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Don’t be a fool

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This is might controversial to you, but I literally get to experience a phenomenon every week- not just with riders I don’t know, but also and mainly with students. It obviously doesn’t apply to all of you, but to a big percentage for sure.

So here is ‘Joe’ who is signed up for his very first track day. Joe did some schooling and has a lot of riding experience. His visions, wish-thinking and especially expectations of how he’s gonna look like during that track day are astronomical. The same goes for hundreds of my own students, who went through a lot of hands-on and real life coaching. Most of them did it all- cornering programs, knee down classes, and 1on1’s. Also here… visions, wish-thinking and especially expectations towards their first ever track day at ‘the big track’.

The expectations of/in themselves and especially in what they’ve learned, will probably lead them right into confusion and frustration, and that will cause them to question that what they’ve learned was good or right. Some will start pushing their limits and crash- some won’t come back to finish their schooling. At this point you might smile and think that I am worried to ‘lose them’. I can tell you that I am worried to lose them to foolishness. Not more- not less.

So I am extremely confident in what these guys have learned and I am truly not looking for excuses… they are at the end of their first track day. The actual problem is though, that their expectations are STILL beyond their capabilities. That’s just one point. Another one is, that they are dropped off into a boxing ring. There will be passing all over them, which is something a brain has to get use to. Additionally, the pace they gonna make is way beyond they ever been and the track they are on is way wider.

There is a lot you do not know yet. You are only totally overwhelmed, so that you might can’t put to action what you’ve learned. This is fooling you quickly!

I remember one kid at this point. He had a blast during cornering day 1 and he made a quantum jump forward with his abilities. He came to me and said that he can’t wait to get into day 2. Till then, he got himself a new bike and went to a track day. Naturally, pretty much everyone was faster than him and he very likely was all over the place which is probably why he crashed. Finally day 2 arrived and I already felt a distanced student there. He already looked frustrated and wasn’t really ‘attending’. First turns into the first track session, I saw him overly pushing already. It didn’t take long from there for him to crash.

I had a lot of talks with him from there, just to understand what happened to him. It was like talking to a different person- to someone who lost faith and trust in what he had learned. Someone who is more frustrated than confused. He actually started talking to other riders, expecting that they can help. How can they, when they don’t understand neither what the actual problem is, nor to know what the fix is?! Then it was on me to tell him what I am thinking the issue is, but held back, cuz’ he might only sees it as a desperate attempt to not to lose him.

Trust me… I don’t want to even look this way and I actually think he is a loss already because he ‘likes to think’ that this is a good excuse. This is some deep stuff, you know?!

So… for the rest of you going into your first track day… It is not about what you’ve learned. It will be all about being totally overwhelmed. It will narrowing your vision because you are STILL far away from being in control of distraction and fears. It is because of high speed and passing’s you’ve never experienced. You might still believe that this is all about balls and that sticking to track days does the rest…

Don’t be a fool!

Superbike-Coach Corp

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

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superbike coach suspension workshop General Pics

How To Setup A Motorcycle Suspension

There are lots of misunderstandings about how to setup a motorcycle suspension setup. I’ve seen questionable work from even supposed specialists. Those specialists make riders believe that one click on the front rebound could lower lap times by 7 seconds. I’ve really experienced this. There are a lot of things to look at, even motorcycle tire pressures.

Stuff like this is totally off reality of course, especially as I still saw his bike bouncing around on Thunderhill Raceway- totally out of balance. In fact i believe that an intermediate to advanced rider don’t even feel the difference of even 15 clicks- especially not on a OEM suspension system.

If you would approach the setup with logic, you wouldn’t have to spend $50 bux to let an expert do some ‘big deal clicks’ on your stock rear shock, which are most of the time not even going nowhere. You don’t need to be nervous to do it yourself, because the range of an OEM suspension is just to small to make a significant change in terms of stability and safety of your bike.

To really make a significant change to match your riding style and purpose- you need to make rearrangements to the geometry of the bike, and then to match the suspension to this geometry… for example:

  • Super tight track: You want to drop the front end or to raise the rear a little
  • Long braking travels: You want to drop the rear right height to keep weights low
  • Long acceleration periods: add a chain link to use up chain adjuster recourse for a longer swing arm.

http://www.suspact.com/Images/Acceleration.jpgPlease Note All Following Points

  • There is NO “perfect” suspension setup- only the’ best compromise. A setup grows with your rider level.
  • So when someone says “I’ve clicked you the same suspension setup as I gave to Valentino Rossi”, then this is logically not going to work for you well.
  • Use the potential of a OEM suspension first before you buy aftermarket stuff… then you really know what it is capable of.

OK, the link below will open an additional page which you can print out to bring it to the track. It’s just hat this page is too much for this section here, because it throws a light on how to set it up right, and how to trouble shoot. Enjoy:

Motorcycle Suspension Guide by Erik

Superbike-Coach conclusion: Don’t be blind and use logic to see the reality. Even totally overrated suspension hero’s can change much on OEM shocks and forks. Don’t make a big deal out of it. Just make sure the preload settings are right, and bring it in a balance as close as possible. If the OEM springs are way too soft… exchange them it more harder ones. If you want to have it ‘real good’… you’re looking at 4-5 grand… easily! [….]

Even better… come see us in our ‘Suspension Workshop & Track Time‘ class.

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Touring, Sport, and Cruiser Motorcycle Education

More Cornering School Graduates

We congratulate to our Cornering School graduates of the last Day 3 class from 11/13/2022.

Each one of them grew on the physical skill and on the mental side. Loaded with a new passion and love for the sport they go enjoy their journey hopefully even more. Gonna miss all those personalities and certainly hope to see them again.

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superbike coach corneringschool General Pics
Touring, Sport, and Cruiser Motorcycle Education
superbike coach corneringschool Group B Pics
superbike coach corneringschool Group C Pics
superbike coach corneringschool Group C Pics

Headcoach Can Akkaya, Superbike-Coach Corp

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Swapping a rear tire of a single sided swing arm

Coach Can Akkaya tries the Rabaconda street tire changer to swap the rear tire on his Ducati 1199 which has a single sided swing arm. Rabaconda has an adapter for such wheels which should make it easy, so we’re swapping a rear tire of a single sided swing arm.

Rabaconda USA

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Superbike Coach tested Rabaconda tire changer

DIY Motorcycle Tire Changer by Rabaconda

We at Superbike-Coach have lots of motorcycle tires to swap. We have all kinds of school bikes- Supermoto, Superbikes, Touring and Adventure bikes, mini and race bikes. Rabaconda provided a prototype of their street bike tire changer so we could try out ourselves. Coach Can Akkaya and Dean Lonskey unboxed, installed and changed a tire pretty much in real time in this video. The Rabaconda tire changer will save a lot of money and waiting time getting tires swapped. It will pay off quick, so check it out.

rabaconda superbikecoachThe unit came from Estonia in Europe very quick, with way less weight and size as we use to know about DIY tire changers. Since Rabaconda send us the prototype (patent is undergoing), they couldn’t include any install instructions because they were not done by the time. So Dean and Coach took it as an additional challenge and had lots of fun with it.

Enjoy the video and see how easy it can be.

Superbike-Coach Corp

 

 

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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.

bikemaster producat with Superbike-Coach 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.

Superbikecoach uses bikemaster toolsOnes 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

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Can Akkaya with HRC technician in Zolder Circuit, Belgium 1993

How to become a professional motorcycle racer

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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

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