The perfect sitting triangle

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I thought this is something I should add, because it’s important as the upgrades itself, and this is to adjust it all right. You might think that the position of the damn clutch lever ain’t that important, but guess what… it add’s up. At my Superbike-Coach ‘Workshop & Track Time’ events I can help you with this- suspensions and whatnot pretty well, so you might want to check on my schedule here (https://www.superbike-coach.com/…/ca…/motorcycle-preparation).

However, by playing with all kinds of adjustments, I truly found my ‘old’ sitting triangle which I use to have on every singe race bike. Needless to say that I felt ‘home’ on this Ducati from there. At that point I also remembered how important this part is, because since I deal with street bikes I kinda let go on that part.

OK, so this is hard to explain without pictures… but riders put their foot pegs way too high into the rear- and the Panigale is even worse with this. just sitting rolling straight, makes your torso hanging down like a wet potato sack. Adjustable rear sets going all the way to the front and up (aligned with seat (thickness) height D of course). So that was perfect, and the shifter lever at the same time of course. Now, race bikes giving you much more space to figure handle bar pos out. Not so a street bike, which also comes with pins in the controls. All of that needs to be removed in order to let your fingers quickly glide over the levers to grab the brake and to operate the throttle. I had to add steering restrictions to get ‘A’ to the measurements on my race bike records. Can I just give you numbers?… if you are between 5.10 and 6ft then maybe. I might could convert my numbers to percentages to make it more accessible for you.

What else… after installing some more carbon, I prepared ‘Cleopatra’ for the Superbike-Coach track day at Thunderhill tomorrow… uninstalling that fender eliminator I’ve made- unplugging a 10amp fuse to shut of front lights, and pulling the plug for the rear lights. I am considering to add simple switches to it later (if some elecrto geeks under you have some ideas?…). Now I can’t wait to see lots of students again- and welcome lots of new faces to the Superbike-Coach family tomorrow on my track!

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Ducati Panigale 1199 R sound test

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Ducati Upgrade 7b

…couldn’t wait any longer to let you guys hear ‘Cleopatra’. After all the mods to the exhaust system (stage 7a) has been done- I moved forward and installed everything. Now… the video doesn’t really reflect what was going on in that garage. The microphone can not catch all those octaves and the pressure wave this thing is pushing out. I can’t wait to get it on the track on 8/5/ (where I still have some spots left btw: https://www.superbike-coach.com/…/track-day-thunderhill-wes…). Come and feel it yourselves…

Headcoach Can Akkaya

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How to core a motorcycle muffler: Part 7

Ducati Update 7a:

I’m hitting the finish line with the updates which I wanted to get done for the Superbike-Coach track day at Thunderhill West Raceway on 8/5/- so next Saturday.

First off… I am not willing to spend AT LEAST $4000 for a full exhaust system- nor about $2000 (!) for slip on mufflers (there is clearly that “Ducati” thang going on if you can follow me here). Yes I know it’s weight reduction, but A) wait and see, and B) you might wanna know what my test for a German magazine turned as we put 2 R1’s on the Assen TT Circuit to compare.
So based on my experience (which could be different than your opinion), I decided to stick with the stock headers and to ‘core’ the mufflers because they are a major bottle neck and heavy as a Smart car. Let me walk you through.

I took off the entire system to brush it clean. The exhaust flap in the Y-piece was easily removed and the hole got closed flush with a bolt. The exup servo motor becomes senseless and will be replaced with a 50 bux ESE-Eliminator so that the computer thinks… ‘all good’

At the same time I’ve removed the California EVAP canister (the smog block off plates and all the hoses and whatnot will be removed later). That’s a good number on the weight scale already, but what I could get out of those mufflers… holly crap
See the pic of the open box and the stuff in there?… that got all removed (cat and db eater, etc) and nicely welded up again- finished with a mesh. Weight reduction: 1.4 kg only on the mufflers, so about 4 pounds, and a db gain of X (video is about to come).

Cost on this one… almost non. After a map flash, there will be more peek power and the sound will melt your face!!!

Headcoach Can Akkaya

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How to install a lithium motorcycle battery: Part 6

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I did some cosmetics… put fancy rim stickers on. Yea really… in gold

Shut up and just take it, cuz’ I love them. Wait until you see the entire thang
I got a brand new Lithium battery from BikeMaster, and I couldn’t wait to show you what difference it makes. That little power pack takes over the place of a chemical loaded heavy weight battery. I’ve put it on a scale, and it doesn’t even makes half the weight. Only 775g (deal with the metrics!), vs 2400g (another 48 are going to that tender cable I took out)!!! So about 3.5 ponds less to swing around all day. That is huge and it cranks right on! BikeMaster has them for almost all bikes: https://bikemaster.com/batteries/lithium-ion-batteries.html


Furthermore I installed a new carbon front fender which sits so snug on it that I am worried about those tire warmers which i want to use at my track day on 8/5/ at Thunderhill. I mean… look how tight it is to the rotor.

Headcoach Can Akkaya

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How to check chain alignment: Part 5

Ducati Update 5

That was quite a biggy. In order to reduce rotating masses, I wanted to convert from a 525 to a 520 chain. The way lighter (50% less) sprocket carrier was standing 5mm off center so that I had to add a spacer, and to shape off those 5 on the outside plate, to give the new aluminum axle nut enough ‘meat’ on the axle shaft. The BikeMaster O-ring chain was running smooth as hell after those mods. Now… motorcycle manufacturers now how to make a sales pitch… one of them is the stupid number on the high gloss brochures, and this is ‘top speed’. Who the hell needs 202 mls per hour?! So I use to gear all my bikes for acceleration, cuz’ that’s what you do all the time- especially on the track. I use to go 1 tooth smaller on front- and 1 bigger on the rear… which is massive (fits to most tracks longest straights and is plenty on roads)! But since this Ducati has the torque to roll the Earth quicker in its axle, I decided to only drop a tooth on the front, which also keeps the weight low. BikeMaster has all kinds of sprocket constellations for your bike too! I also replaced the damn cheap looking circus wagon bolt and washer with a Titanium bolt which also allows a safety wire. That funny looking Ducati sprocket cover found a new home too… the trash bin.
Headcoach Can Akkaya
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How to reduce rotating masses: Part 4

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The one sided swing arm of the Panigale hosts the rear brake rotor and the sprocket carrier (which gets its own post later). I’ve replaced the rotor with a way lighter one and the brake pads to Bikemaster sinter metal pads. This stuff is affordable and never lets you down. At that point I’ve checked on the wheel alignment to see if the swing arm is bend. That went well so I can move on to center the two sprockets for a flawless chain run (next update)

Headcoach Can Akkaya

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How to adjust the ride height on a Ducati: Part 3

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Ducati Update 3

Some stuff around the swing arm and rear sets has been done. A carbon cover for the looks (the tire huger goes soon), and the toe protector makes truly sense. Rear shock pos changed to ‘flat’, and preload adjusted (gotta get familiar with the electronic setting system though). The rear sets journey was interesting. The challenge… to keep the expensive, but hell of smooth Ducati ‘PULL’ quickshifter- BUT use it in a MotoGP shift pattern system. Funny is, that Ducati offers a 4 page long description to just turn this around on the stock rear sets- but doesn’t even mention that a ‘PUSH’ quickshifter would be necessary. Thats about 300 bux extra, and I go… no. So I went to see if there are rear sets which allowing all kinds of constellations in the leverage to keep the pull shifter. I found a nite set in China for 120 bux incl shipping and they work smooth as hell. The pegs are quite short though, so i had to find washers which allow me to adjust their length a bit. What I extremely like with these rear sets is that they are fully adjustable since the stock sets are way to far in the back and making tired real quick. Those going all in the front and up… as I was use to on my prototype race bikes :-)

Headcoach Can Akkaya

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