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It’s some time ago that we did a real scooter review and to keep some tradition we like to look at brands and models not sold on every corner. The Vespa Primavera 150 3Vie is a product from Piaggio’s Vietnamese factory. The Vespa Primavera is in Thailand available as a 125 or 150cc. Our review concentrate on the 115,900 THB Vespa Primavera 150 3Vie.

I was looking forward to test the newer, fresher models which now feature three valve engines. The outgoing models were also excellent machines, I was therefore a bit skeptic how they could improve on excellence. With the new Vespa Primavera 150 you would hope slightly more power and better fuel economy and less pollution. They do. More importantly I wanted to focus on the feel rather than actual performance of the scooter.

For many the ‘monocoque’ steel chassis identifies Vespa as unique. The newest, smaller bodies are still galvanized and have been strengthened to make them even more robust. And they are all expensive to manufacture when compared to almost every other scooter in the market.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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