The Honda CB500X is a fun, practical, affordable, generally easy to ride, and a great choice for a wide range of riders. The adventure-styled CB500X is a real do-all favorite. But note we said adventure-styled; if you plan to ride many unimproved roads, you'll probably want something with a little more Adventure Bike DNA.

An British company called Rally-Raid Products Ltd, which is an Adventure rider's candy store. Offer three kits that make your Honda CB500X for more off-road capable, turning it into something of a mini Africa Twin. Opt for the Level 3 treatment and you'll get a new rear shock with 50mm more travel than the original, along with a remote reservoir and fully adjustable damping. Depending on how much you weigh and how much you intend to carry, you can also choose from three different spring weights; new linkage also accompanies the spring and shock.

Fast motorcycles are easy to come by these days. A 600 or 650cc sport or naked-bike from any motorcycle brand can out accelerate most of the cars available in Thailand. These, mind you, are entry level sportbikes. Spend a more money and you have access to motorcycles than can challenge the latest and greatest of the hypercar world for a fraction of the cost.

Kawasaki Thailand will sell you the 2016 Ninja ZX-14R ABS green missile for 939,000 THB that is one of the fastest things on two wheels. Despite that, it's also a strangely friendly and even inviting motorcycle unlike the fearsome Ducati Diavel we also rode recently. So good is the new Kawasaki ZX-14R that it's almost easy to forget the motorcycle that birthed this segment of madness, the very motorcycle the Kawasaki ZX-14R was conceived to defeat.

The legendary but gently ageing Suzuki Hayabusa. And then Suzuki pulled the most pleasant surprise by announcing that the Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300RA would be sold for 850,000 THB. To be fair the moment Kawasaki Thailand also has the previous model of the Ninja ZX-14R available for 895,000 THB. Time to put on my brave face, there's a comparison brewing, and it's going to be a fast one!

The Stallions Centaur CT400 is well received by the Thai motorcycle market, it's very successful model and Stallions Motorcycles have noticed that the market is asking for a more scrambler oriented version of the Stallions CT400.

The manufacturer is considering to introduce the Stallions Scrambler 400, with styling like the late '60s or early '70s when most off-road motorcycles were really just road bikes with a few off-road styling cues added to indicate mud plugging ability. Hence the semi-knobby tires, wide-braced handlebars, competition plate, mesh headlight protector and two-into-one exhaust.

The Stallions Scrambler 400, with lots of matt or satin black it all works well, giving a tougher image than the standard Stallions Centaur CT400, though it really needs a high-level pipe to finish it off.

There are only a few things that can lure me out of my house on a lazy Sunday: a new motorcycle, and good food. Last Sunday, it was the promise of both that compelled me to forego the comforts of my bed. Having slept through most of the morning, I was woken up by my friend's phone call around 11 o'clock. She curtly reminded me that I had promised to help her out at her food stall near the world famous Chakuchak weekend market in Bangkok. For my efforts, I would be rewarded with free food. It sounded like a good deal, as last night's dinner, was nothing to write about.

There was only one problem. My friend wanted me there in 30 minutes. Even if I made it with the limited time I had, it would take me 30 minutes just to find a parking slot for my car. Pondering over my options, I suddenly remembered that I had the Yamaha YZF-R3, too.

Google Maps told me the journey from my house to the Chakuchak weekend market would take 30 minutes. I had no time to waste. The Yamaha YZF-R3 has a digital clock on the instrument cluster, which would help me keep track of time. It was around midday when I set off, and with the sun blazing I put my helmet on and made a run for it.

The 2016 Honda Integra. It has essentially the same improvements as the new Honda NC750X. So it gets LED lights, new instruments, better suspension and a lighter, fruitier exhaust system. The biggest changes are to the DCT automatic gearbox, which now gets some built-in clutch slip and three levels within the sportier S mode.

It's more responsive and easier to engage with than before. With its 17 inch wheels and motorcycle suspension, it rides well and the brakes are fine. But who's it for? What does it do better than anything else? This is where it all gets fuzzy. There are maxi-scooters that are lighter and more enjoyable to ride.

When it gets really hot, riding becomes harder, no? Since we test motorcycles round the year in all manner of conditions, we've found ways to beat the heat. The fact that we primarily test around Bangkok, which adds intense humidity to the heat just makes us better at it. Here's how to stay cool in five easy steps – some of the steps are free!

If you're riding around in waterproof gear, it can get very bad. The actual solution is to have two sets of gear. You can get away with two jackets and one pant. A mesh or heavily vented jacket can make all the difference. Mesh works well enough in crashes – we speak from personal experience – and it is literally as cool as wearing a T-shirt. But if mesh scares you, get a heavily vented jacket instead. Vented pants help but the legs don't notice ambient heat quite as much.

Eliminate cotton. While cotton is great for our weather, it's not good on the motorcycle when worn under gear. Once sweat soaks it, cotton becomes heavy, sticky and it doesn't dry fast. You'll feel itchy and nasty. The solution is a synthetic base layer or two. Once I switched, I find it very hard to wear anything else. A good base layer sticks to your skin and any sweat is immediately pulled off the skin and rapidly spread over a large area of the base layer. This promotes evaporation and cooling. You end up not feeling itchy even hours later and the light, skin-tight fit actually feels great in the heat. Base layers are, however, expensive. Look for cheaper T-shirts from sport brands that promise wicking properties to get similar results. The base layer works for the legs too. If you're going to be on the motorcycle the whole time, you might want to wear the base layers only under the gear nothing else is needed.

After living with the Yamaha YZF-R3 for a few months, is it still fun? Oh yeah! It's got the looks and the performance – and to top it off it's also very comfortable. Over the last few months, I've ridden the Yamaha YZF-R3 mainly in the city – and, on just a few occasions, outside Bangkok. But, frankly, it doesn't really matter where I'm riding the Yamaha YZF-R3, because it's always a joy to sit on it and rev the engine.

The only thing left to find out is if it can be a good 'small-capacity' touring motorcycle. The fact it doesn't vibrate at all – even at high speeds – means that it should be just fine. It makes the everyday commute enjoyable. The clutch can be a bit heavy if the traffic is bad, and your forearm can begin to hurt.

And now that the weather is getting hotter, the engine heat has started to bother me when at a standstill. But these are minor problems that you forget about as you begin to ride again.

How can a motorcycle that has an introduction price of only 279,000 THB be this much fun and demonstrate this much aptitude? That's exactly what I was contemplating as I was exploring some roads around our big city.

Suzuki has sold worldwide a staggering 410,000 units of the Suzuki SV650 since its launch in 1999. The iconic Suzuki SV650 roadster has been a solid model worldwide in the naked-bike class since its inception, pleasing newcomers and the more experienced with no-nonsense thrills and nuclear-surviving reliability.

The Suzuki SV650 was once a no-brainer in a segment of its own, but now-a-day people have the option of Yamaha's MT-07, which edged into the top-five best-selling motorcycles worldwide of 2015. Suzuki's own admittance, Yamaha has done an exceptional job, so the Suzuki SV650 needed rejuvenation. Erring on the well-mannered side, Suzuki's switch to the SFV650 Gladius wasn't exactly a hit with consumers and was more perceived as an alternative for the Kawasaki ER6N. The concept for the 2016 Suzuki SV650 refresh was 'back to the origin' and Suzuki incessantly drilled the sporty aspect of the new model into our brains throughout the launch meeting.

The Honda NC750X was always an easy-to-ride, solid performer – but the new 2016 NC750X has added a massive dose of fun into the mix and improved on the old model in almost every regard.

Key changes to the suspension, the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), front brakes, exhaust note and styling all add up to a comprehensively improved motorcycle.

The Honda NC750X isn't designed to set your hair on fire in terms of performance, but the new model works so much better in key areas that the overall package is a lot more attractive.

While the DCT retains its 'D' (Drive) mode, which changes up to the highest possible ratio to conserve fuel, it is now joined by three S-modes (Sport) too. S1 is mildly more sporty than D and designed to town riding; S2, the same program as the single S option on the old NC750X, is sportier still, holding on to the revs longer and down – changing earlier too; and S3 is for when you want to press on.

Victory recently unveiled its most powerful motorcycle model yet, the Victory Octane which is powered by an 1180cc liquid-cooled V-twin delivering 103 horsepower at 8,000rpm and 103Nm of torque at 6,000rpm.

Pulling a stylish burnout in the promo shot, the company reckons the Victory Octane is 'the ultimate modern American muscle bike' and to prove the point pulled a 3.73 kilometer smookie to set a new Guinness World Record. It can also hit a quarter mile in 12 seconds and gets from 0 to 100 in under four seconds.

The drag style Victory Octane has its engine set as a stressed member within the frame, which is part steel, part aluminum, and the Octane has no extras aside from a 'bullet cowl' screen. It weight in at 242 kilograms wet. The engine is similar to that used in the Project 156 Pikes Peak concept, with the same short 73.6mm stroke dimension for quicker revving and a higher redline than with the usual cruiser V-twin, aided by a DOHC four-valve head design.