Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1972 Knowledge and skill requirements of motorcycle mechanics with implications for course development Floyd Emerson Croy Jr. Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Other Education Commons Recommended Citation Croy, Floyd Emerson Jr., "Knowledge and skill requirements of motorcycle mechanics with implications for course development " (1972). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 5247. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/5247 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 40106 A Xerox Education Company 72-26,912 CROY, Jr., Floyd Emerson, 1936- KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR COURSE DEVELOPMENT. Iowa State University, Ph.D., 1972 Education, vocational University Microfilms, A Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan 0 1972 FLOYD EMERSON CROY, Jr. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. Knowledge and skill reguirements of motorcycle mechanics with implications for course development by Floyd Emerson Croy Jr A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major I Industrial Education Approvedi Signature was redacted for privacy. n Charge of Major Work Signature was redacted for privacy. P<^ the Major'Area Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Graduate College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1972 Copyright (c) Floyd Emerson Croy Jr., 1972 All rights reserved. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have Indistinct print. FiImed as received. University Microfilms, A Xerox Education Company ii TABI£ OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 Motorcycle Industry Overview 1 The Service Problem 4 Implications for Education 5 Problem Statement 5 Assumptions 6 Delimitations 7 Scope of the Study 7 Definitions 8 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11 Source of Related Information 11 The Need for Trained Motorcycle Mechanics 11 Meeting the Needs of Industry 14 Occupational Surveys 15 Analysis of the Job 17 Legislated needs for Qualified Mechanics 19 Existing Motorcycle Mechanic Training Facilities 22 Safety 26 Honda - Motorcycle Industry Innovator 28 The Immediate Future of the Motorcycle Industry 32 Summary 33 iii Page METHOD OF PROCEDURE 39 Technical Assistance 39 Sources of Information 40 Motorcycle Dealers Questionnaire 40 Motorcycle Owners Questionnaire 43 Survey of Motorcycle Manufacturers and Consumer Groups 46 Interviews of Motorcycle Dealers 46 Motorcycle Mechanic Questionnaire 47 Shop Service Record Tabulation 48 Knowledge and Skill Categories 48 Collection of Data 49 Analysis of the Data 51 FINDINGS 53 General Findings 53 Discussion letter to manufacturers and others 53 Observations during the dealership interviews 57 Service record tally 58 Motorcycle mechanic questionnaire 62 Owner questionnaire 65 Dealer questionnaire 73 Analysis of Findings 83 Owner questionnaire 83 iv Page Dealer questionnaire 95 Motorcycle mechanic questionnaire 116 Composite on certain categories 120 SUMMARY 123 Introduction 123 Questionnaires 124 Discussion Letter 125 Dealer Visits - Service Record Survey 125 Summary of Findings 126 The need for trained motorcycle mechanics in Iowa 126 Things a motorcycle mechanic should be able to do 128 Suggestions for possible instructional areas 132 Background information regarding training programs and the market 133 I^XOI^UOOXUINT\ ^ r* ^ ^ 10/ Conclusions 143 Recommendations for Further Study 144 BIBLIOGRAPHY 146 APPENDIX As QUESTIONNAIRES AND /^/^Trn*ri T O ^ a APPENDIX B: LETTER TO MANUFACTURERS AND RESPONDENTS CREDIT NOTE 154 APPENDIX Ci DETAILED TABUIATION AND SERVICE RECORD DATA RECORDING FORM 159 V Page APPENDIX Di FOLLOW-UP POST CARD AND lETTERS 170a APPENDIX El COURSE OF STUDY OUTLINES 173 APPENDIX Ft COMMENTS BY DEALERS AND OWNERS 209 vi LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Motorcycle registrations by state in 1959 34 2. Private motorcycle registrations 1945 to 1971 36 3. Motorcycle imports by quantity and volume 38 4. Distribution of repairs by major category 61 5. Motorcycle mechanics opinions regarding skills and knowledge important to their jobs 66 6. Owner response by area school district 67 7. Dealer response by area school district 74 8. Dealer opinions regarding motorcycle mechanics skill needs 81 9. Dealer opinions regarding motorcycle mechanic characteristics 82 10, Attitudes of owners who included letters regarding quality of service work done VS years of motorcycling experience 64 11, Owner years of m/c experience ^ size of motorcycle owned 85 12, Owner attitude toward service work done VS stated usage of vehicle 87 13, Owner performance of minor repairs vs brand 88 140 Owner attitudes toward service done vs brand 89 158 Owner attitude toward service work done vs performance of minor repairs 91 vii 16. Owner attitude toward service work done vs specific ma ior service or repair category 17. Owner attitude toward service work done vs availability of parts and mechanics 18. Owner attitude toward service work done vs merged area of residence 19. Dealer employment needs and current employment figures vs merged area 20. Number of employed full-time mechanics per dealership vs salary paid 21. Dealer attitude regarding very important skills, knowledge and characteristics vs a given number and type of employee 22, Dealer attitudes regarding very important skills, knowledge, and characteristics by profit status of service operation 23, Dealer shop profit status vs record keeping 24 Dealer shop profit status vs salary paid to motorcycle mechanics 25 Dealer shop profit status vs those who employ service managers and parts managers 26 Dealer attitudes regarding very important m/c mechanic characteristics vs position on need for m/c mechanic training in public schools 27 Dealer need for m/c mechanics vs position on need for m/c mechanic training programs 28 Dealer shop profit status vs position on need for m/c mechanic training programs 29 Dealer position on need for m/c mechanic training vs in-=state or out and inclusion of comments viii Page 30, Dealer position on need for m/c mechanic training vs brand sold 115 31, Dealer shop profit status vs in-state or out 116 32, Motorcycle mechanics attitudes toward very important skills and knowledge vs highest grade completed by respondents 117 33, Attitudes regarding very important skills and knowledge by mechanic, service manager, and company school graduate 118 34, Comparison of weights on important skill and knowledge categories by dealers, mechanics, owners, and service records 121 ix LIST OF SUMMARIES Page 1, Motorcycle mechanic profile 64 2, Motorcycle owner profile 69 3, Owner responses pertaining to service 72 4, Dealer supplemental information 75 5, Motorcycle dealer profile 77 X LIST OF FIGURES Page 1. Private motorcycle registrations in Iowa and the United States 3 2. Participants in the motorcycle industry 41 3. Location of motorcycle dealers included in study 42 4. Location of motorcycle owners included in study 45 5. Iowa merged area school districts 52 1 INTRODUCTION Motorcycle Industry Overview Gottlieb Daimler is credited with the invention of the motorcycle in 1885. Since that time the motorcycle has become increasingly popular although the great popularity in the United States is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to 19 63 only one out of every 106 motor vehicles was a motorcycle. By 1968 this figure had become one out of every forty-eight and early sales figures for 1971 suggest that one of every eleven motor vehicles sold is a motorcycle. In IS58 the only American manufacturer of motorcycles, Harley-Davidson, had some 60% to 70% of the U.S. market with sales of $20 million. By 1970 Harley had only 5% of the U.S. market yet was expecting to do over $50 million in sales (24). Generally credited for the two-wheeled revolution is the current largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world, the Japan based Honda Motor Co., Ltd.