The motley crew...

To put these multi-purpose wonders to the test, Bikesales assembled a cast of veteran campaigners – blokes who write a lot about bikes, blokes who've ridden a lot of bikes, and a bloke used to patching other blokes up after they've fallen off bikes...

Name: Mark 'Mav' Fattore
Age: 45
Years riding: 38
Height: 172cm
Weight: 95kg
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 has served as Editor of Bikesales since 2007, riding and reviewing huge numbers of all manner of motorcycles in that time.

Name: Rod 'Chappo' Chapman
Age: 43
Years riding: 23
Height: 188cm
Weight: 105kg
History: Previously a Sydney motorcycle courier, Chappo has reviewed hundreds of bikes over the years for leading publications in Australia, Europe and the US. He's ridden on six out of seven continents and was editor of a British bike mag for three years, before returning to Australia to join the team at Bikesales.

Name: Marton 'Scoz' Pettendy
Age: 46
Years riding: 35
Height: 178cm
Weight: 95kg
History: Scoz dropped out of uni to work for a motorcycle magazine as a teenager and has been reviewing bikes and cars for the past 27 years. These days he's the managing editor of Bikesales' sister website Carsales and continues to be a keen road and off-road rider and occasional racer, in between car launches and ferrying his son to dirt and road bike races.

Name: Andrew 'Robbo' Robinson
Age: 44
Years riding: 16
Height: 174cm
Weight: 89kg
History: Robbo's been into hot-rods and restoring cars for years, before seeing the light and throwing bikes into the mix. Always had sportsbikes – an RZ Yammie, 750 Kwakas, a Fireblade – but recently got stuck into an Ironhead Harley resto for good measure. It's flat-out or not at all, which seems to work out most of the time – but not all of the time…

Name: Murray 'Muzza' Sharp
Age: 45
Years riding: 38
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 GPz900R. He's a big fan of the adventure-bike genre and he did get a bit teary handing back the KTM keys!

Name: Scott 'Kes' Kessler
Age: 44
Years riding: 34
Height: 177cm
Weight: 84kg
History: Starting out on dirt from the age of 10 before moving on to road bikes with the arrival of a licence. Owns a 2015 Ducati 1299 and loves track days and sports riding, but still competes in motocross on a Husky FC 350. Says he loves road and off-road exploits equally, and who are we to argue? Kes also loves Pina Coladas, getting caught in the rain, and his comprehensive collection of firearms.

Name: Peter 'Gunna' Gunn
Age: 44
Years riding: 34
Height: 177cm
Weight: 94kg
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. Like Kes (above), Gunna takes his road riding seriously – the pair are the driving force behind an annual lap of Tasmania which Bikesales sampled first hand earlier this year.

Name: Steve 'This Won't Hurt a Bit' McNulty
Age: 66
Years riding: 49
Height: 183cm
Weight: 115kg
History: Started out at 17 on the girlfriend's step-through and went from that to a Triumph Bonneville, roughly at the end of the last Ice Age. Currently rides a BMW R 1200 GS and enjoys extended adventure touring. Has also worked as an ambo for over three decades, and as our personal paramedic was burdened with the responsibility of administering everything from band-aids up to full body splints should anyone go rubber side up. Like Robbo…