August 6, 2013 - Pro Motocross Racing Leads MMI-Phoenix Grad to Discover Passion in Motorcycle Repair

Brandon Dooley’s passion for motorcycles began when he was just seven years old. Once old enough to ride, he got involved in motocross and went on to race professionally, even competing in the Pro Super Moto category at the X Games in 2007 and 2008. After two years on the pro circuit, Dooley decided racing wasn’t for him, and that his real passion was repairing the motorcycles themselves.

Growing up, Dooley heard a lot about Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI). At age 13, Dooley decided he wanted to attend MMI, and several years later enrolled in the Motorcycle Technology program, Yamaha and BMW electives.

Dooley graduated in Oct. 2010, and one month later he followed in his father’s footsteps and opened his own repair shop, B’s Moto Lab, in his parents’ garage.

“I was what we call a low budget racer, meaning I had to do all the work myself,” said Dooley. “I set up a makeshift shop at home where I did all of my own maintenance.”

To make ends meet, Dooley worked two to three jobs at a time when he first launched his cycle shop. Although he placed radio and TV ads to promote his shop, it was his deep rooted connections in the motocross community, and a logoed van fully equipped with tools to repair bikes on-site that launched his career. To this day, Dooley credits fixing bikes in his “shop on wheels” at motocross races for bringing in 60-70 percent of his business.

Fast forward two years, and Dooley moved B’s Moto Lab out of his parents’ garage, and into a shop double the size of the previous space. Still a small, independent shop, Dooley believes his business has the potential to take many different paths. Race attendees can still see his van at events, providing repairs on the go, and he has considered one day opening a dealership or franchising B’s.

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