Course on collecting and restoring historic motorcycles
Online course of 300 hours in collecting and restoring historic motorcycles, 6 modules covering motorcycle history and heritage, restoration diagnosis and planning, engine and transmission restoration, chassis, wheels and period finishes, and classification, market and preservation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Course on collecting and restoring historic motorcycles — studying from Ireland
Ireland's two-wheeler sector is mainly represented by retail, servicing, touring and motorsport activity rather than large-scale manufacturing. Motorcycle dealerships, specialist workshops and events such as the North West 200 and the Irish road racing scene sustain a strong engineering and technical community. Engineers and technicians in this area work on vehicle dynamics, electrical systems, testing and performance tuning. Road vehicle type-approval and safety requirements are overseen by national transport and road safety authorities.
Fees for Ireland: €743 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is there a recognised professional body in Ireland for this area that this qualification is linked to?
Motorcycle engineering in Ireland has no single regulated professional title. Engineers commonly join Engineers Ireland, and motorsport or automotive professionals may participate in relevant industry associations. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not grant membership or licences. Check the requirements of any body you intend to join.
Would Irish employers in motorcycle and 2-wheeler sectors recognise this training?
Employers in Ireland, including dealerships, component suppliers and specialist workshops, decide for themselves how to value private online qualifications. Practical experience and demonstrable project work are often weighted heavily. The final project may help show your capability, but there is no guarantee of recognition or employment outcome.
How flexible is the programme for someone already working or running a business?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so it can be fitted around work from anywhere in Ireland. Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. Fees can be paid in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and you receive an assigned technical tutor for guidance.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Identify and date historic motorcycles from their documentation and numbering.
Diagnose the condition of an old motorcycle and decide the degree of intervention.
Restore period engines, transmissions and ignition systems using appropriate techniques.
Recover frames, wheels and finishes while respecting originality.
Handle the classification of a motorcycle as a historic vehicle.
Value, insure and preserve a motorcycle collection.
Plan and document a complete restoration project.
Who it's for
- Classic motorcycle restorers.
- Historic vehicle valuers.
- Curators of motoring collections.
- Mechanics specialising in vintage motorcycles.
- Automotive museum technicians.
- Advisers to motorcycle collectors.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into classic vehicle restoration.
What you'll work with
- Real Decreto 892/2013 (Spanish Historic Vehicles Regulation)
- Real Decreto 2822/1998 (Spanish General Vehicle Regulation)
- Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 (type approval of two- or three-wheel vehicles)
- FIVA Technical Code (historic vehicle classification)
- Ley 16/1985 (Spanish Historical Heritage Act)
- Real Decreto 920/2017 (Spanish periodic vehicle inspection)
- Ley 7/2022 (Spanish Waste and Contaminated Soils Act)
- Autodesk Fusion
- Hagerty Valuation Tools
- Adobe Lightroom Classic
- Microsoft Excel
6 modules
1.1Technical evolution of the motorcycle between 1885 and 19801.2Major European, American and Japanese manufacturers1.3Side-valve, OHV and OHC engines1.4Rigid, cradle and pressed-steel frames1.5Identification by frame and engine number1.6Criteria for originality and authenticity1.7Period catalogues, parts lists and workshop manuals1.8Marque clubs, registers and factory archives1.9Collectors' condition grading scales1.10Case study: dating a post-war motorcycle
2.1Initial inspection and photographic record of condition2.2Restore, preserve or rebuild: decision criteria2.3Orderly dismantling and labelling of components2.4Assessing frame corrosion, cracks and distortion2.5NOS parts, reproductions and salvaged parts2.6Restoration budget and schedule2.7Special tooling and period tools2.8Safety with solvents, paints and lifting2.9Waste management in the restoration workshop2.10Workshop: restoration plan for a British single-cylinder motorcycle
3.1Metrology of cylinders, pistons and rings3.2Reboring, sleeving and oversizes3.3Built-up crankshafts: truing and con-rod replacement3.4Cylinder heads, valve seats and unleaded petrol3.5Magnetos, dynamos and replacement electronic ignition3.6Period Amal, Dell'Orto and Mikuni carburettors3.7Separate gearboxes and multi-plate clutches3.8Dry-sump lubrication and monograde oils3.9Start-up and running-in of the restored engine3.10Lab: rebuilding an Amal Monobloc carburettor
4.1Straightening and geometric checking of the frame4.2Parallelogram, girder and telescopic forks4.3Spokes, rims and wheel truing4.4Drum brakes: shoes, cams and adjustment4.5Panel work on tanks and mudguards4.6Paint, pinstriping and original decals4.7Chrome plating, nickel plating and aluminium polishing4.8Upholstery of seats and sprung saddles4.96 V wiring with cloth-covered cables4.10Practical: truing a spoked wheel
5.1Classification as a historic vehicle in Spain5.2Official laboratory report and technical inspection5.3Valuation and value factors of a collection5.4Specialist insurance for classic motorcycles5.5Storage, winter lay-up and humidity control5.6Concours d'elegance, exhibitions and events5.7Ethics of intervention and reversibility5.8Inventory and technical record for each item5.9Taxation in the sale of classic motorcycles5.10Case study: historic classification file
6.1Choosing the motorcycle and historical justification6.2Diagnosis report on the chosen machine6.3Work plan and restoration budget6.4Documentary and photographic record of the process6.5Functional and safety tests after restoration6.6Dossier for classification as a historic vehicle6.7Deviations between actual and planned cost6.8Lessons learned for future restorations6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulations and applied exercises. The working software is Autodesk Fusion, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Adobe Lightroom Classic and Microsoft Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied: full restoration of a 1950s motorcycle, originality assessment for a private collection and preparation of a historic classification file. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Real Decreto 892/2013, Real Decreto 2822/1998, Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, FIVA Technical Code, Ley 16/1985, Real Decreto 920/2017, Ley 7/2022.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Autodesk Fusion, Hagerty Valuation Tools, Adobe Lightroom Classic and Microsoft Excel, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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