Can Akkaya review, 20 years after pro racing

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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

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

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 competetive class on this planet- 250cc GP

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

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

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

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.

Racers-Stoy book cover

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

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.

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The Perfect Body Positioning Hype

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It actually amuses me to see the huge amount of attention other schools, books, forums, and videos spending on the subject called ‘the perfect body positioning’ for street riders. Glancing over to what MotoGP riders like Marc Marquez performs on TV- must be good for the Redwood Rd in the SF East Bay. If it doesn’t look like Marquez… It’ll be damned as ‘crossed-up’ and some rookie rider who was proud showing his first hanging off pic’s will be scoffed by. Read more

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asphalt texture

Why I Consider Rider Education In California A Joke – Part 2/3

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As you might remember from reading part 1- I still consider the general motorcycle rider education nothing else as a joke. That hasn’t much changed since then, so I’d like to make riders aware of these things, and not to bend down too early for that shiny thing… it’s maybe not gold, even when it looks like it…

OK, do you agree with me that ‘reading’ a book about the Alps is different as actually ‘being’ in the Alps?!  Motorcycle riding is not a static 1- 2- 3- thing… this is loaded with emotions, variables and ‘feelings’.  It’s not just black and white- but lots of gray zones. A book can’t make you feeling these things, and it’s on the imagination of its reader how the content… has found a place on his/her mind. In other words… what if you read a book about how to ride a motorcycle- but your imagination gives you a other understanding about it?! The result

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Why I Consider Rider Education In California A Joke – Part 1/3

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Straight out: I consider the general motorcycle rider education- at least in California, nothing else as a joke. Though, my guess is that the situation isn’t much better in other states. First of- my knowledge comes from teaching thousands of students on the track and street- asking pretty much each of them from who- and where they learned from. I’ll give you some ‘pictures’ according to what I’ve seen where their level at:

There was a 17 year old new rider in one of me ‘Cornering School Day‘ classes and he was taught by “the” certified institution for motorcycle drivers licenses what ‘Trail Braking’ is. Quote: “...it’s applying the rear brake by being on the throttle while entering a turn“.  I have no name for that kind of “made-up”- but theories…

  1. No clue theory:  “The” certified institution has no idea what Trail Braking actually is, and just made this up… or
  2. No resources theory:  They actually know why the best riders on this planet are doing it- but can’t teach it… or
  3. Marketing theory (my favorite): They figured that the Trail Braking process involves front brake usage while entering a turn is actually a conflict to their certified curriculum- to stay away from the front brake doing any leaning.  The goal… in order to “sell” to the people that they do “teach” Trail Braking, and to have an effective Google key word driving traffic to their website… they just made their version of Trail Braking up

There was that 65 years old Lady who reached retirement and bought a brand new motorcycle to finally live her dream.  She called me to teach her to

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Huge succeed rate of 80%

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Knee Down & Wheelie Course at Stockton

The knee down and Wheelie classes last Saturday and Sunday (May 17 and 18) was a blast.  We had students coming over from D.C., Ohio, Oregon, Nevada, and from all over California.  All of them hard workers and no quitters- which I really appreciated the most.

Knee Down

That this class is more than just to drag the knee should be logic.  Of course there is more to know and to work on to get the job done.  To do this on public roads would be against the law and common sense- as well as our believes- so the environment we at Superbike-Coach are using since 3 years now is just perfect.

DSCF0760

The morning began as usual with a warm welcome and introduction. After a short briefing we went for a track walk, where we was talking about a big subject… the ideal line.  After this, the students were ready to roll out to learn the track. Pretty much ever Read more

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Can Akkaya raced German IDM

A new racing season will start very soon

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Very soon…

…the racers getting out of the ‘winter silence’ and come back into the light. The draft-carousel has slowing down, and hopefully everybody has a safe seat for the new racing season. The best seats in this little elitist world are long gone of course… quite rightly.

Tcha, and the off-season of the elite guys is pretty short. Their break is too short to become worried, but not for those guys who are on the way to the elite. They are still doomed and hoping to get ‚something‘ out of the Sponsor Odyssey, without getting hurt by the in the game involved rejections.

Don’t give up hope, cuz‘ very soon, your for a BBQ working like a dog mechanic will push you out of the dim

garage into the sunlight of the pit lane. Then, nothing else matters as just you, those fn… three miles per lap, and to squeeze these unlasting ‚One-Minute-Whatsoever‘ out of this hotter getting machine among your ass.

But even though for the elite teams it is uncommon to get a ‚external-big bran

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Touring, Sport, and Cruiser Motorcycle Education at Superbike-Coach

Tips for a good start in the new riding season

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Tons of tips are available on the internet.  Some are good- some are bad… real bad.

Actually so bad, that it might end up in a disaster when you follow half-knowledge people.  Advice number one… don’t listen to someone on a forum who thinks that using the rear brake makes more sense today as it made sense 20 years ago…. no- it still doesn’t make sense, because rules of physics don’t change.  I understand that all of these “good” advices sound plausible for the newbie, and especially this is why you should spend less time listening to them.

If you are all set for the new riding season comes down to three factors;

1) riding experience;  The experience (and this includes also close calls, crashes, and tons of feeling) is the only thing can’t be taught, but all of it makes the rider. You gotta go through this on your own.

2) knowledge;  Can be taught in schools (there are good and bad ones), videos (not on youtube though), or books (good source)… and you’ll learn only if you admit to have to learn- even if you think you’re a heck of a rider.  I’d prefer a school, because reading about climbing is kinda different as really hanging on the edge of a cliff Read more

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