2020 bikesales Bike of the Year: The crew

In putting together the bikesales Bike of the Year test, we don't just ask anyone with a licence and a can-do attitude to take part – we want riders who are careful, who know what they're doing, and who have years of experience under their belt.

So, to put this very mixed array of bikes to the test, bikesales assembled a cast of veteran campaigners – some who've written a lot about bikes, most who've owned a whole lot of bikes, and all whose love of bikes has shaped their lives through the years. Oh, and one who has won a couple of Isle of Man TTs along the way, too!

Age: 29
Years riding: 19
Height: 185cm
Weight: 110kg
History: His first ride was at the age of five, but it was a Honda XR80 under the Christmas tree at the age of 10 that kick-started his riding career. Dylan grew up riding trails along the Murray River, and on the family farm in Grantville (Vic). He eventually progressed to the High Country and the desert, before landing a job at Australasian Dirt Bike in 2013. Dylan has raced at Finke and Hattah, and he made his debut in the 'pro ranks' at a round of the AORC. He came dead last after being lapped three times by Toby Price. In 2019, he joined bikesales as Editor and now includes road riding on his resume.

Age: 46
Years riding: 26
Height: 188cm
Weight: 91kg
History: A Sydney motorcycle courier in a past life, Chappo has reviewed hundreds of bikes over the years for leading publications in Australia, Europe and the US. He's ridden bikes on six continents and was editor of a British bike mag for three years, before returning to Australia to join the team at bikesales, where he's been riding and reviewing bikes of all descriptions since 2006.

Age: 49
Years riding: 42
Height: 172cm
Weight: 87kg
History: Starting off on dirt bikes around the back blocks of Albury as a seven-year-old, spurred on to break the law at such a tender age by his Aussie superbike-winning brother-in-law Rob Phillis. Mav's riding career spans highs like being crowned the U14 Victorian junior dirt track champion (there were only two in the race, but who's counting). Mav was worked for leading motorcycle magazines since 1996 and served as Editor of bikesales from 2007 to 2019, when he handed the reins to Dylan and went to run a pub instead!

Age: 43
Years riding: 38
Height: 172cm
Weight: 75kg
History: Starting off riding around his family's paddocks in Warrandyte (Vic) on a hand-me-down Suzuki RM50. Didn't start racing until he was 15, moved up to the senior ranks at 16 and was soon winning his first of several Victorian Dirt Track titles. After switching from dirt to road, Cam won races and championships at both state and national level before his first taste of 'real road racing', winning the Macau Supersport GP on debut in 2001. Cam has contested the Asian Road Racing, British Superbike and World Endurance championships to name a few, but is best known for his two wins and 11 podiums at the Isle of Man TT, which mark him out as the historic event's most successful Aussie rider. Although no longer racing for a living, Cam still lives and breathes bikes; his extensive list of bikes tested spans a huge assortment of models, from the Suzuki GSV-R MotoGP bike to the Britten V1000.

Age: 47
Years riding: 37
Height: 178cm
Weight: 83kg
History: Starting out on dirt from the age of 10 before moving on to road bikes with the arrival of a licence and an RGV250. Owns a 2015 Ducati 1299, CBR1000RR (track bike) and loves track days and sports riding, but still rides and competes in motocross (against Strava!) and the odd desert race or pony express on a 2021 Husky FC 450 Rockstar edition. Says he loves road and off-road exploits equally, and who are we to argue? Kess also loves Pina Coladas, getting caught in the rain, and his Posi-Track skid-steer loader!

Age: 58
Years riding: 42
Height: 191cm
Weight: 110kg
History: Learnt to ride an ag bike on a mate's farm when he was 16, but Hitman's first bike all his own was a Kawasaki Z250. Then came a Suzuki GS650, a Honda VF1000 and CBR1100XX, BMW K 1200 and K 1300 to his current road steeds, a KTM 1290 Super Duke R and a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy CVO, airbrushed flames and all. Loves riding the blacktop in Tassie but also enjoys the odd off-road jaunt – the highlight of which was a Cape York to Cairns ride on a KTM 450 EXC. Recently purchased a 2016 KTM 1190 Adventure R, which has been set up for off-road adventures.

Age: 48
Years riding: 41
Height: 180cm
Weight: 90kg
History: From dirt bikes around the family property to road racing 250 proddies, 600s and superbikes, Muzza has dipped his toe in most two-wheeled pursuits. Still gets out trail riding regularly and occasionally wheels out the trusty Kawasaki GPz900R. He's a big fan of the adventure-bike genre, but it also currently restoring a 1991 Kawasaki ZXR750.

Age: 47
Years riding: 37
Height: 177cm
Weight: 93kg
History: Also starting riding off-road when he was 10, before getting his road licence at the age of 18. Owns a 2014 Honda Fireblade and an MV Agusta F4, tempered by a KTM 150 SX and current model Husky TE 300i. Gunna takes his road riding seriously – so much so he'll soon be heading back to Tassie once more for his 22nd annual tour of the place, which bikesales sampled in 2017.

Age: 57
Years riding: 41
Height: 175cm
Weight: 90kg
History: Our resident Bike of the Year paramedic, Murray can be found at the rear of the bikesales pack, just waiting to tend to fallen riders' injuries in his irrepressibly cheery style. A motorcyclist for more decades than he cares to remember, he's sampled dozens of bikes through the years and knows only too well the juxtaposition of pleasure and pain riding can represent…

Related:
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: BMW R 1250 RS
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: BMW S 1000 XR
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Ducati Panigale V2
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Indian Challenger Limited
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: KTM 1290 Super Duke R
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Triumph Rocket 3 R
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Yamaha Tenere 700
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: The crew
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 519 CDi
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: How the awards process works
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: The full story
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year: In summary
2020 Bikesales Bike of the Year winner: KTM 1290 Super Duke R