CCM RM30, KTM 520EXC, KTM Duke II, VOR 503SM

The slide throws up a fountain of shingle which fills the photographer's bag but he stands his ground. This is too good to miss.

Walker tries undoing the knot he's made in his motorcycle but he's rapidly heading towards the parked up CCM R30, with Niall Mac on it. Mackenzie was just taking a breather, but now he sees the alarm in Walker's eyes through his orange-tinged goggles. He's going to slam straight into Mac's bike. Taking Mac with him.

Showing the saintly control on a motorcycle that earned him a factory Honda NSR500 in the first place, Walker flicks the KTM off the road and into a foot-wide grassy ditch, points it sort of forwards, and rides it out. How, we'll never truly know, but he does.

Panic over. Until we take our eyes off Walker to raise eyebrows at Mackenzie's close call. He's gone. Or at least he's not where he was a second ago. The poor old trout's lying under his CCM in the ditch Walker has just ploughed and he's giggling his tits off. Walker just clipped his left mirror - enough to unbalance the hapless Mackenzie and send him, and the CCM, tumbling into the ditch.

Walker apologises to Niall who's too busy laughing to hear him. In fact we all are, and it's not the first time today either. We haven't stopped laughing since we threw legs over samples of the best things to ever happen to motorcycling - Supermotos.

The concept is simplicity itself: take an off-road bike, fit road wheels and tyres, tweak suspension, add stronger brakes and enjoy, off-road or on. Supermoto wheels are easy to change so you get the best of both worlds, and all from one bike.

And those worlds are far removed from Planet Sportsbike. No GATSOs, no looking over your shoulders for cops and no 40mph filtering through gridlock on the M25. No sir. Instead, you'll be seeking out single-track roads you've never been down (think of all the new country pubs you'll discover), the only traffic you'll come across will be of the four-legged variety and the cops stopped patrolling these back roads when the last Panda car was decommissioned.

Supermoto's a throwback to biking as it was intended to be - raw, uncontaminated fun. A chance to grab an hour and forget about all the shit that's going on in your life. Ride and be free, dude.

We chose four very different Supermotos to discover what's what in their world. First up, there's Brit firm CCM's new R30. It's an incredibly slim, stylish 598cc single cylinder four-stroke which has been stripped to the bare essentials leaving it lean and mean.

In contrast, KTM's Duke II looks lardy but promises more comfort than its rivals and more on-road potential.

You may not have heard of Italian firm VOR and that's not surprising as they didn't exist before 1999, but they now produce some shit-hot Supermotos of which the 503 is one. Ees verry nice, no?

But the trickest here is the KTM 520 EXC, complete with very hot mods. And before you start shouting 'unfair comparison' just relax. This isn't a comparison test, we're just getting an idea of what's on offer and what you can actually do with a Supermoto once you get your grubby oil-stained mitts on one.

And who better to give you an insight than the right honourable Chris Walker and Niall Mackenzie?

It would be difficult to find two racers with more contrasting styles than this pair. Whether on an NSR500 or a Suzuki GSX-R750, Walker never seems happy unless he's hanging the back end out, spinning it up, and sending the front wheel airborne. In contrast, Mackenzie's one of the smoothest riders on the planet. Don't be decieved though, he's shockingly fast. Put both on Supermotos and it's hard to tell them apart. Walker looks even wilder than normal, if that's possible, while Mackenzie falls on his arse more times than he did in 20 years' racing. Supermotos are mental.

Mackenzie loves 'em so much, he chose a Duke II as his long-term test bike this year. "I wanted something that wouldn't get me into trouble but now I'm not so sure it won't."

Walker chips in. "You might only be doing about 80mph but it's mostly on the back wheel. As soon as you get on one of these things you act like a kid so you might not get nicked for speeding but you probably will for wheelies, stoppies and burnouts. But they look harmless enough so your missus won't worry about you going out on them either."

The Duke II is the most road-orientated of the four bikes making it the most practical. At 145kilos, it's relatively heavy for off-road use but not impossible (with knobbly tyres), and with a top speed of around 110mph it's the fastest too. Walker says, "I like the fact you can buy a Duke and don't really have to do anything to it. My mate's just sold his ZX-6R for one and loves it. He was sick of the hassle and cost of superbikes and now he's a convert. I reckon you could have more fun with 10 mates on Dukes than ten mates on R1s - you need a track to get the best from an R1."

And the Duke's the best all-rounder here. That 160-section rear tyre means you can get yer knee down at the local roundabout (if you must), and there's plenty of torque (43 ft-lbs to be precise) for hoiking wheelies. It's the most comfortable too with a fairly plush, wide seat and well positioned bars and pegs.

So the Duke's more of a road bike with Supermoto styling than a pukka Supermoto, so if you want the real thing you're better looking elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you like the styling of a Supermoto but want some practicality (like a decent size fuel tank and pillion pegs), the Duke's spot on.

CCM's new R30 is a step closer to a competition bike and arguably the firm's best-looking to date. Mackenzie says: "CCM needed a bike like this - they've been too bulky in the past. I love the slim, minimal build and look of the bike and the rasp from that exhaust (£130 CCM option) is awesome."

But that slim build comes at a price - the fuel tank's only good for about 50 road miles before hitting reserve. The good news is that reserve holds two litres (a third of the overall capacity) and if you want more, there is a 13.6 litre option. But then this bike's meant for racing or daft blasts at the weekend, not long journeys. You ain't touring on a Supermoto, buddy.

And it has enough plus points to make up for its lack of practicality. As Mackenzie points out: "It's a lot more planted than the Duke, but the KTM's more peaky. The CCM makes a punch of torque and then it's all over, really." And it can make that torque when you least expect it, as Mac found to his peril. Starting the bike in gear with the clutch in while standing next to it, the clutch dragged, bounced the bike forward and clunk, Mac was on the floor in a giggling heap.

But it's testimony to the design of Supermotos that, like full-on dirt bikes, they're can survive a fall or two. The £5,450 CCM was undamaged apart from a wobbly mirror. A simple topple like that with a Ducati 996 could have cost thousands. You'll never crash with impunity but on a Supermoto at least it has been decriminalised.

If you've never ridden a Supermoto, you'll need to adjust your style. Stepping onto one from a sports bike is a shock at first. Any fool can twist the throttle on a 170mph superbike on a straight and feel like a god but getting the best from a Supermoto takes more skill. For starters, they feel very tall and cranking them over doesn't feel as natural as on a sportsbike. But with time and experimentation, you'll soon get the hang of it and realise what you've been missing.

On the downside, there's zero wind protection but you're not going that fast, especially if you find the right roads. Use the bike as intended and it won't be a problem. Motorways are not recommended. But there are bonuses to sitting up high, like seeing over traffic. And because Supermotos are light and manoeuvrable, they're easy to flick between traffic in town.

If you've had any off-road experience, you'll take to Supermotos like Elvis took to cheeseburgers. With relish. The less you're afraid of bikes moving around under you, the more you'll get from these.

Chris Walker raced motocross for eight years so he's used to dirt and in the market for a Supermoto: "I have to be careful what I ride when I'm contracted to race for a factory, but as I'm unemployed now I can ride what I like. I've been checking out Husqvarnas on the Net but I'm not sure what I'll go for yet."

These bikes are all raw, but sometimes the experience can be too raw. The VOR 503 is a great bike but let down by no electric starter and a kickstart which, being Italian, was temperamental to say the least. At least an hour of our day was spent trying to fire the bike into life. "I'd never buy a bike with just a kickstart" moaned Niall, and Walker was equally unimpressed after working up a sweat trying to get the evil bitch started: "It's a cardiac arrest machine is this" wheezed the supposedly-fit-as-feck professional rider (who had a super-size McDonalds for lunch).

The good news is the 2001 model will have an electric starter. Phew. But let's not be too quick in our criticism - VOR have only been about three years. VOR was formed after fisticuffs broke out between the brothers behind Vertematti off-road bikes and one sibling left to form VOR in 1999. And he's done a pretty good job considering his lack of Supermoto experience, as Walker's praise proves. "I like it, it's got monster grunt, but it vibrates like fook." Well, almost proves.

Mackenzie liked it too, despite the fact it spat him off ungracefully as he tried to show off on a sand-strewn road. That'll learn him. "It vibrates a lot but it's a really strong engine and the power's great."

The standard …hlins shock and Paioli forks came in for praise as would be expected, and the overall light feel of the bike makes it easy to throw around. Matched with effective Brembo four-pot brakes and that torquey, lively engine, the VOR should be a serious contender on your Supermoto shopping list. But it may be wise to wait a few years as TWO chief road tester Gus Scott suggests: "VOR haven't been around long but they've made a good start and should be right up there soon."

But much as the VOR was appreciated, one bike stole the show for all of us. As soon as the KTM 520 was wheeled out, Walker was all dribbles and wood, checking out the Braking four-pot calipers and disc, the Excel wide rims, and the Dr.K carbon end can. This bike looks the nuts. And it rides as good as it looks.

Since the bike's privately owned, we'd been warned to treat it with kid gloves and not take it off road... much. But holding Chris Walker back from a trick bike is like holding George Best back from a pint of strong continental lager. Impossible, and before I can even mouth a warning to him, he's off on the back wheel in a cloud of dust leaving us spluttering to the crisp, violent bark of the Dr.K can. Beautiful.

The KTM is the closest thing here to a full factory competition bike and Walker's obviously at home on it straight away. After a blast on tarmac and then the dirty stuff, he comes back grinning like a gargoyle: "I'm having one of these. Definitely. It's a real dirt bike that's just got road tyres on and it's the one bike here that goes as good as it looks. The way it brakes and turns and the responsiveness of the throttle is just pure competition stuff. It's just proper."

The 520 is in a class of its own. It's a more refined bike and feels so light and responsive. The lightest tap on the gear shifter surges you forward, the throttle's so crisp the slightest turn can lift the front wheel and the brakes and clutch work in complete harmony to offer an awesome Supermoto experience.

The only thing anyone wanted to change is to add two smaller front discs instead of the one large item. "Those brakes are good but you can feel the bike picking itself up in corners if you grab a load of front brake because of the single disc," said Gus.

Whatever you plump for, you're going to laugh - that's part of the manufacturer's warranty. As Mackenzie says: "a lot of people ignore Supermotos because they've never ridden one. If they did they'd probably love it." Too true mate.

Unless you're a sado masochist (you know who you are), you won't want to go far on a Supermoto - they're not comfortable and have tiny tank ranges. But for a blast with your mates, there's few bikes which will provide as many smiles per mile.

Just how far you want to go when buying a Supermoto is up to you. All the bikes here are individual but if you still want some practicality for everyday riding, the KTM Duke II is probably the best choice here.

If you want a factory competition replica without practicality, KTM's 520 should suit you very nicely, sir. The VOR 503 with kickstarter is annoying but that'll all change with the electric start version, and If you want to buy British (and why not?), and get a bike that's a compromise between a real racing Supermoto and a sensible road bike, then the new CCM R30 is the best looking bike the firm has ever built and great fun to ride. Now all you have to do my friend, is decide...

THE ORIGINS OF SUPER MOTO

Most bikers know roughly what a Supermoto is but few know how - or why - the concept originated.

Back in the late 1970s, a bloke in the States (where else?) had the idea of finding out who the best motorcyclist in the world was, and he went further than arguing the case for Mike Hailwood down the local pub - he set up a kind of biking Olympic games including drag racing, road racing, dirt tracking and motocross. Problem was, contestants had to use the same bike for all events.

Now it was obvious that a Suzuki RG500 wasn't going to cut the mustard off-road any more than a crosser was going to win a drag race, so a compromise was called for. There were some strange entrants like BSA flat-trackers but most riders plumped for 500cc two-stroke crossers or a 600cc four-stroke thumpers.

The event was called Superbikers and was shown all over America on ABC's Wide World of Sports until 1986. And to think all we had was Kickstart...

In its early years, the event attracted such racing luminaries as King Kenny Roberts and Fast Freddie Spencer, both future 500cc World Champions although Roberts crashed in the first event when the rear shock on his Yamaha TT500 collapsed as he drifted through a tarmac corner. The winner of the first event was Kent Howerton on a Suzuki RM370 over a variety of road circuits, dirt tracks and pure off-road stuff, with jumps included.

This multi-circuit approach proved too laborious though, so the organisers called on none other than future 500 GP god Eddie Lawson to design a specific track in Southern California. It was half tarmac, half dirt and riders customised their bikes to get the best from both surfaces. Supermoto had arrived.

When TV coverage was axed in 1986, the Superbikers series folded but the concept was taken up by the French, always keen for something odd (have you ever tasted snails?). They called it Super Motard, which translates as 'super motorcycle' and to this day, the biggest meeting on the calendar is the Guidon D'Or, held in France.

The sport picked up again Stateside in 1997 with a new series called Super TT and it's getting increasingly popular in Blighty with championships being run by NORA (the National Off Road Association, tel: 01472-814408) and British Supermoto makers CCM even offer you the chance to race.

SPECS - CCM

TYPE - SUPER MOTO

PRODUCTION DATE - 2001

PRICE NEW - £5450

ENGINE CAPACITY - 598cc

POWER - 57bhp@7000rpm

TORQUE - 41lb.ft@6800rpm

WEIGHT - 132kg

SEAT HEIGHT - N/A

FUEL CAPACITY - N/A

TOP SPEED - N/A

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - N/A

SPECS - KTM 520EXC

TYPE - SUPER MOTO

PRODUCTION DATE - 2001

PRICE NEW - £5445

ENGINE CAPACITY - 510cc

POWER - N/A

TORQUE - N/A

WEIGHT - 112kg

SEAT HEIGHT - N/A

FUEL CAPACITY - N/A

TOP SPEED - N/A

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - N/A

SPECS - KTM DUKE II

TYPE - SUPER MOTO

PRODUCTION DATE - 2001

PRICE NEW - £5995

ENGINE CAPACITY - 624cc

POWER - 55bhp@7500rpm

TORQUE - 43lb.ft@5500rpm

WEIGHT - 145kg

SEAT HEIGHT - N/A

FUEL CAPACITY - N/A

TOP SPEED - N/A

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - N/A

SPECS VOR

TYPE - SUPER MOTO

PRODUCTION DATE - 2001

PRICE NEW - £5336

ENGINE CAPACITY - 503cc

POWER - 56bhp@8000rpm

TORQUE - N/A

WEIGHT - 109kg

SEAT HEIGHT - N/A

FUEL CAPACITY - N/A

TOP SPEED - N/A

0-60 - n/a

TANK RANGE - N/A

The slide throws up a fountain of shingle which fills the photographer's bag but he stands his ground. This is too good to miss.

Walker tries undoing the knot he's made in his motorcycle but he's rapidly heading towards the parked up CCM R30, with Niall Mac on it. Mackenzie was just taking a breather, but now he sees the alarm in Walker's eyes through his orange-tinged goggles. He's going to slam straight into Mac's bike. Taking Mac with him.

Showing the saintly control on a motorcycle that earned him a factory Honda NSR500 in the first place, Walker flicks the KTM off the road and into a foot-wide grassy ditch, points it sort of forwards, and rides it out. How, we'll never truly know, but he does.

Panic over. Until we take our eyes off Walker to raise eyebrows at Mackenzie's close call. He's gone. Or at least he's not where he was a second ago. The poor old trout's lying under his CCM in the ditch Walker has just ploughed and he's giggling his tits off. Walker just clipped his left mirror - enough to unbalance the hapless Mackenzie and send him, and the CCM, tumbling into the ditch.

Walker apologises to Niall who's too busy laughing to hear him. In fact we all are, and it's not the first time today either. We haven't stopped laughing since we threw legs over samples of the best things to ever happen to motorcycling - Supermotos.

The concept is simplicity itself: take an off-road bike, fit road wheels and tyres, tweak suspension, add stronger brakes and enjoy, off-road or on. Supermoto wheels are easy to change so you get the best of both worlds, and all from one bike.

And those worlds are far removed from Planet Sportsbike. No GATSOs, no looking over your shoulders for cops and no 40mph filtering through gridlock on the M25. No sir. Instead, you'll be seeking out single-track roads you've never been down (think of all the new country pubs you'll discover), the only traffic you'll come across will be of the four-legged variety and the cops stopped patrolling these back roads when the last Panda car was decommissioned.