I am happily announcing an additional program to the Superbike-Coach portfolio, the ‘Rider Passenger Class‘. I guess the name of the program displays well where this new program goes.

It’s always been existing as an idea, but never got fully into the subject. Until one of our cornering school students specifically asked me to help him and his wife. After making a poll and seeing the results, I started to design a rough program/agenda for a class like this. The more I was working on the details, the more I saw the huge benefits for the riders and their passengers.

Structure:

  • Held on Little 99 Raceway in Stockton
  • Only ones per year
  • Full day
  • All rider/passenger levels
  • 3 level groups of 10 bikes each
  • Classroom/track sessions
  • As usual free sport photography by Dean Lonskey, snacks, drinks
  • For all 2 seated bikes: Sportbikes, Adventure bikes, Touring bikes, Chopper/Cruiser bikes
  • $169 includes track fee and passenger fee

Just this is already a guarantee for maximum fun in a ‘safe as possible’ environment, isn’t it?! I was even more convinced about it when I was writing each subject:

  • Mental Connection (line choice, prediction, focus)
  • Body Synchronization (body language, balanced motion)
  • Emergency Braking for 2 (by unloading the rider)
  • Uber-Steering, Counter Steer (and how to get use to massive transiti0ns)

These are just the major subjects, but the day will be filled with much more information than this. Weight distribution, shifting without headbanging, slow maneuvers, movement prediction, and much more. This class will change everything- for the rider, and for the passenger.

So, the date is already published. It’ll be on 9/27/2020, and since there is only one class this year – I would highly suggest to make an early booking and to secure your spots. This is going to be booked up, just like all the other classes. Doesn’t this say a lot about Superbike-Coach actually?!

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

Superbike-Coach Cornering School Day 3

The Cornering Day 3 class for Sunday has been rescheduled again to 1/12/2020. Naturally there are openings now, so if you are a day 2 grad or you are booked to a other day 3 class… we can just move your booking there if you like.

Another year went by- quicker as ever.  But what would you think where it might goes when you’ve booked up all classes in the previous year already? Not much further you’d say, but we did.

Mark, Marion, Lindsey

Mark, Marion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All classes in 2019 have been booked up, plus the ones we’ve added. And those were only the scheduled classes. Also the headcount for Road Skill, Cornering 1on1, Supermoto 1on1 and Track Drill 10n3 has gained a lot, so that a off-riding season isn’t excising anymore for Superbike-Coach. But I can assure you that we’ve enjoyed every class- and every single individual we had the pleasure working with.

Marion Akkaya

So I want to thank all those riders for giving us their trust, hopes and dreams. We are not taking this for granted. It’s been a pleasure to work with so many characters, levels and categories and yea, also ego. Most of them have become part of ‘the family’ or even serious friends. Sure, we can’t reach everyone. This is impossible anyway, but we’re also not even trying hard, because we’re not selling ourselves. We leave this to the others out there.

So this here goes to the Superbike-Coach Corp team. The dedication, effort and commitment you guys put into everything you do is beyond extraordinary. The friendship, loyalty and respect to each other makes the difference. Marion, Lindsey, Mark and Dean… I thank you from the core for every minute for being a Superbike-Coach!

You know… Superbike-Coach is not just the class you see- It is thousands of pictures to manage, tries and errors for developing the right program, hours of work on websites, thousands of students to manage, hundreds of water bottles to buy, engines to fix overnight, and many miles to go. And this is even just the tip of the iceberg. Love you guys!

Dean Lonskey

But also a thanks goes out to our sponsors, because they are indirectly support our students as well, and some even directly via student discounts. We so appreciate the support of Forma Boots USA, Arai Helmets USA, Wiseco, TechSpec, Moto Gear, Dynojet Research, BikeMaster and new to us Amsoil. All of these top notch companies are wit us for so many years already that there is a boundary which goes way beyond regular sponsorships. Go see what they have to make your hobby even a better one.

My thank also goes to the Little 99 Raceway administration Heather and Tony who as dedicated into the detail as we are.

This is a big package and responsibility to lots of people, and this type of dedication got us sometimes to total exhaustion. However, we’re ready to tackle 2020!

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

Superbike-Coach Cornering School Day 3

Attention Day 3 students!

We’ve rescheduled the class from tomorrow to 12/22/ due to rain.

Coach

I remember testing one of the first Traction Control systems coming out, and it was horrible. Back then, a TC prevented any rear wheel spin immediately. Not in a smooth way, but almost like a light-switch type shut off. That might have helped a less experienced rider, but for those who operating the throttle on turn exits at a level where the rear wheel purposely spins faster than the front- might works against them. It takes smoothness to powerslide and a committed and steady throttle control. An interruption just like a TC causes at that time got me in trouble. That clearly has changed a lot over the years and electronic rider aids have improved immensely. That benefits especially street bikes/riders, and the development ‘department’ is motorsports.

More stuff is coming from there, like: Backing-In control, Wheelie control, Launch control, and even Powerslide control. Other rider aids like ABS have not been developed there because they are not using any ABS. Why not?… because they extent braking travel- ergo- you’d have to brake earlier- ergo- slower lap times. That should ring the bell already, shouldn’t it?!

In motorsports… doesn’t all the electronics take away the advantage the top racers have in terms of riding skill actually?! Where did the ‘surprise effect’ go when the red light turns off and all bikes/cars coming off the start literally equally? How to judge a performance when a TC replaces pure determination and drawing fat black lines on the exits of turns? When mastering a throttle turns to a ‘just hold it wide open’ wheelie control. Does it really give the race more quality this way? Personal preference I guess…

Significance had the computers entering the motorcycle sport. Tons of sensors reading data into the software which truly helps to get closer to the ‘perfect’ setup. Just imagine what kind of advantage this took away from those racers who had the ‘butt-meter’ and the smartness to communicate it to the team engineers. Sure, the top guys are still able to do this, but what does this make the others?

Examples out of Formula One are easier to pick because the influence of electronics is way more obvious as in MotoGP? In the area when Formula One cars had a few driver aids, there was Canadian racer Jacques Villeneuve the only one who took the Eau Rouge chicane at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium, flat out. Needless to mention that this didn’t work out all the time but you can say the man was flying and on height of his career. Electronics makes the famous Eau Rouge chicane to a video game everyone can play, well almost. There is barley smoke coming off those fat tires when they start. Launch control took it away from those who could control a almost 900 hp beast, and not to mention traction control which replaces a sharp feel to max out tire grip.

Lot’s of it has been banned meanwhile… luckily, but the technology went over to street cars. Power-steering and stabilization, auto-downforce wings, electronic stabilization- just to name a few- and also to see in motorcycles such as active suspensions, traction control, power brakes, backing-In control, cornering ABS, quick shifters, auto blib and whatnot. Don’t understand me wrong here, because I don’t undergo today’s MotoGP or Formula One racers at all. They are on the highest level of Motorsports for a darn good reason, and to max out these new elements have to be mastered as well.

Sure, the aspect of rider aids in regard rider level quality has no relevance for street legal bikes. Mainly these e-gizmos are helping riders in regard safety, but… is all of it really such a great thing?!!!

ABS for example. Good thing to cover the panic grab, but other than that it actually extends braking travel (which is why it’s not in racing btw). It takes braking power away. So I coached a upcoming CHP Motorcycle Officer ones and when I told him this, he actually choked. He mentioned that the CHP ran statistics to find out why their Officers got more hurt since they swapped from Harley’s to BMW’s, which supposed to be safer rides. They found that Officers ride beyond the pace they use to and that all those electronic aids kicked off a confidence boost and a false feel of safety. Hmmmm…!

My theory also goes into Traction Controls, which are making young riders more likely buying a 230 hp motorcycle. In the end, Joe might rides over his capabilities. Oh and there is a Slid Control now too, which controls a powerslide when exiting turns in lean. You gotta be freaking fast already to even get there and to make that work… but Joe might thing that this is no big deal anymore:

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

 

I seriously love to ride our 2018 Ducati Multistrada Enduro Pro. When this version came out and I saw a pic of it- the first thing I thought was that the damn thang looks like a Indiana Jones movie. This is why we’ve gave it the name ‘Indy’ :-)

There are lots of reasons why I like this bike so much. Besides a ton load of technology in regard electronics (like an semi-automatic suspension), it’s got that mean battle cry only a 1200 V2 can put out. Well, especially after some mid pipe modifications. Furthermore it’s wild design, combined with all the tech and it’s pure size. That fascinated me the most.

But there was something else which got my racer blood temps up. Something which make this a bad ass ride. The aggressive look of those mud slinging animalistic appearing tires man. So I was sitting there looking at the picture smiling… who the hell is gonna ride that thing on asphalt?!

Even those Italian engineers an designers came to my mind. They seem to have a blast and went “F… it. Let’s give it 160 horses and put it on dirt tires!” So yea… I would ride it :-)

So when Indy finally arrived last January, it came on Italian manufactured 70/30 (dirt/road ratio) dirt tires with about 400 mls on them. So enough meat on them to do a row of Road Skill 1on1’s while I was waiting for Continental to send us replacement. In other words- I can compare here directly, right?!

Now here is the thing. 99% of the time I use this bike to work with lots of Road Skill students, so on asphalt. You might look for the sense of even putting 80/20 dirt tires on again, and even my boys at Conti are asking questions. But I have three reasons. I already mentioned one reason above, and the second is to literally keep me physically in check. You know… ex pro racers are very sick people ;-)

Logically, a dirt bike tire is not good on Highway mileage and top end grip, but the TKC delivers a hell of grip for a 80% knobby tire. I mean… look at the pic above. I have less chicken strips on my sides then most street riders have on their Sportbikes. That should tell the story in this regard.

So yea, the mileage I got out of my first set of Contis is not really compelling, especially when you are a true Adventure Biker. This is all relative though. I mean, if I would have used a Sportbike with comparable power- I also would get about 5000 miles out of the rear tire- BUT this set here cost only half as much. OK, I swapped the first TKC rear with 5200 mls on it, but I still had about 20% left. The 70/30/ tire the bike came with was totally done at 2800 mls already, and not to forget that the TKC is a 80/20.

At the air pressures I am riding at, I have phenomenal feedback from the rear and front. I ride those tires on the lowest Traction Control setting I have, and I can hang on exits right in there. I bet if Conti would redesign them a little, they would cost lots of Sportbike confidence for some. They could connect the smaller knobbies on the sides with the bigger one next to them to achieve more stability in full lean. Oh boy :-)

Good bridge to make my third reason. I kick so much ass on those TKC80 that it should turn on a light bulb on you, for what more asphalt appropriate tires from Continental must be capable of then, right?!!

Hoeadcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

#contimotousa #tkc80 #contitrack #tkc70