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Happy New Year! We hope 2020 brings you joy, laughter, health, warm trackdays in foreign lands, new motorbikes and oodles of cash frequently handed to you in binbags; perhaps even welcoming Charlotte McKinney as your lover.  

Anyway, regulars may have spotted we’ve been a bit slack when it comes to the website, which is true. We had plans in place to relaunch 44teeth.com with a swanky new appearance and features but, the truth is, it’s all gone a bit crazy and the growth of 44T continues to surprise us, and there’s simply not enough time in the day to juggle everything that goes into this. When I say everything, I mean blood, sweat and jizz tears.

We’ve just celebrated our 5th birthday, which is crazy. When we started this ‘thing’ all those years ago, I envisaged a fine blend of website stories/features and video, whereas Chris had visions of 44T being solely video. As usual, the quiffed pissant was right, even after ‘experts’ told us 85% of the internet would be video by 2020. That’s not to say we’ll ignore the website; far from it, as 44teeth.com will always be the hub, the epicentre. The point is, there’s not enough time in the day – or money in the pot yet – to do everything, so we have to prioritise. That priority is video. However, please sit there reading this, nursing a chubby and be prepared for a fresh site soon.

In case you hadn’t noticed, we don’t do traditional advertising; 44Teeth relies on loyal sponsors, a tawdry amount of Google revenue and, of course, crowdfunding from you sexy people including merch and memberships. Chris still has a day job, which is why I do the day-to-day shit. It’s going to take a fair amount of cajoling for Chris to step away from his colours and shapes vocation, as bikes simply won’t fund his playboy lifestyle, but we’ll carry on regardless until someone buys us for millions of pounds.

We knew it would be good, but not this good. So, thank you for every click, like, comment, share and purchase. Here’s to another decade of shenanigans.

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Despite what some ladies say, size doesn’t always matter – as proven here by the Honda Monkey. Packing a heroic 9bhp and weighing less than one of my heftier turds, it’s no surprise that the Monkey is hilarious fun in any environment, which is why we took a pair of the little blighters to a karting track, a skatepark and some light trails. Oh, and McDonald’s… 

Please check out our video sponsor BOTB and we’ll be able to do more of these low rent vids for your viewing pleasure.

– Win a bike in the weekly BOTB lifestyle competition. Tickets start at just 15p, you only have to be 16 or over to enter and we’ve had winners from all around the world. Over 90 bikes to choose from here; http://bit.ly/Win-A-Bike-BOTB

– Fancy winning a Monkey? Get your tickets for just 20p here; http://bit.ly/Win-A-Monkey-Bike-BOTB

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Let’s begin with a big, fat Happy New Year to all 44Teefers, before moving on swiftly to more pressing matters; like binning the dustbin on our Suzuki GSX-R1000R longtermer. Remember this fine steed? It’s played second fiddle to work commitments in recent months (like Budget Bike Battles) but the first job of 2019 was to remove its standard can and source an aftermarket solution, and fit winter rubber. 

Hunting horsey power by fitting a can on today’s superbikes is usually a pointless task. With all the Euro4 guffery installed between the headers and silencer, the only gains you’re likely to see are aesthetic and aural, although this Arrow Pro Race Titanium and our GSX-R turned out to be a sexy anomaly…

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While cruising around Motorcycle Live at the NEC, Chris managed to grab Sepp Mächler, who is the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR project manager and knows his way around this all-new Bavarian beauty. In an exclusive chat where Chris claims he has a dog, the pair get down to business and dissect (nearly) every aspect of BMW’s new flagship weapon.

It’s interesting/bizarre that BMW has neglected to declare certain technologies and features of the 2019 RR in the original press guff. No doubt there’ll be more intriguing snippets released before we ride the bike at the launch early next year…

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Carnage is a hackneyed word these days – almost default in a millennial’s vocabulary – but there’s no other way of describing the Weston Beach Race. Nothing can prepare for this shit; three hours of digging sandcastles with a cacophony of racing engines and a bouquet of sweet two-stroke, mixed with a healthy dose of testosterone-based competition is one of life’s treasures.

I’d always wanted to give it a go, although tarmac racing commitments always interfered, so this year was a must. After queuing for hours on Friday to get my bike (okay, KTM’s EXC250 TPi) and kit scrutineered, I leant the orange beastie against a wooden stick in parc ferme and that was the last I’d see of her until Sunday morning.

As you’ll soon fathom, the starting procedure was one of my favoured moments. Standing in a pigpen, with nearly 1200 other guys (and a few girls), high on performance-enhancing drugs to offset my pathetic fitness levels, waiting nervously for the fence to be pulled open – or stampeded down – was just the start of said carnage.

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It looks like we’ll be waiting at least another year for the much-craved Honda V4 superbike, as the Big H has just released details of its 2019 Fireblade – and it’s not a V4. In fact, and not surprisingly after just two years, it’s very similar. While it looks damn identical to the previous model (bar some subtle paint changes), there are significant alterations to the electronics suite and you could argue Honda has fixed the 2017/8 version.

Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), which is essentially the Fireblade’s traction control, has been heavily refined for a smoother execution during corner exit. And previously, HSTC and Wheelie Control functions were combined, meaning a compromise in electronic set-up, whereas for 2019 the two are separate. Yippee.

The operation speed of the Throttle-By-Wire (Honda’s ride-by-wire) has also been increased, which means the time required for revs to drop from full-throttle on throttle closure has been reduced by 45%. And the amount of power delivered when opening a semi-closed throttle has been increased. So it’s basically faster?

Perhaps the real winner here – for track riders – is the ABS intervention being reduced on the 2019 Honda Fireblade, so you’ll actually be able to brake with more than a whiff of finger.

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The fully-loaded M Sport model

Here it is sports fans; perhaps the most eagerly-awaited sportsbike model update for years. You’ve probably seen some shit internet pics being tossed around in recent weeks but the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR – thankfully – looks pretty sexual in production trim. And with actual paint.

Anyway. Enough of the subjective guffery. You want the hard stuff; the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR churns out a claimed 207bhp (up 8bhp) and weighs just 197kg (down 11kg) in kerb trim. A lot more power, a lot less weight. A spiffing start.

The completely new engine itself weighs 4kg less than the old lump and features BMW’s ShiftCam Technology – already debuted on the new GS – which varies valve timing and valve stroke, and allows a wider spread of power for longer; apparently “at least” 100Nm of torque from 5,500rpm to 14,500rpm. The previous incarnation was hardly short on useable power parameters, so this technology is juicily intriguing. The ShiftCam begins work at 9,000rpm and works in conjunction with variable inlet trumpets. 2019’s must-have is obviously variable valve technology…

Other motor upgrades include titanium hollow-bored intake valves (a world first in production), which are activated by DLC-coated rocker arms that are 25% lighter. This allows the redline to be upped to 14,600rpm – some 2,000rpm short of Ducati’s new V4R. Cams are now powered directly via the crank (which means fewer moving parts), while the water and oil pumps are now merged. For 2019, BMW has also allowed a much easier way of reversing the gear pattern for tracks/racing – a real gripe with the previous model – and the throttle bodies are split, meaning a world of power and electronic options.

An all-new aluminium bridge frame still houses the engine at a 32-degree angle but the engine forms more of load-bearing structure. With a fresh headstock assembly and new chassis layout, the 2019 RR is 13mm narrower where you grip your knees – as if you were cracking a nut with your botty. The weight distribution has also changed; more weight on the front from 52.3% to a whopping 53.8%. Nosey.

BMW engineers wanted more agility, feedback and precision for better mechanical grip at the rear-end, so the steering head angle is now steeper (by 0.4 degrees), offset by a 9mm longer wheelbase to 1,441mm. An all-new underslung swingarm weighs 300g less than the old unit and, as you’d expect, the linkage system has been completely redesigned to suit, utilising BMW’s Full Floater Pro Kinematics.

The fork diameter is now 45mm (previously 46mm) and comes with more modern closed cartridges, while the rear shock gets a larger 46mm piston, and both ends come as standard with refined Dynamic Damping Control semi-active suspension. New rims also shed weight, weighing 1.6kg less, and there are forged and carbon alternatives as part of the M Performance package.

BMW is the only manufacturer still using its own electronics in WorldSBK, so the new RR surely benefits from this. A new 6-axis ‘sensor cluster’ (IMU) regulates revised rider aids, including DTC Wheelie Function which now comes as standard. Rain, Road, Dynamic and Race are the four modes available, with Race Pro again being offered as an extra for racier electronic fine tuning – you also get Engine Brake options as part of the upgrade. Of course, you also get Launch Control and a Pit Lane Limiter. And, wait for it, the 2019 S 1000 RR comes with Hill Start Control. We all laughed when the original RR came with heated grips…

The throttle is now ‘full-e electromotive,’ meaning it’s basically fully electronic which gives an even lighter action, and BMW has also finally ditched the old skool clocks and opted for a rather swanky 6.5-inch TFT screen.

Of course, being BMW, there’s an onslaught of performance enhancing upgrades via the M Performance range; everything from carbon wheels, rearsets, and lightweight battery, to remote brake adjusters and seats. And the price? No confirmation as yet but we’re hearing rumours of the base model starting at around £14,000. Bargain.

In the press guff, BMW reckons that “Our fascinating brief was to take the predecessor model – which has been a dominating force in all disciplines for 10 years – and significantly improve on its performance.” Mmmm, not strictly true now, is it? While it’s unquestionably one of the best road bikes out there, and won every superstock championship going, the RR has proven to be a bit of a munter in superbike trim with no world titles in 10 years of competition. The 2019 BMW S 1000 RR looks set to change that…

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