What are the best places in China for food? If you just came to China to sample the best of its authentic food in authentic settings, where should you go? Of course food is usually only ever part of the Chinese experience that visitors are looking for, and if you go to the following cities, you can also experience a wide range of the best sights China has to offer when you’re not eating. China Highlights has prepared a selection of Chinese Food Tours covering the most popular destinations for customers who are particularly interested in tasting genuine oriental cuisine. 1. Hong Kong Hong Kong Breakfast Location: Southeast China Culinary Style: Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong Cuisine, Foreign cuisine Cantonese food is enjoyed the world over and is closest to the flavor of Chinese takeaway food. It is the sweetest of China’s Eight Culinary Styles, and is the most similar to the Western palate. Hong Kong offers this style, along with good seafood, and dim sum (tea and a light meal, peculiar to HK). Hong Kong, being a wealthy international city, has restaurants selling high-quality food from many countries of the world, most notably Japanese, Korean, and British food. 2. Beijing Peking Duck Location: Northeast China Culinary Style: Jing cuisine, Northeast cuisine, Mongolian cuisine Peking duck or simply roast duck is a delicious classic among Chinese foods. It is prepared no better anywhere than in Beijing, where it originated as an imperial food. Quanjude Restaurant serves the duck feast in lavish and studied style. Beijing food is in a class of its own, called Jing cuisine. In the north of China wheat is the staple, more than rice, so many wheaten foods are eaten, like pancakes, noodles, steamed buns, and dumplings. There is also lots of braising in the Northeast style. Mongolian hotpot is another classic that should be eaten in Beijing, which is surprisingly only about 250 kilometers (160 miles) from Inner Mongolia, or 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Hohhot. Also read a bite of Beijing street snacks. 3. Chengdu Mapo Tofu Location: Central China, Sichuan Province Culinary Style: Chuan cuisine Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province, which gives its name to the spiciest, and also a very popular, Chinese culinary style. China’s Sichuan food should be braved. It is too hot for most in all but small quantities, but if you love chilies this is heaven. Classic dishes that should be eaten here are the Sichuan hotpot, kungpao chicken and mapo tofu. Chongqing is also a great city to eat Chuan food. 4. Turpan Whole Roast LambWhole Roast Lamb Location: Northwest China, Xinjiang Autonomous Region Culinary Style: Muslim cuisine, Xinjiang Cuisine Anywhere in the Muslim Northwest of China would be a great place to eat whole roast lamb and hand-pulled noodles, as this is where these dishes originate. Also do not miss the Xinjiang ‘large flatbreads’, known locally as nang (/nung/). Turpan pips Urumqi for food, the capital of the Xinjiang, because it also has excellent locally grown dried fruit in its almost rural setting. Its small town restaurants and shops provide a more peaceful and authentic atmosphere than the biggest city in Central Asia. 5.Xiamen Spring Rolls Location: Southeast China, Fujian Province Culinary Style: Min (Fujian) cuisine For great seafood and authentic sweet and sour dishes go to Xiamen. Fujian cuisine, developed in Fujian Province on the Pacific, is known for its spices and soups. Xiamen’s attractions make it the most interesting city in Fujian. 6. Guangzhou baiqieji Location: Southeast China, Guangdong Province Culinary Style: Yue (Cantonese) cuisine Guangzhou (once known as Canton) and other Pearl River Delta cities, like Shenzhen, are good places to go for original Cantonese food. Guangzhou’s specialties include white cut chicken and roast suckling pig, as well as spring rolls and sweet and sour dishes. 7. Macau coffee and egg tartPastel de Nata Location: Southeast China, by Guangdong Province and Hong Kong, on the Pacific coast Culinary Style: Portuguese-meets-Chinese, Cantonese cuisine For an interesting mix of Portuguese and Chinese style food journey to Macau. This small former colony has a menu different enough and tasty enough to merit a place on the list. It is in the Cantonese food zone. 8. Xi'an paomo Location: Central China, Shaanxi Province Culinary Style: Northwest cuisine, Muslim cuisine, imperial feasts Xi’an should be on the list for its imperial feasts, including many exotic meat platters, like camel and donkey, that can be eaten while viewing a Tang Dynasty show. Xi’an is a representative place for the Northwest food style, which is actually quite similar to the Northeast style, represented by Beijing above, but more noodles, with less buns and dumplings. Lanzhou is famous for its pulled noodles. Other Interesting Food Cities Lijiang snacksLijiang snacks Those top eight food cities cover the range of China’s best mainstream foods, and those generally preferred by the foreign palate. Much of China’s ethnic minority food and less well-known culinary styles are more of an acquired taste. China’s biggest variety of minorities are concentrated in the South. Key cities are Kaili, Kunming, Guilin, Xishuangbanna, etc. See China’s Top Minority Cities. Besides minority food, cities on Hainan Island like Haikou and Sanya have fresh tropical fruit and excellent seafood. Tibetan food is the least accessible of China’s foods, but besides in Lhasa and other Roof-of-the-World places, Tibetan food can be found in places like Lijiang, Diqing, and Dali in Yunnan, and in Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan Province. Five provinces in Central and East China give their names to five lesser known of China’s eight regional culinary styles, not covered by the cities listed above: Lu Cuisine (Shandong Cuisine), Su Cuisine (Jiangsu Cuisine), Zhe Cuisine (Zhejiang Cuisine), Hui Cuisine (Anhui Cuisine), and Xiang Cuisine (Hunan Cuisine). Visit their capital cities (Jinan, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, and Changsha respectively) to taste these styles.

Despite the fact that China's ski resorts are still relatively unheard of among foreign tourists, the ex-pat community living here, especially the British, Australians and Americans, have long since discovered that China not only has some decent ski slopes, but that the slopes are in fact a fun place to meet others, and of course ski gear can be rented on site. Below is detailed information of China's Top 5 ski resorts. Top 5 China ski resorts 1. Yabuli Ski Resort - the best and largest ski resort in China Yabuli ski resortYabuli ski resort Ybuli Ski Resort Location: Heilongjiang Province in northeast China. Features: The largest Ski Resort in China. Season: Mid November. - Late March Trail vertical drop: From 200m to 1200m with the average drop of 700m Skiing Market: suitable for all particularly for those experienced skiers. Recommended tour: 4-Day Club Med Yabuli Skiing Vacation More information about Yabuli Ski Resort 2. Beijing Nanshan Ski Resort - Largest Ski Resort close to Beijing Nanshan ski resortNanshan ski resort Features: The best and largest ski resort close to Beijing. Season: Mid December to March Location: 62 kilometers away from Beijing. Trail: 10 Ski Board: Yes Skiing Market: suitable for all Recommended tour:5-Day Essence of Beijing and Nanshan Ski Resort More information about Nanshan Ski Resort Check out more about Top ski resorts around Beijing. 3. Beijing Huaibei Ski Resort Huaibei Ski ResortHuaibei Ski Resort Features: ski glade surrounded by the Great Wall Location: 70 kilometers from downtown Beijing (about 1 hour's ride) in the Jiugukou (Nine Valleys Pass) Natural Scenic Area. Season: December to March Lift: 4 Trail: 6 Skiing Market: beginners Recommended Beijing Ski Tours: 5-Day Beijing Ski Resort and Jiuhua Hot Spring Tour. More information about Huaibei Ski Resort 4. Xiling Ski Resort - China's largest alpine ski resort Xiling Ski ResortXiling Ski Resort Features:China's best alpine ski resort. Season: Mid December to March Location: At Xiling Snow Mountain 120 kilometers away from Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Highest mountain: 5364 meters Trail: 7, 10 kilometers in length Skiing Market: suitable for all More information on Xiling Ski Resort 5. Alshan Ski Resort Alshan Ski ResortAlshan Ski Resort Features: Resort surrounded by forests Season: November to April Location: On the border of Inner Mongolia in China and Mongolia itself, 3-4 hours by bus/train from Ulanhot. Skiing Market: Suitable for skiers of every level. More information about Alshan Ski Resort Tailor-Make a China Ski Tour We can help you tailor-make a China tour to combine China's best sights with some skiing activities.

Although China may not yet be a preferred winter destination for most foreign travelers in terms of specific winter activities (though China actually has some decent ski slopes, as our extensive ex-pat community can affirm), it does have its getaway beaches where one can escape winter entirely. In addition, there are many places of stunning natural beauty in China that have mild weather all year round, so there is always something compelling to see or fun to do in China during winter, regardless of the tourist's specific interests. Why Visit China in Winter — less crowds, lower prices, Chinese New Year... Visiting China during the low season may be just the thing for you. Far less tourist crowding, cheaper hotels and flights, winter scenery and activities, and a cool (cold), dry (drier) climate may interest you. See more reasons below. China's low season begins in November and ends in March (excluding Chinese New Year, when it seems that the whole nation is traveling). Fewer Travelers, Less Crowds The Forbidden City covered in snow The Forbidden City covered in snow Normally, there are fewer travelers as most Chinese don't travel during this time for various reasons. You will have more space and time to enjoy your trip to the full.. Most of the most popular destinations in China (the Great Wall, Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, Guilin, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Chengdu,...) are still very accessible in the low season, but without the seething crowds of Chinese tour groups! The most recommended tour: 8 Days Beijing – Xi'an – Shanghai Private Tour Great Deals on Hotels and Airlines Fewer travelers means most hotels and airlines offer great deals to attract customers; some airlines even offer 80% off flights. Attractions and resorts often sell low-season entrance tickets. If you believe in the saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing”, then China is yours for a bargain in the low season. The colder weather is a trade-off against lower prices for hotels, transport, and even gate tickets. Chinese New Year Cultural Activities Celebrating Chinese new year Locals decorating their houses for the Chinese New Year We recommend being there for China's biggest festival, but bear in mind transport is packed for at least two weeks either side of the date. Hotel prices also go up during the holiday period. Winter Scenes and Winter Sports You can enjoy skiing in Beijing or Harbin, enjoy winter scenery, or experience Harbin’s Ice Festival. If you want to take in some characteristically Chinese mountain scenery in the snow, then we recommend safer, more-developed locations like the Yellow Mountains and Mount Emei. The rime scenery of Jilin is one of China’s four natural wonders. Recommended tour: 3-Day Harbin's Ice Wonderland Tour Cooler (Cold) Weather with Less Rain Dali, Yunnan Province Dali in Yunnan province has very comfortable winter. If you like it drier and not hot winter might be preferable for you, as it is the driest time of the year all over China, particularly in the north, where a few snow flurries is all you’ll get. China’s far south falls within the tropics and these places don’t really experience a winter. In fact going in the “winter” would be better time to visit these places for you if you don’t relish enduring the sweltering summer heat. Visit Xishuangbanna for minorities and rain forest, Sanya and Haikou for tropical island scenery and beaches, and the thriving Pearl River cities of Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou Winter Around China Winter in Beijing bei jing The Great Wall of China covered in snow Beijing experiences very cold, but usually dry, long winters. Winter begins in early November and extends into March. Average temperatures are below freezing, but frequent sunny days are perfect for sightseeing. The capital typifies northern China winter weather. Lakes, canals, and fountains are frequently frozen solid. Ice skating is very popular at the lakes in Beijing's parks. There are even bicycles designed to be ridden on the ice. The nearby sections of the Great Wall remain open to visitors during the wintertime. Tourists enjoy climbing the Great Wall and viewing the winter landscape in peace without the crowds. Winter in the Northeast Rime sceneryRime scenery in jilin, Northeast China Winters in northeastern China are long, cold, and snowy. The province of Heilongjiang borders Russia and its capital, Harbin, is called "Ice City." January temperatures average 10 °F, -12 °C, during the day. Harbin hosts ice and snow art festivals every winter. The tradition of ice lanterns dates back hundreds of years. The Ice Festival fills Zhaolin Park with magnificent ice sculptures. Sun Island hosts a Snow Sculpture Exposition and is the location of the largest indoor ice and snow art museum. Winter trips to Harbin should also include the Siberian Tiger Park and nearby ski resorts, and a trip to see the enchanting rime scenery of Jilin. Winter in Shanghai Shanghai experiences milder weather than Beijing. The winter season is from December to February. Winters are moist, but there is little snow and days are overcast. Temperatures usually stay above freezing, but will feel colder due to humidity. This is typical of southern China winter weather. Tourists can enjoy popular Shanghai attractions in the wintertime as long as they pack plenty of warm clothing and reserve heated hotel rooms. Chinese New Year celebrations towards the end of January, or as late as March, include the bell-striking ceremony at the notable Longhua temple, fireworks displays, and the lantern parade. Winter in Hong Kong Christmas in Hongkong Christmas in Hong Kong Hong Kong's winters are comparatively mild, even warm. Visiting during the cooler winter season is a welcome alternative to trips in hot and humid summers. Average winter temperatures are around a moderate 60 °F, 16 °C, and there is very little rain. Hong Kong's role as a global, sophisticated city has led it to embrace Western Christmas celebrations. Each year at Christmas skyscrapers are lit with Christmas lights and lavish displays are set up in shops and public spaces. Restaurants serve traditional Christmas fare and stores are filled with shoppers. Winter in the Southeast Like in Hong Kong, winter temperatures in the southeast are quite moderate, but feel chillier due to the humidity. The winter season in places like Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, is very short, usually lasting from late December through January. Winters in Guangzhou are famous for flowers. Flower stalls and markets appear throughout the city. Bright red Kapok blossoms, the official flower of Guangzhou, bloom all over. Top China Winter Destinations China winter destinations map Below is a list of China's prime winter destinations, with descriptions that will hopefully inspire you to choose China for your winter vacation this year. Hainan Island — Seaside Winter Escape Beach in Sanya Beach in Sanya Sun, water and beaches are what travelers enjoy about Hainan. For winter travelers, it is not unlike Hawaii in the US, which serves as a favorite tropical oasis to escape the frozen winter. Hainan is overflowing with the appeal of an island paradise: golden beaches, sea, waves and seaside holiday resorts. See below for the most famous beaches on Hainan Island. Covered below are some of China's top beaches. 7 Best Beaches in China China Ski Resorts — Enjoy Winter Sports Ski in China Despite the fact that ski resorts in China are currently still only beginning to be discovered by foreign travelers, winter travelers to China are increasingly opting for China's ski slopes as an alternative diversion. China's ski resorts are concentrated in Northeast China and the region around Beijing. However, there are a few in West China such as the Xiling Ski Resort in Chengdu. Yabuli Ski Resorts and the ski resorts around Beijing are the most popular among winter travelers. Find below the most famous ski resorts in China. Listed below are some of China's top ski resorts. Top 5 Ski Resorts in China 10 Best Ski Resorts close to Beijing Recommended China Ski Tour: 6-Day Harbin Sights and Yabuli Ski Tour Harbin — International Ice And Snow Festival The Ice And Snow Festival is undoubtedly Harbin's most famous attraction, held in Zhaolin Park every winter from January 5th to the end of February. During the festival, the the whole park is changed into a world of ice sculptures and lanterns. Fanciful and elaborate ice sculptures in teh shapes of animals, plants, buildings or motifs taken from legends sparkle in the frigid air. See China Highlights China Winter Vacation Deals to appreciate the Ice Lantern Festival in Harbin. Huangshan, Sichuan — Mountain Snowscapes yellow mountain winter The Yellow Mountain The Yellow Mountains Huangshan is famous for its marvelous and beautiful scenery. In winter, the mountains becomes a world of frost and ice with silver boughs and rocks everywhere. The Yellow Mountains is one of the best places to view snowy landscapes and rime and glaze scenery in China. Recommended tour: 4-Day Ancient Village and Yellow Mountains Hiking Tour — Winter Weekend Escape to Yellow Mountains Mt. Emei Mt. Emei, in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, is known for its sweeping cliffs, high reaching peaks, gushing waterfalls, gurgling springs, towering ancient trees and ancient temples. In winter the mountain is very quiet, free from the tourist crowds, allowing winter travelers to enjoy the mountain, which is a blanket of white with a capping of snow-laden trees. Yunnan — Warm Winter Lijiang Ancient Town, Yunnan Lijiang Ancient Town in Yunnan Yunnan is without doubt one of the most tempting travel destinations in China. Its varied landscape, with terrain ranging from topical rainforest to snow-capped peaks, never fails to allure even the most fastidious travelers. Winter travelers are fond of Yunnan because of its mild weather. Famous tourist cities in Yunan Province: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna Take China Highlighs Yunnan Tours to have a warm winter vacation in Yunnan. Other famous warm travel destinations include Guangzhou and Hong Kong in south China. Beijing, Guizhou — Chinese New Year Miao ethnic people are celebrating their new year festivalMiao ethnic people are celebrating their new year festival Take a Beijing New Year Tour and celebrate an authentic Chinese New Year in Beijing as locals do. There are various cultural activities held in the temples and parks of Beijing during the Chinese New Year holiday usually from late January to early February. This is best time of the year to experience Chinese culture. Southeast Guizhou The Miao and Dong minority peoples hold their own traditional celebrations to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Colorful dress, folk performances and interesting activities can be seen during January or February. The Most Populat Winter Tours of China There are some bestsellers including major highlights cities that are little affected by weather and usually get better price in winter:

Although it has been around since 2007, the Triumph Street Triple is a bike people always seem to want to know about. They're rare enough that you don't see them all the time, common enough not to feel like an unobtainable exotic, and so popular with their owners that you naturally want to know more. Even before I spent much time on one, the Street Triple was on a very short list of bikes whose owners I assume are smarter than most. It doesn't make the most power and it isn't the sexiest, but as a package it seems like a wonderful combination of a brilliant engine, small size and weight, and high-spec components. It's a bike I'm constantly asked about and, after falling in love with what the Yamaha FZ-09 could be, I knew I needed to really spend some time with the Triumph. Triumph Street Triple R The 2015 Triumph Street Triple R ABS. Triumph Photo. The bike The 2015 Triumph Street Triple R ABS is powered by an inline, three-cylinder engine that has been unchanged since its last update in 2013. It makes 106 horsepower at 11,850 rpm and 50 foot-pounds of torque at 9,750 rpm. Triumph Street Triple R Ready and waiting. Photo by Scott Sorenson. The Street Triple base model comes with a (switchable) ABS braking system as standard equipment, both front and rear. The R version (the model we tested) adds upgraded suspension, with a KYB inverted fork that's adjustable for preload, rebound and compression damping and a rear monoshock with a piggy-back reservoir that's adjustable for preload, rebound and compression damping. (The standard version only offers preload adjustment for both front and rear.) Triumph Street Triple R A face only a mother could love. Photo by Scott Sorenson. New for this year is the addition of the Rx Special Edition. The highest model option comes standard with the best accessories available, including a quick shifter, bodywork, special red wheels, and the subframe and seat unit from the Daytona, which add a little more of a supersport feel. The frame on the bike is an aluminum beam twin spar that has incorporated the intake duct through the headstock for higher efficiency. Weight has been reduced by 13 pounds and shifted forward so that 52 percent is now on the front wheel. The Street Triple R and Rx Special Edition have sharper geometry than the standard model, with 0.7 degree steeper rake angle at 23.4 degrees and 4.6 mm less trail at 95 mm, giving the bike a sportier feel. The stopping power of the Street Triple comes from twin 310 mm floating rotors for the front, matched with Nissin two-piston sliding calipers for the standard model, while the higher two models come with a faster acting four-piston radial-mount caliper. All models come with a single 220 mm disc and single piston caliper rear braking system. Triumph Street Triple R Bucky and the Street Triple getting acquainted. Photo by Sean MacDonald. Filled with fuel, the Street Triple weighs 403 pounds. The R version we tested retails for $10,399, $1,000 more than the standard model. That is money well spent when you consider that it gives you the ability to adjust rebound and compression damping, the sportier frame geometry and much better brakes.  The perfect city bike. Photo by Scott Sorenson. Testing the Street Triple R From the moment I left Triumph HQ, I was blown away by the quality of the little Triumph, from the materials and feel of the instrument panel to the way the suspension gracefully handled bumps in the road while being firm enough to take a freeway on-ramp at a fast pace.  I think it's growing on me. Photo by Scott Sorenson. The Street Triple R really is the perfect motorcycle for a city like Los Angeles. Its small size makes it perfect for filtering or navigating through cagers who do pretty much whatever they please. The suspension ate up craters in even our worst roads, and those brakes are nothing short of fantastic. The power is also very city-appropriate, though it is noticeably down from the Yamaha FZ-09. The torque from the FZ is not only much greater (about 15 foot-pounds), but it's also made earlier, which is quite apparent on the butt dyno. Compared to other triples, the Street Triple almost feels like a blend of a triple and an inline-four, requiring you to chase the power a little and keep the bike a little higher in the rev range. Due to travel and time restrictions, I had local fast-guy Bucky Bautista take the Street Triple R out for some twisty-road testing to get a second opinion. Here are his thoughts: Bucky: My relationship with the bike began by picking it up from Sean’s place and commuting 50 miles on the car-infested 405 freeway. It is really the perfect testing grounds, with its beat-up pavement and a chaos of cars obeying whichever laws they please. The Triple is the lane-filtering king — narrow, nimble, and smooth under both acceleration and engine braking. Unlike many sport bikes, the Triple does not have a slipper clutch, but it never feels like it needs one, even when I ride it like a sport bike. Triumph Street Triple R The perfect bike for the twisties. Photo by Sean MacDonald. My initial thought was that the Triple felt just like the Daytona I rented in Australia two years ago, only more upright and, well, naked. Throttle response was perfectly smooth and forgiving, unlike the abruptness of the FZ-09 that makes it hard to find maintenance throttle through a turn on the winding Mulholland Highway. The Triple's power delivery was flowing and felt natural in all riding conditions. Triumph Street Triple R A naked bike you can ride like a sport bike. Photo by Sean MacDonald. For that reason, it wasn’t long before I felt comfortable wringing the Street Triple’s neck. I wasn’t too worried about twisting the throttle hard out of a curve in the canyons and upsetting the front suspension. The combination of horsepower and fuel mapping keeps the bike absolutely stable, easing the suspension's workload. I found the factory suspension settings a bit soft, but once I adjusted the preload to my weight, the bike’s chassis tracked perfectly. While the Triple doesn't ride tall like the FZ-09, I never worried about dragging the pegs or any other hard parts while leaned over. Despite the upright stance, riding the bike fast at full, knee-dragging lean felt very natural. This is a naked bike you can ride hard, like a superbike. Street Triple R highlights The Triumph Street Triple R is an incredibly well thought out and executed package. Everything on the bike not only works, but works well. Triumph has raised the bar for other manufacturers. Whether you want an around-town bike, a canyon carver, or a track toy, the Triumph Street Triple deserves to be on the list of bikes you're looking at.  Photo by Scott Sorenson. The brakes are great. The ABS system was a little rough and not as refined as some other brands’ systems, but I did like the fact that you can switch off ABS via the instrument cluster. The initial bite of the four-piston Nissin calipers is more than this lightweight naked needs, but both Bucky and I loved it, despite our different riding backgrounds. Bucky: The aggressive sound of the Street Triple separates it from other uprights. The hybrid sound of a throaty roar and electronic whizzing really makes you want to keep pushing it and finding reasons to whack the throttle open. Even on the highway, I found myself letting off a maintenance throttle just so I could goose it to enjoy the mixture of power and sound. The little things count, and Triumph's attention to details adds to the feel of quality. The 90-degree valve stems on the wheels are easy to overlook, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate them when trying to check air pressure while a brake rotor is red hot. As a package, the Street Triple just works. It offers such a beautiful blend of capabilities for around-town riding and commuting that it almost doesn't need to be so good for sport riding — but that's probably where it excels most. People often look to bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Yamaha FZ6R, or new Honda CBR650F as a stepping stone between the little 250s and 300s of the world and 600 cc sport bikes, but the Street Triple is really the perfect fit for that gap. Triumph Street Triple R Get low. Photo by Sean MacDonald. Street Triple R lowlights The Street Triple’s kickstand is something to be mastered. You will have to look down for several weeks to find it with your foot before you can go by muscle memory. Even then, you will have to occasionally look down if you are using a shoe or boot with a rounded heel. Triumph Street Triple R The 2015 Street Triple R ABS. Photo by Scott Sorenson. Street Triple R headlights Not everyone loves the Street Triple headlights. Photo by Scott Sorenson. Bucky: Most complaints about the Street Triple’s looks are focused on the headlights, and I agree. You can buy the color-matched fly screen to mask the bulky, bug-eyed headlights if you don’t go with the Rx version (fly screen already included), but I also didn’t care for the function of the headlights. The high beams have almost no discernible difference from the low beams. I understand that the weird headlight look is sort of a signature for the bike, but I would love to see Triumph improve them both aesthetically and functionally. I liked the cluster display options, but navigating the options without referring to the owner's manual takes some getting used to. I also didn’t care for the placement slightly behind the upper triple tree, as I had to take my concentration away from the road longer than I would like. Maybe that is just the way of the naked bike, since you are more upright compared to the tucked position of a sportbike. The competition The obvious competitor that we and the rest of the world are looking at is the Yamaha FZ-09, a bike I've written about at length. The Yamaha has an MSRP of $8,190 and makes 9 more horsepower and 15 more foot-pounds of torque. Unfortunately, it isn't nearly as refined as the Triumph, and comes with atrocious suspension and still-to-be-perfected fueling. Overall, the Yamaha feels much cheaper and you can just tell not as much thought has gone into it. To bring the Yamaha up to the level of the Triumph, you'd need to spend about $2,500 to fix the suspension and fueling, which essentially makes the price the same — and that's before you factor in the time it would take to order and install the upgraded parts. Triumph Street Triple R Photo by Scott Sorenson. The Yamaha’s bars felt higher, and the overall geometry of the bike makes it feel like you wouldn’t be able to throw it around like a proper sportbike. With the Street Triple, there was no doubt about riding style. You can wring the Triumph’s neck through the canyons immediately, dragging a knee through every turn. Which one you choose depends on what is more important to you. If you have the time, knowledge, and ability to put some work into the motorcycle, and you want to have a bike that's special to you and has your fingerprints all over it, or you care most about absolute performance, then the Yamaha FZ-09 may be a better buy. If you want out-of-the-box performance that needs absolutely nothing, or you want something that feels more refined and perfected, the Triumph is as good as it gets. Personally, I'm still torn between the two options. Bucky prefers the straight-off-the-dealer-floor perfection of the Street Triple. Conclusion The Triumph Street Triple has long been a favorite amongst naked bike enthusiasts, and for good reason. It is the perfect harmonization of upright ergonomics and sport bike performance. The suspension is plush enough to handle the bumps and pot holes of city streets but the geometry and power delivery (at least on the R version tested) allow you to ride it like a proper supersport. You won’t find another naked that is as nimble and responsive as the Street Triple R. Triumph Street Triple R Where to next? Photo by Scott Sorenson. Comfortable, agile, and powerful enough to hold its own on the streets and canyons, the Street Triple's popularity is easy to understand. The sound is intoxicating. The handling is incredible. The only thing I found wanting in the Triumph Street Triple R is more time to ride it.

When I got the invitation to go up to Washington to ride Ural's latest bike, the 2015 Ural cT, I immediately flashed back to the mid-summer day I spent eight hours in the San Gabriel mountains helping Sean Smith take apart a very broken motorcycle while a very broken Wes Siler sat home in a sling drinking beers and texting to ask if we were done yet. "Hey dude, Ural wants me to go to Washington to ride their latest bike and hopefully find some snow. What are the chances I live to write about it?" — text message to Wes Siler, 35 seconds after getting the invitation. "Hahaha, I mean, they flip super easy... but you don't make things go boom so you'll be fine. Sean Smith lives up there now so, if you break it, just have him come fix it." — response from Mr. "I hurt myself a lot." 2015 Ural cT The 2015 Ural cT. Ural Photo. The nature of my chosen profession means I don't always make the safe choice, so naturally I was in. Whelp, this was going to be a good story, one way or another. The bikeUral Dyno Ural dyno chart. Ural photo. The Ural cT is new for 2015 and comes as a smaller version of the Ural T. It uses Ural's classic 749 cc boxer-twin engine, which is electronically fuel-injected. Ural made some engine updates for model year 2014, nearly doubling the size of the airbox and moving to lower-profile cams with shorter durations, which brought the motor's performance up to a whopping 41 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 42 foot-pounds of torque at 4,300 rpm. While neither of those numbers are all that impressive for a 750 cc twin motorcycle produced in 2015, the fact that 90 percent of the torque is made from 2,300 rpm should tell you that you can still have a good time. 2015 Ural cT The 2015 Ural cT. Photo by Sean MacDonald. If it isn't clear already, Urals are characterized by having a sidecar, or "chair" or "tub," attached. They have one- and two-wheel-drive versions, though you only engage the two-wheel-drive mode in low-traction situations. The cT is a single-wheel-drive unit, which allowed Ural to mount the third wheel slightly forward, since it doesn't need to share an axle with the main rear wheel. This position of the third wheel improves stability. It comes as no shocker that the Ural comes in on the hefty side. Though, when you consider the third wheel, the tub, and the extra axle, brake, and suspension components, 700 pounds doesn't seem all that outrageous. That's about 30 pounds more than a Honda Valkyrie. 2015 Ural cT The 2015 Ural Patrol and Ural cT. Photo by Sean MacDonald. All three wheels get disc brakes, with the rear and sidecar brakes both operated by the foot brake lever. Since the two rear wheels are operating with very different loads and levels of traction, the master cylinders have adjustable pushrods, which allow you to adjust applied braking pressure to each of the rear wheels to help create a feeling of even distribution. Another important difference with the cT is that the sidecar has been lowered by three inches, which gives it a much different appearance. The biggest change of late is with Ural's new steering damper. More on why a steering damper on a bike like this is important in the next section, but Ural swapped their ancient friction-type damper for a modern hydraulic unit similar to the one found on sport bikes, which has made massive improvements on controlling the yaw of the bike. Riding a three-wheeler is nothing like riding a two-wheeler The what of the bike? Yaw? What's yaw? It's a three-dimensional world, and pitch, roll and yaw are the movements around the three axes. Pilots of airplanes, which freely move in all directions, are intimately familiar with these concepts. On motorcycles, we mostly think about the one that defines our fun in the curves: roll, which is leaning side to side. We may also experience some pitch, such as stoppies or wheelies. But although we experience both yaw and roll when we turn a normal, two-wheeled motorcycle, it is the roll we feel, mostly. The yaw is the movement around the vertical axis. 2015 Ural cT The 2015 Ural cT. Photo by Sean MacDonald. Motorcycles with sidecars have the interesting phenomenon of experiencing yaw almost completely absent of roll — and it happens when you aren't even trying to turn. Let me explain. As I mentioned earlier, the Ural is a one-wheel-drive motorcycle, which means that the third wheel is essentially just along for the ride and to support the weight of the sidecar and your passenger and gear. Like all third wheels, the third wheel on a sidecar tends to be a bit of a drag. Since that third wheel is hanging off to the right side, the main part of the bike actually tries to pivot around the "dragging" third wheel. What does this translate to? When you accelerate, the bike rotates slightly around the yaw axis and pushes you to the right. Adding more weight to the chair or accelerating harder only exaggerates this effect because it increases the resistance of the dragging tire or gives the dragging tire less time to catch up. Oh, but we're not done yet. What do you think happens when you have this three-wheeled beast moving at speed and then try and slow her down? You guessed it: the effect works in reverse and the bike yaws to the left. 2015 Ural cT The 2015 Ural cT. Photo by Sean MacDonald. Also, I should probably mention that three-wheelers don't turn like normal motorcycles... because sidecar. Instead of using countersteering to make the bike roll (or lean) to turn, you actually have to turn the handlebars to point the front wheel in the direction you want to go (yes, I know you've seen pictures with the chair in the air — I'll get to that in a minute). Most people will equate this to steering a car, but if you've ridden a quad ATV, I think that's a far better example, since you do actually hang off the bike in turns a bit to keep it from flipping. You just hang off on the opposite side you're used to on a bike. Urals are often popular with people who do some off-road riding, which is partly due to their added stability, but also partly because they turn like a quad. Just point the front and give it some gas and that rear end comes swinging around. I swear, it never gets old. OK, lifting the sidecar time. You've all seen videos of guys on a bike with the sidecar up in the air. Before my time in Washington, I didn't know that "floating the tub" or "flying the chair" was initiated by turning right (into the tub) or that it was extremely easy to do. It is not caused by using countersteer to turn left, as I had assumed though, as you can also see from the video, once the tub is up, the guys who are good at it can turn both left and right while keeping it in the air. 2015 Ural cT What's my age again? Photo by Sean MacDonald. Finally, the last difference in riding a sidecar is that you do not want to take normal cornering lines. I was glad the Ural had some understeer because it meant I was at times forced off what would have been a normal line, and a normal motorcycle line would have put the sidecar off the road. You have to keep in mind that, while sometimes it may be out of your vision, you're riding a motorcycle the width of a car and need to leave room for that sidecar to pass. The Ural team shared plenty of stories of people hitting cars, fire hydrants, light poles, and other obstacles by taking turns too closely. Testing the Ural cT The Pacific Northwest is a perfect place to ride a bike like the Ural cT. I was hoping Seattle in February would mean snow, but unfortunately I tend to bring Southern California weather with me wherever I go and I was treated to sunny skies and mild temperatures. My first day, we took I-90 southeast with Snoqualmie Pass as our destination. Ural was nice enough to lend me their man-of-many-traits, David, as my tour guide. He knew of some dirt roads we could get on and had some ideas where we might find some snow. My brother lives in Seattle, near Ural HQ, and since sidecars are meant for sharing, I convinced him I wouldn't kill him if he was willing to come along for my first Ural ride. 2015 Ural cTAre you sure about this? He's not really asleep. I took the photo with my phone and my helmet was on and I didn't notice his eyes were closed. Photo by Sean MacDonald. With my brother in the tub, the yaw effects were greatly exaggerated, compared to my little test ride the night before. I don't know which is a better term for piloting the Ural cT: riding or wrestling. Regardless, riding with a passenger really opened my eyes to one of the beauties of the sidecar: it's social. Through town, Thomas and I talked at semi-normal volumes about his first experience with any sort of motorcycle and with my first experience riding a sidecar. Things got a little noisy on the freeway, but it was still nice being able to look down to see if he was having a good time and it was way funnier to put the third wheel over the lane divider bumps to give him a little butt massage — even though the tub's seating position gave him two free hands and the perfect angle to punch me in the ribs. 2015 Ural Gear Up The 2015 Ural Gear-Up. Photo by Thomas MacDonald. Off-road, the social nature was only amplified as we could hear each other's laughter as I clumsily taught myself how to hustle a three-wheeler down a very beat-up dirt road, plus the occasional shouted expletive as I sent his side into a crater-sized pothole. While the Ural certainly doesn't perform like my off-road weapon of choice (the KTM 350 EXC-F, in case you're wondering), it certainly is the only off-road bike I would consider about taking a passenger on — let alone want a passenger on. We finally found snow as we neared Snoqualmie Pass. Unfortunately, it wasn't the fields of fresh powder I had been dreaming of on my flight to Washington, but was instead weeks-old snow-colored ice. By that point in the day, David and I had switched so I could get a feel for the two-wheel-drive Ural Gear-Up, and David soon got stuck riding the cT up a snow-covered dirt road. Putting the Gear-Up into two-wheel-drive mode kept me from suffering the same fate but, with the only other option being to leave David behind, we turned back towards the pavement. The following day, Thomas and I set out in the cT for a little sightseeing and to take some pictures. The Ural is quite the crowd pleaser, and there was no shortage of smiles or thumbs up as we passed by. Riding the cT around town felt like far less of a wrestling match, since the slower pace and stop-and-go nature didn't require me to pull on the bars as hard as freeway riding did.

The Yamaha FZ-09 is one of the most important bikes to be released in recent years. Nothing else competes with its combination of power, torque, and low price tag. I spent a few months with one for a long-term review and fell in love with it, when the terrible suspension and jerky fueling weren't trying to kill me. Then, I met Nick Stolten of Stoltec Moto, who came up with his own suspension and fueling fixes to make the FZ-09 the way it should have been released from the factory. We've already detailed his suspension fixes, so now it's time to get the fueling sorted. Since the release of the FZ-09, Yamaha has released a new set of fuel maps that you can have installed on your bike. They are very similar to that of the new FJ-09, which is to say they are very much improved. But if you really want to unlock the potential of the FZ-09, we recommend you read the following Q&A with Stolten. Nick Stolten and his track-prepped Yamaha FZ-09. Photo by Peter Camburn. CT: What is wrong with the current fueling? NS: "Fueling" on a modern bike actually refers to a very broad control system. In days gone by, an engine's fueling was handled by carburetors that relied on minimal, if any, sensor input to run properly. As time passed and fuel injection (FI) became mainstream, an electronic control unit (ECU) managed fuel and spark delivery. The ECU was able to provide different fueling and timing strategies in an attempt to balance performance with emissions compliance across an ever-widening range of riding conditions. As technology and emissions regulations progressed, more features were added to FI systems. Beyond simply assuring proper fuel and spark delivery, providing cold start enrichment (no choke!) and load compensation, many modern FI systems also incorporate throttle control. In this case, Yamaha calls it Y-CCT (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) and uses it to provide different ride modes and a top-speed limiter. Many bikes' performance suffers as a result of compromises made to ensure emissions compliance (regulations often vary from one market to another). These compromises can manifest in a number of ways: overly lean air-fuel mixtures, improper timing advance, or a combination of both. What does this mean? Put simply, if you've ever felt surging, flat spots in the power delivery, abrupt on-off throttle transitions, or inconsistent engine braking, you've felt some of these compromises firsthand. CT: What does that translate to when riding? What does it feel like? Why is that bad? NS: In the case of the FZ-09, the most obvious issue arises during on-off throttle transitions. During deceleration, the ECU's fuel cut functionality turns the fuel injectors off above about 4,500 rpm (exact speed is gear dependent) to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. As the engine's speed drops and crosses the aforementioned threshold, fuel is reapplied to keep the engine running as it re-approaches idle. Great — so what's the big deal? Well, the absence of fuel above the threshold creates abundant engine braking. Riders' opinions vary greatly on the "proper" amount of engine braking, but most will agree that changes in engine braking relative to rpm is bad. Whether you're chasing apexes or riding through the city, varying engine braking challenges the rider to hit a moving target. So that covers the off-throttle response. What about the on-throttle response? As we mentioned earlier, the FZ-09 uses Y-CCT to control the engine's throttle. The rider's wrist twist actuates a sensor that translates the movement into a signal the ECU can understand. The ECU then takes that signal, applies a correction, and sends the new signal to the throttle bodies. In the case of the FZ-09, the correction being applied to the signal isn't as fine-tuned as most riders would like. The result is an overly aggressive signal that opens the throttle plates too far too soon. Combined with the torquey nature of the FZ-09's engine, the throttle response ends up being very sudden.  Nick Stolten on his FZ-09 on the track. Riding this hard would be difficult to impossible with the stock fueling. Photo by Peter Camburn. CT: What is your fix? NS: The solution is a reflash of the ECU with a custom-developed engine map. Because the ECU controls the throttle behavior, fuel injection, and ignition timing, all changes can be made directly inside the ECU without adding additional equipment to the vehicle (i.e. piggyback controllers). CT: How did you come up with it? NS: Yamaha and their ECU supplier, Denso, used an updated ECU for the FZ-09 (and some other 2014 model year bikes). So, we shipped the ECU out to the folks at Flash Tune, who dissected the ECU. No really — they cut the ECU apart to directly access the electronics, identify the system architecture, and read the factory maps. Once the data was extracted, Flash Tune developed a base file that could be manipulated and tuned to the rider's needs. Stoltec Moto used this base map as a way into the bike's brain and worked through an iterative process to massage the throttle and timing maps into what we felt was the best compromise of performance and streetability (read: we tinkered with the fueling cutoff and fueling settings and then went riding). Once the throttle and timing maps were tweaked to deliver smooth on-road performance, Nels at 2 Wheel Dyno Works provided his services to address the fueling. Over the course of the past year, we've developed a database of numerous exhaust system-specific fuel maps. CT: How does it feel different? NS: The engine responds predictably to the rider's inputs across a range of environmental conditions. There are no more surprises in the power delivery, and power application happens naturally, no more or less than what the rider asks for. The best customer description of the result was "seamless performance."  Nick Stolten's FZ-09 prepped for a track day. Photo by Lance Oliver. If the bike has been modified with an aftermarket exhaust, proper fueling and timing adjustments will make more power. In the case of the Akrapovic carbon and Arrow exhaust systems, many customers have experienced about 10 horsepower gains at the wheel. CT: How can people get the new tune? NS: Send in your ECU unit to Nels over at 2 Wheel Dynoworks. He has a map for just about every aftermarket exhaust system imaginable and will reflash your ECU for $350. With that price comes one additional reflash, should you decide to upgrade your exhaust or make other modifications that would require a change in the ECU. In which case, you would just send it in to him again and he would reflash it free of charge. Sean's comments: I got to spend some time riding Nick's bike, complete with the suspension upgrades from the previous article and fueling fixes mentioned here, and can attest that the fueling is flawless. The transition between off and on throttle is seamless, the engine brake drag I'd felt previously was gone. I sort of expected the fueling to feel blunted overall, assuming that they'd sort of taken the edge off everything to smooth it out, but such was not the case. I still had the full power of that beautiful motor, but now I had a much easier time accessing and using it. If you have an FZ-09 and are serious about sport riding, this is $350 well spent.

'He who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man', as this famous Chinese saying goes, the Great Wall of China, a great engineering marvel, always attracts throngs of adventurous tourists from all over the world. Whenever you see this venerable Great Wall, you must feel deep esteem. If you are planning long haul travel to it to look in depth upon this the world's greatest feat of engineering, some of the must-know facts below may be helpful in preparation for your exploration. Which Section to Visit Besides the touristiest Badaling and Jinshanling, Mutianyu, Simatai, Gubeikou in Beijing, the Chinese government has also opened other sections to visitors, such as Huangyaguan in Tianjin, Shanhaiguan in Hebei Province and Jiayuguan in Gansu Province. However, visiting all of the sections is virtually impossible unless you have all the means and time at your disposal. Below are the four most popular sections in Beijing: Badaling This is by far the most representative and probably most famous. It is the grandest and most splendid section of all, closest to Beijing city proper, convenient to access and easier to climb, thus the most visited. However, it always swarms with tour groups, individual tourists and hawkers, which may affect your photography and ease with which to enjoy the views. Badaling has the most renovation and is well managed and consequently, much safer to walk along than other sections. Recommended Vacation Packages including the visit to Badaling: 4-Day Beijing Tour Small Group from $279: join the group to visit Badaling, Sacred Way, Ming Tombs, Forbidden City... Private from $259: private luxury tour of Badaling, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace... Beijing One-Day Tours starting from $49 per person: 16 itineraries for you to choose, covering major attractions in and around the city Mutianyu This is the second most redeveloped section after Badaling, with high forest cover and remarkable views in fall and summer. It is steeper than Badaling but less congested by tourists, souvenir sellers and especially pickpockets. Here you will find a truly mind blowing experience. Recommended Tour Packages including the visit to Mutianyu: 2-Day Beijing Tour from $99: luxury tour of Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Mutianyu... 1-Day Luxury Tour from $82: Mutianyu - Summer Palace (Temple of Heaven) 1-Day Great Wall Tour from $49: Juyongguan - Badaling - Mutianyu Simatai Great Wall travel Climb Watchtowers If you fancy an adventure, it is better to visit Simatai, which has had less renovation yet is well preserved. As well as its ruins, it also has an intact section, so Simatai is considered by many tourists from home and abroad as the best section of the Great Wall. Specifically, the eastern part of Simatai is more challenging while the western part is much easier to climb. Here you will seldom encounter vacationers. However, elders and those who are not in good physical condition are advised not to climb this section in view of its cragginess. Jinshanling This section is completely un-restored, with almost no crowds and hawkers, but more steep, which is favored by most foreign travelers. In short, Badaling is ideal for most tourists in view of its accessibility, but it is unavoidably crowded and touristy. Do not go there if you have another choice. Mutianyu and Simatai are the two best ones. Also you can head further afield to Juyongguan, Huanghuacheng or Jiayuguan parts, there you will find no noisy souvenir and food sellers, group travelers, just the great wall, locals and some adventurers like yourself, which may in itself present a challenge. Best Time to Visit The scenery of the Great Wall varies with the seasons, which offers many features and fodder for photographers who seek to obtain characteristic photographic works at any time of the year. However, if you are an ordinary visitor, the best times are spring and autumn, especially May, September or early October when it is usually sunny, with brisk temperatures, leaving you more refreshed and comfortable. Although it is hotter, June to August is an alternative, as the tourist season is in full swing. November to April is always bitterly cold with biting winds, when the Great Wall encounters few, if any, tourists. What to Pack Clothing The temperature variation between day and night along the Great Wall is obvious. TravelChinaGuide suggests a loose cotton T-shirt and a loose trousers rather than denim. However, if you go there in summer, wear shorts for daytime hiking and put on warm clothes such as jacket or sweater in the evening for you will feel somewhat cool, particularly in autumn. Good advice if you are to avoid catching cold. Due to the steep inclines along the wall, trainers may be a good choice for shoes. Never wear high heels or you will quickly suffer from fatigue and in any event, they are hazardous in such locations. Anyway, make yourself as comfortable as possible. Food and Drink Your hike may last for 2-3 hours. Take some snacks along, while a good supply of water is necessary to avoid dehydration. These can be purchased on the Badaling section but at a possibly unexpected higher price. Remember, there are no sales on other sections. However, do not drink too much water for there are no washrooms midway only those around the ticket office and the entrance. Health and Safety Have a rest on Great Wall a. Carry an umbrella to protect you from the sun as well as potential rainfall. b. Anoint yourself with some sunscreen and wear sunglasses to avoid the harm from strong ultraviolet radiation. c. Please inquire about the weather condition before traveling. Do not visit the wall on rainy days. In case it rains while you are on the wall, do not use cell phone, broadcast or any other communication equipment. Turn their power off and take shelter in a beacon tower to avoid lightning strike. d. As it is always dry in spring, autumn and winter, moisturizer may be helpful to moisturize your skin. e. It is quite windy in spring, autumn and winter, especially on the Great Wall due to its high altitude, so scarves can be warm and windproof to protect your face. f. Some sections of the wall are very steep but still can be manageable, use the handrail. g. Do not be bold to climb the undeveloped sections where the areas are insecure or damaged, or you may injured by the breakage of the wall. h. Carry some medicines such as remedies for cold, carsickness and some Band-Aids so that they are readily available should the need arise. Other Travel Tips a. Get up in the early morning at about 07:00 to catch the first official tourist bus to arrive at the Badaling around 09:00-10:00 to avoid the large crowds of tourists, and thus you can get an early return to the city proper in the evening. b. For travel to Badaling , you can also hire a taxi and have a round trip journey for about CNY400.00 according to the taxi type and your negotiation with the taxi driver. c. Allow two to three hours for your visit when in Badaling section. d. Cable cars are only available in Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai and Jinshanling sections. e. You should be aware that noisy hawkers could be a problem on the wall. f. Learn more of the culture and history of the Great Wall before your hiking trip, to have a more informed experience. g. For protection of this world heritage, graffiti is not allowed on the wall. h. Please leave no litter on the wall, there are waste bins provided.