at the office.You really can’t beat that feeling when on the road when you see a Byway coming up, drop it two gears and turn straight onto the dirt and head into beautiful countryside that feels like a mile away from civilisation.My next bike is the Yamaha R1

can have fun regardless of the cold and the Yamaha XT660R is my choice of bike to exploit the fun and frolics December, January and February have to offer.The 660cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine thumps its way up to 70mph and the small headlight

This is about as much 'off road' as the XT gets to see during the week. Perfectly suited to London’s city roads the XT nips through traffic, barks its way up to pedestrian crossings and now the newly fitted GPR twin cans ensure that everyone knows it’s coming.Aside from great vis...

It still amazes me how few people know about heated clothing. The cold is a major factor in why people put their bikes away for the winter but if you wear the right kit, you can comfortably ride all year 'round.The EXO2 Stormrider jacket can be plugged into your bike's battery or...

of the following models, manufactured between 2002-2005:YZF-R1, FZ6N/S, FJR1300/A, TDM900/A, MT-01, XV1700PC XT660R/X In a small number of cases, the idle speed may become intermittently unstable, causing the engine to stall. However, unlike the Wild Star issues

in what is otherwise known as “dead time” to most bikers. In December I took delivery of a Yamaha XT660R - a bike that falls into the ‘dual sport’ category. I needed something that will cope with a daily 90 mile commute but also give me some kicks

into the Nineties.Now the Tenere is back, and you’ve only got to glance at the spec sheet to realise that the new-generation XT660Z is distinctly different. This Tenere’s liquid-cooled motor, borrowed from Yamaha’s XT660R trail bike, is more sophisticated than

YZF-R6, FZ1, FZ1 Fazer (inc ABS version), FZ6 S2, FZ6 Fazer S2 (inc ABS version), MT-01, MT-03, XT660X and XT660R.The scheme continues to be rolled out across all Authorised Yamaha dealers and is administrated by Black Horse Finance.Geoff Selvidge

, and the softer, bigger, road-going-only Japanese trailies like the Yamaha XT660R. I reckon it would make a great town or short commute bike that you could venture onto the odd green lane with occasionally without any trouble at all. As a genuine dual purpose bike

’s yet come to a mass-produced overlander.Based around the same tubular steel cradle frame and liquid-cooled single as the capable but uninspiring XT660R and XT660X, the Tenere adds rally bodywork, a lighter (and prettier) cast aluminium swingarm, a