Kousuke Akiyoshi

Kousuke Akiyoshi
Akiyoshi at the 2010 Dutch TT.
Nationality	Japanese
Born	(1975-01-12) January 12, 1975 (age 42) Kurume (Japan)
Current team	Tellurium & Kohara RT HRC Test Team
Bike number	090
Motorcycle racing career statistics MotoGP World Championship Active years 2006–2008, 2010–2011, 2015 Manufacturers Suzuki, Honda Championships 0 2015 championship position NC (0 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 9 0 0 0 0 14

Kousuke Akiyoshi (秋吉耕佑, Akiyoshi Kōsuke^?, born January 12, 1975) is a motorcycle road racer from Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. He is a two-time champion in the All-Japan Superbike Championship, and has competed sporadically in the MotoGP World Championship.

He is known in his native Japan as a competitor in the MFJ All Japan Road Race GP250 Championship, and most notably the All Japan Superbike championship, where he has enjoyed success with the Yoshimura Suzuki team riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000. In July 2007 he, along with Yukio Kagayama, won the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race on a Yoshimura Suzuki bike.

Akiyoski made his début in the All Japan GP250 Championship in 1995, riding a Suzuki RGV250. He finished in 24th in his first season, before improving to 10th the following season. In 1997, Akiyoshi moved into the All Japan Superbike Championship – later the All Japan JSB1000 Championship – where he has spent the majority of his career. He won the championship in 2010 and 2011, riding a Honda CBR1000RR.

Akiyoshi has also competed in a number of Grands Prix of the MotoGP series. These have included The Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, where he finished 13th on his debut with the Rizla Suzuki team as a wildcard rider, as well as two races in 2007 at Jerez and Japan. He came 17th at the Spanish race, and had a good run in Japan where he was running 7th behind Casey Stoner, but retired four laps from the finish. In 2008, he competed in the Japanese Grand Prix for a third year running, again for Rizla Suzuki. He retired on lap 1 after going down at the first corner.