The Vespa LX150 i.e., a classic-design scooter which clearly was made to please the eyes. But Vespa didn't stop with just the visual aspect of the LX150 i.e., it is powered by a single-cylinder, four-stroke, SOHC 2-valve, 150cc engine with a specially designed ram-air with sound proof cover and integrated secondary air system. The engine produces about 12 horsepower at 8,000 rpm with 11.8 Nm torque at 6.250 rpm, what is pretty powerful for a scooter like the Vespa LX150 i.e..

For the chassis of the LX150 i.e., Vespa has created a load-bearing steel frame with welded structural supports. The front suspension is a single arm with helical spring and dual effect hydraulic single shock absorber, for the rear a helical spring with adjustable four-position pre-load and dual effect hydraulic single shock absorber. With an overall length of 1801mm and 740mm width, a seat height of 785mm and wheelbase of 1280mm the Vespa LX150 i.e. is a exciting scooter to ride in busy city traffic, fast, maneuverable in tight spaces, has a controlled ride and the suspension soaks up bumps well, and with its powerful brakes making it very stoppable... The Vespa LX150 i.e. has also a very comfortable seat and riding postion.

No. No, we're not turning into a Honda Scoopy-i cult site or Scoopy-i modify madness or any other variation now detectable around the Honda Scoopy-i scooter. But this is indeed about a cute little 110cc scooter with a modern fuel-injection system and as Eco-friendly as a four-stroke combustion engine can be. It's not as crazy as it sounds: don't click away!

The idea for trying out the Honda Scoopy-i came to me when I was riding my regular 1000cc motorcycle. It was a wet and windy morning, complete with the usual traffic jams, and I realized that an 1000cc sportsbike was just not the best thing to be on in that sort of weather. I didn't get out of second gear and I doubt if I used a quarter of the motorcycle's power or revs. Truly, ask yourself, what's the point?

If I take the most direct route from house to office, it's about 7 kilometer. To be honest 7 kilometer on a 110cc Honda Scoopy-i? That might be entertaining. Or certainly less stressful than riding a big bike loaded with horsepower which I wouldn't use. I'm not a big fan of public transport, I cannot read Thai so have often no clue where a Song Thaew (pickup car which functions as bus) is going to, so I need a daily fix of 'powered two-wheeler', no matter what form it takes. A raining season car hack was always an option, but what's the sense of riding an extra 10 kilometer and a hour in the traffic jam if I can do it so much faster on a two-wheeler. So, I thought, why not try a scooter and join the thousands of untouchables of the Thai roads, those riders who hardly need to stop for anything on the road.

The latest in a line of great British motorcycles, the Triumph Tiger 1050 SE didn't disappoint. The kind of motorcycle you could ride for hundreds of Thai highway kilometers and still have energy left for a few rural road blast at the end of it. The Triumph Tiger 1050 engine is as smooth as the rest of the ride. Creamy torque from way down the rev range make for lazy gear changes or monstrous wheelies depending on your inclination and mechanical sympathy.

The terrific 1050cc inline three-cylinder engine has been revised slightly by Triumph to suit the Tiger's needs. Thai emission compliant, the Triumph Tiger 1050 SE has a taller sixth gear ratio to make the engine more relaxed on long journeys, the latest generation of Keihin engine management software and hardware and extensive noise reduction research to keep the Tiger's growl to a kitty purr. Improved engine efficiency has seen fuel consumption figures down 30 percent compared to the old 955cc Triumph Tiger.

The lightweight twin spar aluminum frame is light years ahead of the old steel frame that it replaces. The geometry of the Triumph Tiger 1050 has changed to accommodate a sportier ride. Wheelbase is 5mm shorter at 1,510mm, rake has been made sharper at 23.2 degree, although the trail figures are almost the same. The Triumph Tiger 1050 SE has lost a few kilos in the transformation too, the new Triumph Tiger 1050 SE hits the scales at a 208 kilo. The simple swingarm has been replaced by a new braced cast aluminum piece that mimics that of the Daytona 675.

Just when everybody had the idea that two-strokes would never pass modern exhaust emission standard Cagiva introduced the Mito SP 525. With the Cagiva Mito SP 525, Cagiva has managed to produce a 125cc two-stroke that meets the Euro III environment exhaust emission standard and that's no mean achievement.

The integrated ECS (Electronic Carburetion System) administers exactly the right amount of air, petrol and two-stroke oil mix and was developed in collaboration with Dell'Orto. The electronic control unit also governs the ignition system, the system works similar to how a fuel-injection with ECU system works on a four-stroke engine.

The KTM RC8 R with less orange paint then it's 47cc smaller brother the RC8. We were more than willing to test the 1195cc, 167 horsepower 75 degree V-twin KTM. The RC8's equipped with an honest, flexible engine with plenty of midrange. It matched Ducati's 1098 on peak power but, with less top-end rush, didn't feel as fast. The 'R' is the extra 47cc, accomplice by wider bores, plus new, high compression pistons and more aggressive camshafts completely alter the riding characteristics of the KTM RC8 R compared to the RC8.

The KTM RC8 R is now a beast, with amazing acceleration at any throttle opening and a stunning top end in the last few mm of the throttle twist. KTM claims 167 horsepower,; for me it feels less, anyway it's enough engine power to keep other 1000cc class motorcycles in sight.

The delivery is so explosive it makes controlling the KTM RC8 R tricky in the rain. Other riders complain of a mid-rev glitch which I didn't notice, but I certainly notice a sharp throttle pick-up which takes concentration to keep smooth, it feels like the KTM RC8 R's throttle response hasn't improved at all. Then I try the 'street' throttle, not the 'race' throttle which is fitted as standard – it's an alternative, mechanical way of shaping power delivery. Instead of electronic power delivery shaping or switchable power maps as you could find on other 1000cc class motorcycle, the KTM RC8 R comes with two throttle tubes; the race throttle uses a quick-action, circular pulley which delivers linear travel while the street throttle has a cam-shaped pulley which opens at a more gentle rate.

The BMW K 1300 S with 175 horsepower on tap, the BMW K1300S is one of the most powerful motorcycle BMW has built. The K1300S is near 8 horsepower up on the previous K1200S, with torque up by 10 N.m. The engine capacity boost has come via a 1mm increase in bore and 5.3mm increase in stroke.

Redline on the BMW K1300S is 11,000rpm – 1750rpm past peak power – but prodigious torque means that the red zone need rarely be approached. In fact, 70 percent of max torque is available from just 3000rpm.

The engine is a liquid-cooled, 16-valve, DOHC, in-line four-cylinder power-plant with a displacement of 1293cc. The bore is 80mm and stroke 64.3mm and BMW have set the compression ratio for this engine to 13:1. The BMW K1300S is standard equipped with a manual 6-speed gearbox, but optional a quick-shift is possible. The final power transmission to the rear wheel is by shaft-drive.

The BMW K1300S with 228kg is a bit heavy for what BMW calls a sportsbike, but when measured against other sports-tourers in the 1300cc category it's a class leader. With its heavily slanted engine, the BMW K1300S has a low center of gravity, masking what appears on the surface to be a bulky and lengthly motorcycle.

A one or two year old Yamaha YZF-R1 as secondhand motorcycle, it's not hard to imagine why the Yamaha R1 could be your first choice if you look for a used motorcycle, as it's a stunning machine. Although still thoroughly modern, the familiar lines give it a classier image than any of the other 1,000cc motorcycles available on the used motorcycle market.

Most foreigners in Thailand would also prefer the roomier feel of the Yamaha YZF-R1's ergonomics. The lure of much-hyped MotoGP technology and links to the World Championship Winning Yamaha MotoGP team might be too much for some to resist as well.

Sadly, the Yamaha R1 is not our most favorite 1,000cc motorcycle. That's not to say that the Yamaha YZF-R1 is bad. It's awesome ridden in isolation, and more than capable of convincing you this is the best set of wheels you can buy in Thailand. But technically we can find faults, especially if we've compare the Yamaha R1 to a Honda CBR1000RR 'Fireblade'.

I was asked to test the latest Honda Wave 125i and what a ball I had. The average traffic light see 20-odd scooters take-up pole position at each set of lights in race-start fashion, ever throttle is pinned as the red light turns to green, releasing what sounds like a million bees gunning for the hive. Okay, so racing on a public road is illegal, but this is not racing it's called commuting to home and work on a daily base for most Thai's living in the busy metropolitan of Bangkok.

I'm pleased to say the 2011 Honda Wave 125i four-stroke 124.9cc engine fares well with it rapid pick-up, the only bummer being that not much changed since the last time we tested the Honda Wave 125i. The Honda Wave 125i with PGM-FI (fuel-injection) produces none of that wacky powerband you'd expect in the days that Honda Wave was equipped with a simple carburettor; rather, a smooth, predictable power delivery greets you then reliable propels you past 110km/h. Yep, motorway commutes are on. The Honda Wave 125i is stable at speed too, thanks also to the large wheel and centuries of development. Large wheels and well developed suspension cushions the rider from bumps excellently; good suspension proved useful in downtown Bangkok where the roads are not always of the best quality, and we didn't want to turn this test in a helmet review.

If you're looking for an economical and surprisingly nimble scooter then you should really look at the Sym Radar-X 125. The Sym scooter is among the best in its class with its well-designed chassis and sharp handling which gives handling qualities that could be expected of a much more expensive machine than Sym Radar-X 125.

Sporting a single disc front brake and a drum on the rear, the stopping power is fully effective and will bring the 125cc scooter to a halt under easy control. The quality of the finish, the attention to detail and the Sym Radar-X 125's sharp looks are there to be seen.

It's light 99kg weight, coupled with an economical 4.5liter fuel tank should ensure that you are not constantly calling into the petrol station to fill up, making it very cheap to run.

The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom, while not everyone's cup of tea, occasionally a custom styled machine comes around that has to be taken seriously by all. After a development period of 13-years, the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom eventually grew into that machine.

We will take a look at why and how this was achieved, and explain why we all need one too. With a top speed nudging the 195km/h mark, the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom is no slouch on the open road, but the real fun is to be had at lower speeds. With 78 N.m of torque on tap, situated way low in the rev range, the Vulcan 900 Custom is a delight in and around town, effortlessly pulling away from a standing start and reducing the need to endlessly shift up and down the 5-speed gearbox.

On the move the laid back riding style is deceptive too, the development team at Kawasaki decided to equip this custom machine with a chassis on the sporty side making for a rewarding ride when the going gets a little twisty, the front end looks heavily raked but in effect isn't, while the rear end is held firm by a sporty Uni-Track suspension. Add to these attributes the relatively large fuel tank, and frugal engine, and you get a machine that makes for great kilometer muncher, just load up, add a pillion and away you go.