Are you familiar with the Build Moto program?
If you are, then you already know how cool it is. And if you're not, then I think you'll agree that it's pretty awesome once you know the details. It's a mentorship program based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it teaches teams of high school students how to work on motorcycles.
Expert mentors from various companies in the area all donate their time to help guide students to learn more about bikes, maintenance, and building. And of course, since Milwaukee has a long and storied history in the international motorcycling community, some of the heavy hitters in the industry are also deeply involved in cultivating the next generation of passionate moto wrenches.
Beginning in 2025, Harley-Davidson is adding its name to the sponsorship roster of the Build Moto program. For the next three years, the Motor Company will donate motorcycles, parts, accessories, support, and manufacturing expertise to the Build Moto program.
It's a comprehensive program that participants get to explore. Motorcycle repair and maintenance are only part of the story. Other skills that students will learn include fabrication, welding, machining, and of course the marketing and fundraising skills that can make a difference in so many areas of the motorcycle world. From small businesses to race teams, this kind of knowledge is invaluable.
Those are all long-term, big-picture goals, though. What about the short term? Each year, Build Moto invites teams of students from local high schools to both design and rebuild a motorcycle that meets American Motorcyclist Association flat track racing specifications. Both faculty advisors from their schools and a team of up to three outside mentors can lend their expertise to help the students, but it's up to the teams themselves to build the bikes.
Each team then documents its progress on social media, culminating in an event at the end where the bikes are revealed in all their glory and prizes are awarded. For 2024, participating bike builders have also been invited to show off their builds at the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival opening ceremony in the all-new Davidson Park on July 25, 2024 at 11 a.m. Central.
I recently had the opportunity to ride with one of the Build Moto founders, who's incredibly proud of what these kids (and the program) do, and I'm looking forward to bringing you a chat with him very soon.
In the meantime, though, it's absolutely community-based programs like this that put a warm feeling in my heart. And probably yours, too, if you're reading this. It's so cool to see the community coming together to make something like this possible and to encourage the next generation to find their passions and valuable life skills.
Seriously, what's not to love?
