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Continental Race Attack Review

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I don’t know what you know- or have been told about Continental motorcycle tire, but let’s reset that. So I had the chance to finally have a set of Continental Race Attack slicks on my Ducati 1199 Panigale for a Track Drill 1on4 at Thunderhill Raceway West. Here is my first impression.

You need to know that I don’t do ‘drama’, and that even if I wanted to- I have no time to do drama when I work with students. Means… tires go on, no tire warmers, no playing with different air pressures, nor with the suspensions. These tires actually helped me to enjoy riding on a track and to work drama-free immensely.

We gave the front 26, and the rear 23 psi and went out on stone cold slicks as mentioned. Continental’s ‘TractionSkin‘, is a revolutionary new micro-rough tread surface, virtually puts an end to tire breakin. And guess what… it truly works. I had the knee on the ground at half a lap on cold tires!

I can’t confirm what their testers are saying about the front tire, which seem to put them more to work with the steering. At this point I don’t know their counter steering capabilities, but I do know mine. Eventually the way the geometry of my Panigale is set just matched.

What I was most thrilled about is their ‘MultiGrip‘ technology. So while other tire manufacturers puzzle 3 grip level rubbers together and causes failures eventually- Conti goes a other route. They use a homogeneous grip grading with a single compound thanks to temperature controlled curing of the tire during the production process. Means… one piece of tire surface and no transitions to deliver softer sides and harder middles to get more mileage. The tire picture says it all.

You also need to know that I use to go way below my pace when I work with riders, but I have my 1-2 laps on each session. So here and then I gave it some aggression into turns, not fully on the limit though. That is the point though, because even going with FORCE- there was still way to go while the front and rear end were totally transparent and neutral. Those tires are an absolute confidence booster and I just can imagine their potential if I would have added drama.

It was hot on the track, maybe about 98f. The performance of the tires never changed. I got older and even much more heavy as I was as a fit racer, but I still have and extreme entry and exit phases, and that’s where these Continental tires deliver, while having a smooth and balanced mid turn arc. The corner speed and lean was on the save side, cuz’ I have work to do right- but the grip range signals that there is more.

Don’t be a fool and go get some too. The price is right as well.

Can’t wait now to do drama :-)

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

https://www.continental-tires.com/motorcycle

#continentalmotousa #continentalusa

Featuring Dynojet Research Powercommander

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Painfully, I remember the outcome of my first top 10 race as a semi-professional in St. Wendel Germany in 1992. That was one of a bad ass half track half street tracks you don’t get to see these days anymore. I came of from 3rd row in qualifying and made my way up and kept 9th position till the last lap. I didn’t make any mistakes until exiting the last turn onto the straight. One single miss-shift, and three guys passed me. I was heartbroken. A year later the first quick shifters came out and when I tested it, I remembered that devastating mistake and I wished I would have one back then.

But a quick shifter doesn’t only help to reduce miss-shifts. In racing it reduces energy loss on two levels- forward momentum and physical input. That and a certain mental relief opens reserves. Today, most high-end street legal bikes are coming with a quick shifter, and if you don’t have one… go get one. Dynojet Research, one of the pioneers in regard fuel management systems for the aftermarket offers those for a variety of motorcycles and universals. Their famous Power commander adds their quick shifter in no time plug and play.

Now let me first explain what a Power commander can do for ya. Besides a gain of power with the right map (fuel/air management), you can determine every percentage of throttle position so that weak spots can be reduced- like an harsh throttle response for example. Ergo, drive-ability and general performance. If you’ve changed your exhaust and air filter, you might have to have a ECU flash done. That is not just pretty expensive, it is also imperfect if its data are not developed on a roller. On top of this- a flash is a one time thing, so any change would require another expensive flash. The Power commander is adjustable anytime.

Dynojet also offers an AutoTune, which optimizes fuel/air ratios on the fly, and a Ignition Module which can make the difference on the track. All of it can be connected to a network and fine adjusted on a computer, just like in a MotoGP garage. Additionally, the Quick Shifter Sensor. We just recently installed a PC-V and a Quick Shifter to one of our school bikes. The instructions are clear- nothing has to be spliced- and a matching map is a download away. The quick shifter need to be activated, and that’s it. The bike shifts through the gears as smooth as it can get.

These Dynojet systems are a big upgrade you can do to your bike.

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

 

Knee Down and Wheelie Course rescheduled due to rain

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The risk of standing in rain and for our students to lose a lot is too high. We want them to have a hell of a time with Superbike-Coach, so that I decided to pull the plug for 5/18/ and 19.

Our relationship with the Little 99 Raceway is amazing, and thanks to their efforts we can move both classes, entirely to new dates: JUNE 22nd and 23rd!

In other words… nobody loses anything.A information email has been send to all participants.

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

The Moment Your Skill Score Bubble Pops

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I know that my statement is not based on a solid study. It’s simply because it’s impossible to run statistics on this because it would require total honesty of the crashed rider, or at least an authority who knows better. Both are an illusion, so let me give it a wild shot here.

Based on my own experience as a pro racer, street rider and coach, who has seen thousands of riders- and analyzing crash scenarios which even include my own back then… I brutally predict that 70% of all incidents on track or street could have been prevented if the rider would have known the shit!!!

Yep, the texting soccer mom in that SUV was the trigger, BUT… was really the point of no return on the brake reached?! Was there an escaping gap you didn’t even see while you’ve been target fixating that right-of-way-taking Prius?!  Or let’s say you actually did see the escaping gap- but your “I thought I’d do counter steer technique” is not enough to get you there?! How about that Mercedes Benz lane jumper which causes you to overreact. Yes, it was close, but maybe because of your f’d up reaction time and lack of focus?! And so on and so on and so on…

I’m not even getting started about the triggers which cause lots of cornering crashes, ’cause I could write a book just about that one. In fact, the triggers are there, plenty of triggers- but riders are just not mastering them. Though, it would be presumptuous to claim that one will be ever able to master them all. That would be naive to think because there is a point of no return out there for even the best riders on this planet. That’s for sure, so that’s our 30% right there. You think that’s quite bold to say?… then wait for this one…

Let’s say you’ve earned skill points throughout your riding career. A newbie starts with 1 and a highly experienced- or even racer could score out at a 100. That actually is not possible since there is ALWAYS an extra margin to learn, but let’s just round that circle up for now. Your score depends on where and what you’ve learned: self taught, videos, books, schools, or even from Uncle Joe. All of this certainly defines the score for all those things we gotta do- from the shifting to the trail braking and so on. The skill score.

Now let’s say you’ve learned all of these riding skills–or at least you believe you did… what are all of these worth if panic in an extreme situation takes over?! That’s typically when a skill score pops like a soap bubble. The real quality of your skill score depends on a thing which I call “mind coolness”.

Mind coolness sets you free. Imagine instead of freaking out, that an out-of-the-blue Prius just bounces mentally off from you, like a rock throw against a wall! Just picture how powerful that would be. With mind coolness you’d be able to really recall all the physical skills at the right time- and in the right order. Mind coolness buys you TIME. Time is space. That little bit of space which might make the difference on your way back home!

So this ‘mind coolness’ thing is actually the biggest thing you can possibly learn. Where?! Well, good luck finding a place. I might know of one though!

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

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This is great news. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) launched the new Get Up to Speed on Motorcycles campaign to help motorists understand standard motorcycle driving behaviors and to learn how to drive safely around motorcycles.

Motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities while motorcycles make up just 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States. Motorcyclists are about 27 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash, and 5 times more likely to be injured.

The NHTSA has some general suggestions on how to stay save on public roads:

  • Slow down, assess your surroundings, and don’t rush when crossing intersections, entering the roadway from a parking lot or driveway, or turning left. Always give yourself enough time to thoroughly check for motorcyclists.
  • When turning left, ensure there is enough time and space for the motorcyclist to clear the roadway before you initiate the left turn.
  • Don’t follow motorcyclists too closely and allow sufficient braking cushion between your vehicle and the motorcycle in front of you to give your vehicle enough room to come to a complete stop without a collision. Remember, a motorcyclist’s brake lights might not always be engaged when a motorcycle decelerates.
  • Always double-check your blind spots when changing lanes or starting to entering or exiting the roadways. Adjust your rear- and side-view mirrors and use them properly.
  • If someone you know drives a motorcycle, tell him or her to always wear a helmet—even if the law doesn’t require it. According to NHTSA, an estimated 740 lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.

I think that this is just a fraction of what you could do better as a rider. Isn’t it?!

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp