or call (623) 869-9644 with any questions. You can even schedule a campus tour.