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Jill Akkaya, assistant coach at Superbike-Coach Corp

Jill Akkaya joins the Superbike-Coach Corp team

Jill Akkaya, daughter of Headcoach Can Akkaya, has become an assistant coach of the Superbike-Coach Corp.

Our motorcycle riding school and its coaches are more than colleagues, we’re family. ‘The SBC team’ is an outstanding group of people- experts in their fields. All of them are motorcycle riders themselves for many years. We cherish each other. Respect, love and pride for what we do and who we are shows every minute. We don’t just work together. We do fun stuff together, have BBQ’s and team ride outs. We’re family! It’s probably impossible to find a more dedicated and passionate team as Superbike-Coach. Come meet them.

Let’s have Jill explaining herself:

“I was born to be around motorcycles. I grew up with motorcycle racing because of my Dad, so many weekends were spent at the track on weekends in Germany. When we moved to the States, I remember watching the Superbike Coach program getting developed. From track days at Thunderhill, to classes at Little 99, and even teaching motorcycle courses at an Air Force base, I was there for all of it. My Dad tried to teach me how to ride when I was about 10, but I’ve always been cautious, so I decided it wasn’t for me. Years later, I walked into his office and told him I wanted to try again. By Christmas time, we were already rebuilding a 2023 Ninja 400. Within a year, I went from not knowing how to shift to dragging my knee and becoming the newest assistant coach with SBC.

I’m so excited to be a part of this journey, not only giving people the skills to be a better, safer rider, but also to build new connections with individuals who have the same passion as the rest of us. As a woman, I know how difficult and intimidating it can be to break into a male-dominated sport and it’s thrilling to see the growing number of ladies joining our program. See you out there, girls!”

Jill Akkaya will be headlining as an headcoach for our first female only cornering class in 2026.

Superbike-Coach Corp

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superbike-coach tip of the week

A ‘Sensei’ has to be old

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If you follow my monthly topics, then you might have noticed the red line to the struggle of riders on mental focus – so let’s stay on this topic and clear something up at the same time. This goes mainly out to the track riders and racers.

It seems that there is a wrong picture of what a teacher has to look like and be capable of. Sometimes I hear things like “Coach is to old”, or “He raced in the 80’s, that was different back then.” The conclusion seems to be that because I’m older, I can’t teach them anything. This is wrong and misguided, so let me throw a light into the dark tunnel for you.

Of course I am not as fast as I once was, but I actually still have the fire of a thousand suns in me when I’m on track, and I can rip lap times at Laguna Seca Raceway that would make active racers quite nervous, even when the years on me have replaced my 6-pack with a beer belly. Even when I am a little hip-lame… I still know what it takes to achieve Pole Positions, International Pro Racing victories, and even lap records. And here’s the deal… besides technology and tires – we’re still fighting the same old element… gravity.

Still not convinced? Remember Karate Kid’s Mr Miyagi? How about Yoda? Or Panda’s Master Shifu? They are all old, and they mentor their students to become hero’s anyway. Yea… I know. That’s all Hollywood?! So what about reality- like Coach Bill Belichick and his New England Patriots for example? He’s old and he keeps creating winning teams. Just recently I saw a documentary about Peyton Manning’s Super Bowl ending carrier. Here’s a multi-million dollar NFL player who got hip-lame himself and loaded with mental blocks. This man had a coach on his side- a 72 year old Sensei!

Does that mean that his sensei was expected to throw the damn ball further than record holder Manning? Was it necessary for his sensei to be quicker out of the pocket? Should his sensei have been mentally and physically strong enough to get past a 280-pound linebacker and throw a touchdown anyway? NO, but his sensei helped him on a way different level, and all what that 100 Million dollar MVP and multiple record holder was replying to his sensei was- ‘Yes Sir’ and ‘Yes Coach’!

Still not seeing the comparison? How about a basketball coach who is 2 ft smaller than his player- or a hockey coach who can no longer skate fast and handle a puck like a 20-year old. They may not be able to play the game, but they know what it takes to be a success in the game. They know what to say- when to say- and how to say!

So here is the logic, which I believe got lost with all those track day instructors who believe that a 10 minutes ‘workout’ and a succinct tip in regard ‘body positioning’ is all what it takes to be a good teacher. At a certain level of an athlete, a coach on the sideline is working just fine. I as a coach, see weak spots to delete, strengths to develop, tailor a race strategy, finding details to improve in the skill set and most important to mind set a competitive nature, because I know what to say- when to say- and how to say!

For this, I don’t have to be with the racer on the track to ’skate faster’ to proof credentials. Though, I bet I even can help a Top-Gun racer to drop lap times also with his riding skill set, because I’ve been there too. At that point to mention MotoGP. Even some of those guys have coaches too. Are they riding with them?! No, because how should that be even possible?!

You’re asking why I put this on the mental side?… well, you might shut yourself down with that type of thinking, and might miss out on something that finally could get you on the path you always wanted to walk… the path to success on the race track. If you still don’t see that the problems are between your ears, then you keep fighting wind mills. But if you are ready- come see me and I might help you to become a mighty Jedi.

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Sacramento 04/25/2018
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The Superbike-Coach Team 2016

The Superbike-Coach team gets bigger and bigger, what I personally like the most with my folks is- we’re family!

Each one of us loves motorcycles and we love to work with a passion which is hard to find somewhere else. Everyone rides, and just that fact makes a difference for our students:

Superbike-Coach Team, KevinKevin Sueksdorf

I’m a third year film student at UCSC and a part time moto enthusiast. My first bike was a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250. Since then I’ve owned a 2007 Yamaha R6, and I currently ride a 2013 Suzuki DRZ 400 supermoto. As filming and motorcycle riding are two great passions of mine, working for Superbike-Coach is a great place to hone in my skills on and off the bike.

Videography, Editing

Present at:
– Cornering School Days
– Knee Down
– Wheelie Course
– Track Days

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Dean Lonskey at SuperbikecoachDean Lonskey

Grew riding in the desert of Southern California to racing motocross in the 70s at Indian Dunes to motocross in the late 80s. Currently, I’m riding a Ninja 650R Twin. I’ve been the Superbike-Coach photographer since November 2014 and first met Coach Can when I took his October 2014 Wheelie Course…been drinking “the Kool-aide” ever since.

Present at:

– Cornering School Days
– Knee Down & Wheelie Course
– Track Days

How to learn to ride a motorcycle

Marion Akkaya

My name is Marion Akkaya, I am Coach Can’s wife and I am riding a Ninja 250. I always had a favor for motorcycles because of my husband, who was a bad-ass racer back in Germany. I love working with Coach Can because he has a lot of knowledge to share. His lessons are straight forward and his teaching style has the right amount of discipline,  humor and sometimes sarcasm.

Present at:

– Cornering School Days
– Wheelie Course
– Track Days

405538_103703273090047_229050409_n Gary Lonskey

Grew riding in the desert of Southern California to racing motocross in the 70s at Indian Dunes to motocross in the late 80s. Currently, I’m riding a Ninja 650R Twin. I’ve been the Superbike-Coach photographer since November 2014 and firs.

Organization, Sales Dealerships

Present at:
– Cornering School Days
– Knee Down
– Wheelie Course
– Track Days

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Ruslan Pugach

My name is Ruslan Pugach. Ive been riding/racing for about 8 years now. I started with Dirt Biking, went onto Street Riding, Supermoto, and now I am currently racing amateur motocross. There is nothing I love more than motorcycles. So, to be working as a assistant coach with SBC is a privilege. Seeing people progress, the big smiles, and being around motorcycles all day is awesome!

Assistant Coach

Present at:
– Knee Down
– Wheelie Course

Superbike-Coach Knee Down class, October 2015 (3)

.Vincent Souca

Coach’s early wheelie course student.

Assistant Coach

Present at:
– Wheelie Course
– Cornering School

 

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Check on open positions if you want to be part of this team: https://www.superbike-coach.com/contact/jobs-at-superbike-coach

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