Spend a nice evening with Coach Can at Black Bear Diner and listen to his favorite subject “What’s between those ears”. Come to meet the Woman On Wheels chapter (www.goldcountryriders.com) meet up event:
Can Akkaya, Headcoach of the Superbike-Coach Corp, 2014
20 years after professional racing… 20 years man- but it actually feels like yesterday, and sometimes it seems i have still the 124 octane/racing oil mix of a 250cc MotoGP bike in my nose, while a HRC mechanic warms up that high-end engine at a 120 db.
Success and lap record for Can Akkaya, announces the Werbepost News about his race in Eemshaaven 1994
But you know what?… I’m sad, and I’m mad about myself, because lots of things have changed in those 20 years, and I didn’t keep enough material to just have it for myself- or for people who might think all of that didn’t happen, and some keyboard junky could easily put a question mark over my credentials. Almost understandable, because hundreds of newspaper cutouts are nice, but they are not even to find online on the website of the magazine who wrote it, because there was no internet back then.
Newspaper cutout of the final German Track Trophy season 1991, where Superbike-Coach Can Akkaya became Vice-Champion, 250cc GP class
I shouldn’t have give away almost all pictures of me, made by sports photographer and media, to fans and sponsors. I wished I had spend more time back then to scan and post at least the final championship stand of the German Track Trophy of the 250cc GP class in 1991. where I became Vice-Champion and turned to a professional racer. But guess what… there was no such thing as a scanner existing- and if so- where to “post” it, when there was no Internet- no blog- no Facebook, and whatsoever?! Hmmmm…
So yea, there are even TV, radio, and interviews besides newspaper articles all over Europe about me- but they are catching dust on a archive shelve, and who the heck has those lap records and race results, when race organizers- sport authorities and even press has no interest to pay someone to digitalize old stuff, especially when meanwhile those orgs have taken over- turned- and changed multiple times in 20 years?!
You wonder it’s all in German language- and not laying translated on a New York Times server? Yea- that’s because I’m not a Valentino Rossi and I don’t have the interest of the medias that much. At that point I am actually happy to have listen to my wife Marion, to not throw everything away as I retired- like my last International FIM Race License, which is the 2nd highest license in motorsports on this planet. Imagine someone would say I maybe never raced on a level like that… what then huh?
Btw… I also kept my last racing suit which was designed by MJK leathers in the Netherlands only for me. But I had many fans in Europe, whom started asking them to get a suit like mine. MJK put a ‘Akkaya Replica’ suit on their catalog which was a best seller for many years. For me, it was positively surreal when i was sitting in the truck going to the next race, and some rider passed us wearing that suit- or some fan in a paddock asked me to write my autograph on it. Till today I have fans in Germany, telling me that they still have ‘my’ replica suit and not giving it away- even though they got older and ate too much pizza to fit in :-)
Speyer 1993. Can Akkaya’s with no.9 in his first German IDM race. 60,000 fans watching the most competitive class on this planet- 250cc GP
And yea… I didn’t win many races- I didn’t make a lot of Pole Positions- and I didn’t won big championships… I was just somebody who had to compete in German IDM 250cc GP. You might think that’s comparable with AMA Superbike pro racing? Well- that time gap between the riders in qualifying is not a match to what we’ve been through- when a field of 50-60 European champions and vice champions is only 3 seconds apart from Pole to the last qualified rider on the grid.
Champions Gala 1991, Can Akkaya and Marion Akkaya after becoming German Track Trophy Vice Champion
My very first international pro race was on Assen TT and I lead it from the start- almost won it, if I would have been quite smarter with those lapped riders- but i crashed in the last lap. So tell me how could I possibly proof such things like that?! You might just have to believe me here. And hell yea… I could have won way more races, but I found lots of ways to mess up- which was fine with me you know. In the end I was ‘just’ a guy who won some international races- competed in a field which was frequently filled with a bunch of German MotoGP racers like Martin Wimmer, Tony Mang, Volker Baehr, Bernd Kassner- until i caught Honda Germany’s eyes. HRC guys from Japan came and see me as I kept up for a couple of laps on Assen TT Circuit with some MotoGP pro’s until I broke my left foot.
Can Akkaya official race result of a International race in the Netherlands in 1994. He also set a speed record during the race
No, I didn’t had the comfort to learn from a Coach and to earn the respect from these guys till today, no. I was sitting in the pit and cried, because I did not understand why I was 2.5 seconds faster than ever per Nurburgring lap, even though I needed help climbing up the bike caused by a high-sider the day before in Brno/Cz. I left sweat and blood on all tracks over Europe to get to the point where I almost made it to the big show… MotoGP- but I got hurt again.
That 120 mph on Hockenheimring during the qualifying for the European Championship round in Germany was different as all the other crashes I’ve been through… because it was the first time that I was confronted with ‘death’. But even then, my ‘Never Surrender’ character made me trying to slide off the table in the hospital because I wanted to race next day… that was the first time my wife hearing saying “Please, Can… don’t!”. Till today I have these words ringing in my ears. My fast forward mode was stopped and after that I never found back to the racer I ones was.
Can Akkaya wins an international race in Oss NL and sets the record of the race. He lead the race from the Pole Position to the finish in 1994
I recovered from my injuries and tried to get back, but the total commitment was gone. Technical problems let my results looking bad, so that I wished to rather have crashed than to see the finish. Meanwhile, radicals burned down my fathers textile company in Germany. He was a Turk you know, and since then I was not calling this place ‘home’ anymore even though I was born and raised there. It was the worst time of my life, and I decided to do one more race and to retire. Marion and I went to Poland to some national race event with minimum equipment in a Van- almost the way it all began- and won the race. We went back home- happy, no regrets, and almost relieved.
We got married and our honeymoon brought us the first time to California- and many additional travels to the land of our dreams. I remember how we fell in love with everything and how deep the wish grow on our souls to finally leave Germany for a place which deserves the term ‘home’ much more.
Till then, I started teaching racers in 2004, and the Mohland Verlag in Germany published my Racers-Story ’25 seconds’ in 2006. Working as an instructor for multiple track day organizers and co-developing a program for a top notch racing school ‘Race Factory’, I felt a vocation for it and started Superbike-Coach. Meanwhile the dream came true via U.S. Green Card and we gave up a safe and secured life in Germany to go home- to California on 3rd of November 2008. Risks and costs was immensely high, but we never looked back- nor we’ve regret a bit.
20 years has been gone but I am still living it… this is still who I am, and pro racing is where my experience as a Coach grew- Yes I am rough and though, but this is also why most of my students love me for. However, I’d like to share with you my memories from now on. I truly hope never to regret, because I put my heart into teaching riders in my motorcycle riding school in California, the Superbike-Coach Corp.
Can Akkaya, 5th place German IDM 1993 in Brno Circuit, Czech on his werks supported Moto2 bike
Eat this! :-)
Can Akkaya
Father, family man, ex-professional racer, and headcoach of the Superbike-Coach Corp
Latest Newsletter: http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=442a5138ee28d389a0492ca61&id=813094ce1c
Also read about Coach Can Akkaya here.
I am very happy to introduce our school rental bike… a Kawasaki Ninja 250.
Superbike-Coach’s new school rental bike. That little Ninja 250 is the perfect equipment to get that knee down or to learn from A – Z in our Cornering School Day program… heck of fun to ride… no torque games in your head- only me sitting on both of your brain halfs all day
Even though i actually prefer when my students are using their own bikes- which should make lot’s of sense- we added this baby to or fleet because we welcome many riders from all over the world. So where ever you from… we got your ride which fits perfectly into our Knee Down classes, and Cornering School Days. Also for people interesting who always wanted to do a Track Drill 1on1 with me, but the distance was too far to bring the own bike- or other rentals which you can use on a race track are way too expensive.
This little thang is a beast actually, and makes you forget those torque games in your head, so that is comes down to learning the right things in my class- and not the bike. The rental fee is $230 but includes a ton:
So whatever drives you to have a rental to learn on a race track- travel, no bike or worried- Superbike-Coach got your back!
Coach Can Akkaya
We’re supporting motorcycle clubs and meetup group organizers.
Here is a list of a couple of meetup motorcycle groups, where we have 10% off discounts on our Cornering School Day’s for their members: Groups Rides, Slomo Riders, Calspeed Moto Riders, San Jose Motorcycle Riders, and NorCal FastFar Rider.
Only members are getting that discount from them, so why don’t you look at one of these groups- have rides with them- and meet new friends. Organize meetups yourselves or just have a good time with riding buddies.
Club/Group sponsor requests here
Sorry folks, but we had to reschedule the Knee down class from May 30 to May 23rd, and the Wheelie Course from May 31 to May 24th. We hope that this is no big deal for you, since there is plenty of time to move things around. If it does not work for you, we are more than happy to transfer you to the next available classes- or refund your money of course.
Coach
First of all… when we’re talking about Bridgestone Motorcycle Tires, then we’re talking about Sportbike Upgrade, Inc. is the Bridgestone race tire distributor supporting AFM Racing in Northern California and OMRRA/WMRRA in Oregon and Washington. They offer the full line of Bridgestone Battlax Racing slicks, Battlax R10 DOT Race, Supermoto and rain tires to racers and track day riders throughout the West Coast and nationwide.
Superbike-Coach has Bridgestone tires installed on all school vehicles, from the project bike to our rentals, Supermotard and trucks, and we will do an article on Coach’s Motorcycle Bible soon which explains how and why to chose the correct tire and compound.
But what they do for our students is pretty cool:
I love these guys, and whats good for me or even MotoGP… that should be good for you. Think about it!
I am so pleased to have BikeMaster on my side. These guys really rock. I’ve never seen a company that crazy and enthusiastic about bikes- maybe this is why this relationship has been successful since 3 years now.
BikeMaster is specialized with tools and garage equipment. A pro mechanic- or a hobby technician find with them what they need for the job… way cheaper though, because BikeMaster has by far the most reliable pricing.
All Superbike-Coach school and rental bike are having BikeMaster parts on them and are well maintained with BikeMaster tools and oils. Even our transport equipment depends on them. Racing stands, tie downs, ramps… everything. In other words… BikeMaster is a huge part of the Superbike-Coach development and success.
BikeMaster was even in our ‘MotoGP Project Bike’ involved, for which we needed proper tools to get things done. But that’s not all. BikeMasters portfolio has everything what you need if you like to get things done yourself: batteries, mirrors, lights, fluids, cleaner, special tools, garage equipment, and much more- like the most sexiest race stands from aluminum I’ve ever seen.
Check it out: www.bikemaster.com
Coach
