BikeMaster Tools

Every garage needs tools to function, and if you have one or want to start out getting into wrenching yourself, then i might have the right supplier for you.

Tools and shop supplies are expensive. What you need is a plan to overlook what you want to maintain or repair. Sky is the limit. Yes you spend on tools, but you’ll figure soon how quick it all paid off, as long as you look into BikeMaster Products.

So, do you want to maintain things around your bike? Like servicing your chain- swapping oil or tires and brake pads? That will only take a few standard tools and saves you loads of money already.

Over time you’ll get more confident and start replacing things, like broken fairings, levers, and service brake fluid and such. That will take also some more specific tools, especially when you go into repairing engines yourself. I can tell ya… that saves you fortunes, being able to do stuff like that.

Ones you are through this, you are also not far away from crafting things, like building brackets etc. Fixing things the ‘MacGyver’ way. Also here, BikeMaster can help you with in the most possible affordable way.

Especially when you are into track riding or racing, you’ll have to do things on your own. Measuring tools, bearing replacement kits, and tools which make work easier and quicker.

Go check BikeMaster out and start doing some stuff on your own. It’s fun and makes you positively more busy with your hobby.

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

June 7, 2021/2 Comments/by PageAdmin

Can Akkaya with HRC technician in Zolder Circuit, Belgium 1993

How to become a professional motorcycle racer

About Racing, Experience

If I would get a dollar, each time someone asks me on how to become a professional racer…

I am a strong believer in dreams, because all good things BEGIN WITH A DREAM, but becoming a professional racer is something only a few can turn into reality. I was one, and now I’m a professional coach- which is why I know. An easy way to look at it is: You gotta be THAT GOOD at it, that you get paid for it.

Just this explains a lot and makes dreams pop like soap bubbles already, right?! Especially when you just started racing and look out to those stars already by asking that question too early. Cuz’ how do you know that you’ll ever be THAT GOOD at it?! If you look for it too early, you just make yourselves a four years old who says ‘I wanna be an astronaut when I’m grown up’. Not saying it’s impossible- but it kinda skips quite some significant steps there. Btw… nova days you kinda have to be on the race bike at an age of 4 years already to eventually make pro level. If you are not, then I suggest to make sure to graduate school so that you have a plan B. Sorry for brutal honesty.

Let’s clean something up before we go deeper into this. I noticed that some claiming the title ‘professional’ because their fast- or someone calls an instructor at a track day a ‘professional’ while they are not actually. It seems this term has become a indicator for skill level, like: Amateur> Advanced> Professional. So like a replacement for Expert kinda thing. In fact- they are not professionals, unless they can make a living of it so that they don’t have to follow any other regular full or part time jobs anymore. That’s a professional.

To become one of those few comes with broken bones, blood, dedication, discipline, soul, live changing decisions, sweat, fitness, age, management skills, organization, relationships, and a drop dead killer instinct. There is way more going into this. Things which are off bike and track. You are doing things according to create or to maintain your ‘market value’. At this point… OMG, just overthinking all the facets is almost impossible to bring this together here. But let me try…

Being a professional racer is a 24/7, 365 days a year job. You have ‘vacation’ during the time your bones are healing and skin slowing closes wounds. I did 30 kilometers per day on a mountain-bike. Your daily nutrition is carefully picked (in other words, also your family etc has to play along with your racer life cycle!). Between scheduled testing new parts, you travel a lot from track to track or to the team quarters. You have an appointment for a TV show or a radio podcast interview to do. Magazines or newspapers calling for interviews. You’re sending pictures and autograph cards to fans. You organize team travel and dates for an entire calendar year. Just think of the time and money that point consumes. One of your local sponsors has an event and wants you to pick up your new mountain-bike, which he gives you for that. Ya shake lots of hands and smile into cameras even if you don’t feel like it. ave lots of dinners with team owners who want you to race for them. You have to evaluate a lot and make the right career decisions. In-between you do Moto Cross and whatnot, just to kick and haulin ass. You have dinners with sponsors or those who hopefully become one.

This is just a fraction of the ‘pro package’, and if you call someone a professional while they are not… then you literally slap those few in the face and take their credit away from being a real professional, because they are THAT GOOD at it- on and off the race bike.

Though…

Remember Michael ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards? He never was that good at Ski Jumping actually, but his ‘Never Surrender’ attitude, the shortest jumps in Olympics ever, and his cricket way to jump got him into the hearts of the crowd. ‘Eddie’ had more publicity than the actual competition winner and got TV, radio and the press. That is marketing value, and so he got into lots of lucrative sponsorships. Proof that anyone can make it. Go get creative if you aren’t THAT GOOD at it :-)

Getting hired?

Most likely you won’t, unless you are already THAT GOOD at it. If so, than this is either the so called ‘Works team‘ (for example: Yamaha Factory Racing, HRC Honda Racing Corporation, etc)- a ‘Satellite Racing Team‘ (like: LCR, Tech3, etc). By then though, you are professional for a while already.

You’ll most likely run this just like a business. You won’t EVER get a million dollar RedBull contract of the batch. It takes time to find the right relationships. They start to trust you and discounts turn into free of charge products. If you really getting that much better, you’ll be able to have no more costs in regard bike and gear.

As your calendar fills up and you got tons better, you could turn product sponsorship contracts to monetary support a little, From here it might be enough to have a regular part time job now, and boom- you’d be a Semi-Pro. At this point you’ll pay taxes for this and your life has been immensely changed by then.

All of a sudden there is this championship winning team who just lost their number one racer due to injuries. They call you because they know that you are about to be THAT GOOD at it, and you go contact the relationships you’ve built and tell them about this opportunity. An opportunity which attracts press, fans, other teams… and the circle is closing! You are about to be a professional racer, who gets paid because he’s THAT GOOD at it.

How much can you make?

A pro racer is a promoting machine which has a market value. That value depends on many things: Character, personality, skill, fan base, intelligence, press attractive and much more- all that grows into your racing skill/appearance. Look, if you don’t have the personality to close a sponsor contract with a bunch of zero’s, then you walk away with 2 sets of tires, right?! Your race personality plays into that. Some have more fans crashing all the time just because their ‘bad ass’. Make sense?

There was a German world champion in the 90’s ones. While he barley collected $300k for his next MotoGP season, some upcoming Italian got $7 million for finishing the season 5th. Honda Racing saw more in this guy, and to be able to promote the brand. If you look like you’d ‘race for free’ and the umbrella girl next to you steals the show, then you know. You’re not walking through the paddock, low on confidence and in healthy flip flops- but expect to be seen by fans, press and sponsors. There has to be an aura, attitude, personality, race intelligence.

So there is no exact amount. It’s pretty much what you can make of it. Sky can be the limit, and that could be product sponsorships, monetary sponsorships, licensing, TV rights/share, Merchandising. season bonuses, cash for wins/results, or/and top league… a permanent pay check from a team.

What now?

I know. It sounds like that you’d have to be born with all this to become a professional. Trust me, all this is learnable and you grow into it. Let’s not destroy dreams… let’s have many. Now here is what I want you to do as an amateur racer…

You go race the living dead out of it. You develop a racing intelligence. Have an attitude and show personality. Be the one to beat and make others feel this. Create little relationships with sponsors. Ask for discounts, then for this or that product for free- and when time comes and competition level grows, you ask for money. Run your own team and learn things around it. Look good- just like you could promote something. Then you might become THAT GOOD at it that some team calls you up and ask you to race for them- OR you find sponsors so you can buy yourself into a team (they hand-pick!) which has man and equipment power to win international championships.

Then… you might don’t need to do a regular job anymore. BUT make sure you play and race real well, because pro athletes have an expiration date. Pro racers are like comets… they are glowing bright for a short moment in time only.

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

May 4, 2021/0 Comments/by PageAdmin

The truth about motorcycle riding gear

Controversy, Experience, Riding Tips From A Pro

We’ve been all 18 years old ones. Lacking on reasonable decision making big time, and the only thing slowing us down was the size of balls. Back then, when I started riding on the street, I was not thinking in terms of protection, and it actually didn’t seem anyone would care, really. Also I didn’t freeze money to be able to buy riding gear along with that motorcycle. A ridiculously cheap helmet and a not even real leather jacket should do the job. Guess what… I’ve learned it the hard way.

I was knocked out and woke up on the lap of a Dutch lady who gave me water. Even though I hit that guardrail pretty hard, it seemed I got away without fractures. To give you a measure… the chassis of my bike broke in three pieces. My helmet flew off my head even though the strap was closed. My ‘alibi leather’ jacket ripped apart on the left side, as well as my jeans and sneakers. Positive aspect… that EMT didn’t had to cut much to get me out of the rest of my clothes. The pain of 3rd degree burns is something you’ll never forget, and the treatment is is a journey. Nurses pulling asphalt pieces with pin setts and literally washing your wounds with iodine. I’m sure today you’ll get a partially anesthetization and a trophy just for attending… I got a wood stick to bite on back then. Then they patch your open wounds up, which gets renewed every day. Done that ones?! Well, at least there the hair ain’t grow anymore.

Akkaya Replica by MJK Leathers

Needless to mention that my interest for proper riding gear was triggered immensity. Since then, the quality and efficiency of my riding gear has priority and is top notch. I actually can look back through decades of development of riding gear and to be somewhat part of it when I got into racing. One of my early sponsors developed my racing suits in an impressive speed, and upon lots of fan requests they made a street rider version, the ‘Akkaya Replica’, which turned to be a bestseller for MJK Leathers in Europe. It was quite a pleasure to autograph fan suits in the paddocks :-)

But enough of me, so let’s see what’s suppose to be “real” motorcycle riding protection here. Let’s see what I can give you on the way here from what I’ve learned with all this, and with the things I still get to see with about 1500 students per year. First off… when do you need the best riding gear possible? How about during the time when your riding level is not that good- or if your balls are bigger than your ability to judge ‘distance and speed’?! That’s when you’ll need it the most. Don’t ya?! Now where are you at? How do you see yourself leveled objectively when you take ego out of equation? That seems to be impossible for the most, so how about we don’t put the gear question based on level and prioritize this.

MotoGear makes affordable custom suits

I’m guessing you are not a professional rider, so you do a regular job. You have Mondays to do- a family to feed. Someone is waiting for you at home and you want to be safe as possible. Now what is the safest motorcycle riding gear… real leather! Tight sitting and sweat tearing leather- from the neck down to your feet. At this point it doesn’t matter if it’s a one-piece or two-piece leather suit as long as you can zip them together. Why leather over textile? If you watch MotoGP, then you see them getting up 90% at a time, and sometimes running back to the garage to keep going with the session… in the suit they just crashed with. I’ve seen riders crashing in textile on a parking lot which made that stuff useless. Just this comparison should ring the alert bell.

Even if your textile gear sits some kind of snug- the flex in there and the fact that it burns through (so things come lose then) doesn’t keep all your protectors in place. They turn away at first contact with the asphalt and so your knee, elbow or shoulder is receiving full impact. Non of the textile like materials can deliver the strength, flex and heat resistance leather can give you. I’ve seen riders actually getting injured by the protection. He was in kevlar jeans. The ‘alibi’ knee protector slid away- he broke his knee cap, and the protector cut so deep into his flesh so that his leg bone was exposed.

Snug leather is more sexy anyway, isn’t it? Yup, I know it’s hot- I know it’s more expensive, but you guys need to finally understand to add another 1500 onto this subject… your health over horsepower.

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

April 15, 2021/0 Comments/by PageAdmin

Two More Teeth

Experience

You guys remember my article ‘Motorcycle Sprocket Job: More Power‘? That’s where this one extends it a little.

So finally time has come that I can also ramp up the game on our Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Pro. When it’s time for a new chain- that’s also a good time to make these upgrades, and so I took advantage of it.

“Indy” is going to get 2 more teeth on the rear. Does this bike really need more torque?… oh hell no, but pure acceleration and even better ride-ability can’t hurt. The gears were a touch too far apart in my opinion, so that bigger rear sprocket gets them closer together and that gives me more options in regard gear choice on corners. BikeMaster had all the stuff I needed to get the job done, and quick as usual and their pricing is right!

First you want to loose up all sprocket bolts, before you get the rear wheel out. That makes things easier. Now the wheel comes out and the new BikeMaster sprocket replaces that extremely cheep looking Ducati OEM part. I mean… look at it!

Next step is the chain. For that reason you put the wheel back in and cut the old chain. Don’t pull it out though, because you want to connect the new chain to it and to pull it through the swing arm and over and out of the front sprocket housing. That way you can save all the work with it. Now put the wheel/axle in the mid range of your chain spanners, which gives you wiggle room for your chain adjustments later. Ones done, you lay the chain up the sprocket to determine the length and so where to take links out. I recommend to look twice which and where you take it out. Now you close the chain with a lock (comes with the chain) and adjust its slack. Don’t forget to tighten up your rear axle… and you are all done.

You can’t add power and torque in a cheaper way. Do yourself a favor and do it. Thank me later :)

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

December 16, 2020/0 Comments/by PageAdmin

GomotoTrip Fairings For Cleopatra

Experience

Sometimes a seemingly perfect motorcycle loses its perfection. The reason doesn’t necessarily have to be a crash. Years of track abuse leaving marks on her. Things crack, split or melt. It was time to put some fresh cosmetic on ‘Cleopatra’s’ face again, and I am glad that GomotoTrip not just delivers the actual fairing kit, but also a almost spotless paint job.

On that route I also made some necessary repairs and upgrades. An O-Ring at the starter motor had to be replaced. So the oil change was literally one thing then. Only top notch stuff goes in there. Amsoil full synthetic from Raven Synthetics is the best motor oil you possibly can get.

Also from Amsoil is the radiator coolant. Flushing the entire cooling system was overdue anyway. The Dominator Coolant Boost keeps the temperature 8 Fahrenheit lower then any other option. Who ever rode a Ducati 1199 Panigale knows that ever temperature point down is a good thing.

The brakes needed to be maintained as well. Amsoil DOT4 Synthetic Racing brake fluid is way to go. New race brake pads with an extreme high pitch but linear stopping power has been always my choice. That ain’t cheap pads, and YOU should NEVER go cheap on those as well! Added to the brakes are a set of rotor air ducts and a set of caliper air ducts. That should help keep my brakes a little cooler under aggressive braking.

Then it was time to finally unbox the new fairing kit from GomotoTrip. This is each time quite exciting. I can tell you that the fit, even on a tightly designed bike like the Panigale, is top-notch. Not a single hole needs to be modified. Everything is in the right place. Besides a absolute fantastic paint job, the kit comes with pretty much everything you need and also includes bum-stop, windshield and heat mats.

An entire fairing kit like this cost about $675, and that includes a custom paint job and shipping. I mean look at it… it can’t get any better than that!

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Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

November 25, 2020/2 Comments/by PageAdmin

New Superbike-Coach Sponsor: GoMotoTrip Fairings

Announcement, Experience

I was hell of skeptical, maybe even more as you are right now, because you might not just questioning the quality- but also because they are a sponsor of the Superbike-Coach Corp and that I would be obligated to say only good things about it. No no… our sponsors become a sponsor because of their products in the very first place, so for a reason. And so is GoMotoTrip Custom Motorcycle Fairings now.

It was back in Europe, when I crashed a Yamaha R1 at about 200 km/h and pretty much everything was to fix. You either know or can imagine what the costs are to replace everything broken with original parts, especially fairings. That’s when I started looking for aftermarket fairing kits and found some from China on ebay. I thought I’d give it a shot since the kid was very cheap and comes painted. The picture were looking good so I ordered. It took about 4 weeks to get it delivered and when it did- man was I disappointed. Nothing seem to fit as it should. Not a single hole was right and had to be oval drilled to get there. Uneven plastics and too hard to bend, so pretty easy to crack. Supports which are reaching to brackets broke in no time. The paint job was poorly done. Too thick here- too thin there, and running noses all over. From 15 yards away, a good looking bike after all. However, I was in the ‘never again’ mode.

Then in 2017, we got a new school bike, a salvaged 2014 Ducati Panigale 1199R (part1, part2). It had to be rebuild. I hated the standard red ‘Ferrari image’ but I was not willing to spend a fortune for a custom paint job, so I started looking around again. Loaded with tons of design ideas I started talking to multiple Chinese companies if they would be able to make it happen, as well talking about my bad experience. I found ‘Wilson’ from GoMotoTrip who send me tons of close-up pics, and man they were looking good. When he even offered to send it back if I wouldn’t like it- I was sold.

So I was about to get an entire fairing kit including all inner plastics and a wind shield and painted after my own design for about 500 bux including shipping. I was excited and nervous as hell when it arrived. Unpacking revealed a 99% perfect paint appearance and logos under a phenomenal clear coat. The ABC plastic was light and flexible as it use to be from factory. The installation was a walk in the park. Everything fitted as it should.

Since then, GoMotoTrip is Superbike-Coach’s source for fairings and paint jobs, no matter if it comes from China. Their service and quality speaks for itself, so what?! They are our sponsor now and delivered just recently a kit to rebuild one of our rentals. The damn thing is almost too sexy to rent it out and to get beat up again. Though, we know that GoMotoTrip has our back now when that happens. Really cool stuff which is affordable and small flaws take-able. You can’t go wrong.

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Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

October 22, 2020/2 Comments/by PageAdmin

Superbike-Coach

18 of 20 new knee draggers

Experience

Our success rate on the Knee Down class speaks for itself… 18 of a 20 students are dragging the knee now. If that doesn’t ring the bell then I don’t know.

Not that this is an easy task. They learn so much from Superbike-Coach in a relatively short amount of time. I am proud for all 20 though, because their eager showed and they never gave up. That’s what its all about for me.

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