MCN gave this bike a 4 star review, the same as the DRZ 400 when it first came out. I owned a DRZ 400 from new so I'm very tempted to get one of these based on that info alone.
@@nc2466 i think it's would pull more people from the Enfield Himalayan and Ducati scrambler. The V85tt Guzzi is still more of a long distance traveler from what I'm hearing.
i loved the look of the Caballero flat tracker (even though the pillion does look small), when they seemed to explode on the scene... i did a little digging saw how proud the Chinese were of the bike... didn't realise it was only the engine (thanks BOB), so i was shocked at their pricing. But being as they are an exclusive brand from Italy...the Caballero deserves to be on the short list i think.
@@motobob please make a video for the scrambler as well if possible, I have seen the one you made but you did not ride it to give us your thoughts. I am between the rally and the scrambler. Rally looks a lot better specwize but don't know if it is comfortable as a commute bike.
I am a Triumph fan (I have one !) However I don't get why anyone would want to take a 200kg Triumph Scrambler with lots of power off road. If you want to do off roading this bike looks ideal with its weight and amount of power. It looks pretty good too.
Even after 4 years, it is still one of the best test videos for this model. With the 2024 model year, the Rally, among the other Caballero-Bikes, also received an update. I would be interested in your opinion as to whether the overhaul of the engine, the new display and the aluminum swingarm are worth the extra cost. Is the driving experience noticeably different now? Maybe a current comparison video? 😬 Thank you for your great work! Greetings from mainland Europe!
I’m new to your videos, just subscribed, love your style of filming, nice cut away shots as you explain about certain points, turning circle and engine note to name just two, different to how most of the youtubers that I watch are doing it, keep up the good work
Hey motobob ! Tout d'abord un grand bravo pour tes analyses, la diversité de tes tests et la qualité de tes vidéos ! J'ai roulé sur tout et n'importe quoi depuis 25 ans et ce sont c'est "petites cylindrées" qui m'intéressent aujourd'hui. Que choisirais-tu entre celle là et une triumph 400 x scrambler ? Merci pour ton retour !
Been waiting for you to ride this Bob, there aren't many UK reviews of the Caballero. I'm seriously thinking of chopping in my Triumph Street Scrambler for one of these, mainly due to the weight difference - it's 60kg lighter. I do like the matt green as well, which would be a straight swap for my green Triumph. Time to organise a test ride. Cheers
Definitely take it for a spin! You'll notice the weight difference obviously, and it'll cope with the lanes a bit better. But when I got back on my Street Twin I felt like there was a bit more quality to it and it's a better bike on the road of course with a bit more oomph in the torque department. Horses for courses, but if I lived in the sticks with some possibility of lanes on my commute, this would be awesome. I might opt for the Scrambler in town as it's a bit lower and the suspension is better around corners.
@@motobob Yeah as with all bikes there's positives and negatives. I do think £7k is a touch high for the Rally when the engine is a 450 single. Having said that I thought £9k was too high for the Scrambler but I managed to screw the dealer down t £7k for a pre-reg so I wouldn't be losing that much money. Obviously no such deals on the Rally with it being so new. The Fantic dealer nearest to me also does SWM (another Chinese engined bike put together in Italy) so I may test the SWM 6 days 440 while I'm there. It's not as pretty as the Caballero but is only £5k.
Really nice, although I'd definitely opt for the flattracker version! I got the chance to take the new Mash motorcycles dirt tracker 6.5 out and it's really opened my eyes to torquey, mid capacity singles! I'm seriously thinking about downsizing from my bandit 12 as they are so much fun at far lower speeds and under far less pressure than on bigger bikes. The 6.5 felt good up to 70, was light, cheerful and plain fun.
Nice little bike to toot around on singles lanes and some offroad tracks, looks wise doesnt blow me out of the water but thats very subjective, there is really some good options now for these types and capacity of bikes which is really nice to see. Nice one as always MotoBob 👍
It is one of the coolest scramblers out there and definitely one of the few having REAL off-road potential! I love this bike! I was right about to buy RE Interceptor, but since I discovered this one, I’m not so sure, since the option to ride some rougher stuff as well sounds very intriguing.
If only Triumph could come up with something like this -half the 1200 to a 600 single? Remember the 250 Trailblazer? Thanks for the review btw excellent and what a scrambler should look like!
I have bought the Scrambler version, I'm heading off to Spain for the winter (lucky me) and wanted a lighter bike to go in my campervan. I'm only 5'7" but the dealer (MHB motorcycles) sorted the suspension, no problems. It's a gutsy lightweight flickable bike, loves the corners, and has enough grunt to make me laugh out loud. I would compare it favourably with the CCM spitfire scrambler I had, but £3600 cheaper, that pays for loads of touring & fuel, and not loads different in performance..….. The chinese are definitely making their way, lots of European bikes have chinese parts, we just don't hear about it. Yet. Anyway, good review as usual fella.
@@danielkerr4100 Only the Fantic engine was built in China, the rest of the bike was built in Italy, the 2025 model has it's engine built in Italy, with upgrades, so now an all Italian bike.....
@@grid_keeper7889 As with all bikes its very difficult to make any real assessment when the bike is not set up 100% for you. I normally spend time adjusting levers foot pedals so everything feels just so, then you can get a much better idea of the bike and how well it can perform. Unfortunately this isn't possible on most demo rides, but as I said its a well made fun bike. Its an off road biassed bike, so it is low geared but I couldn't detect any noise from the chain or the valve train. Also, the exhaust is pretty loud which drowns out most things, noise wise...
Very nice bike well built and handling is great higher clearance and firm stance I’d buy it looks great and plenty of low end torque nice Italian scrambler
Without having tried one it's probably the closest to my ideal bike. I want a light and low tech bike with good suspension travel and, because there's no point pretending otherwise, I want a scrambler for the superior looks. 45 (?) BHP is a little low but my current bike with 75 is more than I need and given the A2 cut off it's hard to find bikes between the 40's and the 70's in my limited experience. I guess the thinking is that once you're no longer A2 compliant you might as well dial it up a little. Not everyone travels light. I want this bike so much and you've not lessened my wistfulness.
What helps considering the brakes it’s also possibly those Bybre calipers are radially mounted not axial so floating disc 320 mm and 150 kg bike they have to be enough. Even though those are not highest spec like Brembo.
Great review Bob, I bin following this bike for ages it's a looker for sure, I ride a 2006 MT03 a Lardy beast but would chop it in tommorrow for one of these as a run around, apart from weight and cc is it a similar ride ?
I live in the Paris region and I"ve come back to riding after many years off. I've just been through a series of bikes in rapid succesion, Tiger 900GT pro, GS1250r, Aprilia Tuono 660 and now I am considering this! Paris keeps bringing in new measures to penalise riders. The whole city now has an 18mph limit!! And soon all bikes will have to pay 1,000 euros per year to park anywhere in Paris! You get fined 135 euros for overtaking in a bus lane. Just sold my Aprilia as I used it mainly for Paris and some weekend jaunts. I was wondering if this little Fantic wouldn't be worth it just for going around the suburbs and a bit beyond? Do the Scorpion grip well and can you corner on this bike? I guess it's not it's primary purpose. Cheers.
Great review @motobob! I’m having a mid-life crisis and tossing up between this and a Triumph 400x as a first bike. Any advice?? Enjoying all your reviews. Cheers
I just discovered this bike the other day. I like the look and sound plus the rugged appeal. Where do you get this bike? I live in the US so it probably is not here. A lot of bikes like this don 't make it here but I could be wrong. Do you know where this bike is available? What is similar to it the Triumph and Ducait scrambler? If so those bikes just don't look as good for some reason. Do you have any suggestions? I like this kind of bike. Do you think this could be an all arounder, commuter etc?
There’s something about olive-green that says “simplicity” - I like! I also like the review, but I’d of liked you to actually adjust the suspension. In my experience, some of the less expensive bikes offer suspension adjustments that do little to virtually nothing.
It looks like my XT500, I am satisfied but if you are looking for a bike right now and want a new one and not a 35 years old one, I would not hesitate. I think most modern bikes are so heavy, this is 150kg, 43 hp, nice..
Mmm had to double take some bits of this video as I recognise some of the locations - even had a pint at one of the drinking estabishments only yesterday by a strange coincidence,but as for the Bike yes it looks the part,i think I prefer he Flat Tracker one tbh,but this sector seems to be getting ever more popular and competitive now.£7k can get you a lot of choice,i would like to see how the Herald Brute compares to this when its available,but as a back road Scatcher if I was really sold on this one I think it would be worth it.
Thanks, this is the best video I have seen so far of the bike. I have a question you may struggle to answer (although you have to some extent by quoting your height.. ) Would I possibly find this a little small being 6'2"? The way the footpegs are designed, with the rear brake off the same point on the right side, might it be possible to lower them slightly in some way? Thanks
It’s half the price of the 1200 Triumph Scrambler, and it’s still a bit expensive for what it is. But I plan to pick-up a used one in a year or 2. That way I can buy it for 4500,5000€ which makes it affordable and the price it should cost as new. In my mind at least should not cost more than 6000€ brand new. If it was that price allot more people would buy it as a second bike. Because it’s perfect as a second bike to go have a weekend blast on gravel roads.
Great video BOB, beautiful bike looks very funny I had seen these bikes in motocross, I can't comment on the engine but for the most reliable Yamaha and Honada engines above Triumph and Ducati although I'm a big fan of Ducatiiiiiiiii and Triumph but it doesn't compare to the reliability of Yamaha and Honda, as a Scrambler motorcycle I like the Ducati Scrambler Desert, compared to the Fantic I can't say why I never tried a Fantic
I’d love to have a reasonable sized scrambler. The 500 or even the 250 look amazing, I just want a bike that is nice and light and with plenty of punch in the throttle on small back roads. I don’t think I’m the only one so come on Yamaha, where is XT500???
The engine is manufactured in China but I have read that is designed by Ricardo, in Shoreham By Sea in England, which design top engines for many well known manufacturers.
Thats interesting to hear, i just wrote the manufacturers today i want to see if we get one overseas here in Thailand. Bit of a unicorn bike to me and i like to hear about the engine details more..Kove getting into the market will be interesting this year too.
Good review … Have you ever thought of buying some more purposeful riding boots ? It certainly helps this dwarf at 5ft 6 inch when riding my Scrambler XC
Cheers Paul - yes I've been mulling over it. But most days I just ride to work and back through London so not much need for adventure kit. But some snug, waterproof structured boots might be in order with winter only just round the corner. Got a Scrambler XE coming for test soon! Got it for a couple of weeks. Very excited :)
@@CountvonCount33 Because we don't know what's behind that Chinese motor nor Fantic Motor proudly says anything about it. Once you buy the bike you're left struggling with the dealer, good luck with that!
I have read recently that this specific motor has been developed in partnership with those tasked with development of the engine for Norton's Atlas. If that is the case then I would not worry about it so long as it is maintained as recommended.
@@schmang8198 "I have read recently" it's the same as saying "someone said trees can fly". Man I saw the bike with my eyes and I can say that the quality is very low, it really gives the feeling of a cheap $2 tool you buy in a Chinese hardware shop.
Not sure on the tyres or top speed. It rides best between 3-6k revs and perhaps if you were on long open stretches it would feel a bit short on top-end. But for back-road blasts it's really good fun. No proper off-roading, but plenty of the tight lanes we were on had terrible surfaces and gravel across the road. Never felt out of grip with the tyres, and the suspension eats up the bumps well. The weight is helpful too.
interesting bike, but 7k for the chineese engine and simple motorcycle??? If it would be priced more like Enfield it could be a good choice, but defo not now
I want to ride on highway in city and some off-road which one should I go for ? Scrambler flat tracker or rally ? I believe I might have more road but it's India
@I_am_Thursdaygood to know, tks, tried the CCM Maverick and it defs has a bit more dual sport ability, a bit like a Husky 701 😎 a nice bike if pricey but lacked the CP2’s urge
SWM, MASH, Benelli, some BMW, ...all made in China. But the fit and finish can be very different, and the experience can vary immensely because you're in the hands of the distributor/dealer's good will and honesty,...and the time you can spare on the garage floor. Fortunately, I'm fluent in English, French, Dutch and German which helps reading lots of useful comments on some brands. For the moment, I'd stay away from Mash and SWM. Benelli is a mixed bag, as are the Chinese built BMW. Then again, with time, improvements are possible...
Any particular reason you'd stay away from Mash and SWM? Unfortuntaly they are the 2 brands that come close to what I'm looking for. The Mash X-ride 650, supposedly coming with a 21" front wheel version this year, would be my top pick, and the SWM Six Days 500 comes second. Man if only Yamaha would bring back the original 80-90's styled but upgraded XT250 and XT500, I'd buy that in a heart beat!
A lot a lot a lot troubles with my brand New Rally500 and factory not even react ! My dealer self is lost by so much troubles and no Fantic Motor response ! A real shame
Where they used Brembo brakes and Marzocchi suspension on the 700, they really cheaped out this one. With a Chinese engine, Indian brakes and wherever they're from suspension. So I am really curious on how this bike will be after let's say 20.000 kms or some intensive use in dirt after 5 years. Is it a cheap pearl, or a turd wrapped in fancy wrapping?!
I think this bike is over priced when you consider you could get a T7 Yamaha for less than £1500 more. Just saying if it was a £1000 less I think they would have a real winner here
It's a good looking bike. I think it would make a good city bike too. But for a little bit more you could buy a new Tenere 700 with almost double the horsepower and much better all round capabilities.
Tenere has 74 bhp but weighs 206 kg, caballero 43 bhp and weighs 145 kg, for off road bikes go for the lighter weight every time. The tenere is more use on road but the Fantic will be better as a scrambler/ off roader especially as Fantic are a well respected off road specialist.
No plastic guards around the fuel tank, no handguards. If I take that off road, I'm going to drop it eventually and bang it up - spoiling those pretty looks. Too bad, I like it overall.
@@colinsmith1412 I can see you've NEVER actually done off road. If you do single track in the mountains, you WILL drop your bike. If you don't drop it, you're not doing real off road. Even World Champions like Jarvis drop the bike. It's funny when "bikers" like you display their ignorance in an attempt to impress people. Thanks for the laughs at your expense, noob. Hahaha!
What I would like is this bike but with 17 inch wheels front and rear and shod with Michelin road 6 tires. I bet it would be a big seller. Let’s call it the Caballero 500 Supermotard.
MCN gave this bike a 4 star review, the same as the DRZ 400 when it first came out. I owned a DRZ 400 from new so I'm very tempted to get one of these based on that info alone.
oh man, the drz.. that thing was cool as hell.. total hooligan bike! what would be its modern equivalent?
@@fsouzajr yamaha mt 09, try it, you will be hooked.
@@fsouzajr husky 701
Wish it was available in the US, beautiful bike.
I totally agree.
Guzzi dealers would freak?
@@nc2466 i think it's would pull more people from the Enfield Himalayan and Ducati scrambler. The V85tt Guzzi is still more of a long distance traveler from what I'm hearing.
i loved the look of the Caballero flat tracker (even though the pillion does look small), when they seemed to explode on the scene... i did a little digging saw how proud the Chinese were of the bike... didn't realise it was only the engine (thanks BOB), so i was shocked at their pricing. But being as they are an exclusive brand from Italy...the Caballero deserves to be on the short list i think.
Great job. I enjoy listening to your hands on experience. Riding position, torque, power, and others help with the my listening experience.
Cheers Greg! 👍
I would buy one tomorrow if it was available in the States.
ME TOO!!!
Me three. Still look occasionally just hoping a dealer started importing or something.
Me 4
I was waiting for this video coz you cannot find reviews on this specific bike. Most of the videos are Italian. Thanks for the video.
My pleasure!
@@motobob please make a video for the scrambler as well if possible, I have seen the one you made but you did not ride it to give us your thoughts. I am between the rally and the scrambler. Rally looks a lot better specwize but don't know if it is comfortable as a commute bike.
I am a Triumph fan (I have one !) However I don't get why anyone would want to take a 200kg Triumph Scrambler with lots of power off road.
If you want to do off roading this bike looks ideal with its weight and amount of power. It looks pretty good too.
Agreed 👍
First thing that this bike is much cheaper so you are not so afraid to drive offroad in this... another thing that this bike is much lighter
I had the 50cc version in 1975 and loved it. This perfectly captures the same looks and seems a nice combo of weight and power.
"Mic in rear pocket",
respect mate all i can say . And of course what a nice review 🤘🤘
Haha cheers mate!
My Dad's Old Friend Steve McQueen would have Loved This Bike!! Great Lookin Bike. CAN'T WAIT TO RIDE!!
Even after 4 years, it is still one of the best test videos for this model. With the 2024 model year, the Rally, among the other Caballero-Bikes, also received an update. I would be interested in your opinion as to whether the overhaul of the engine, the new display and the aluminum swingarm are worth the extra cost. Is the driving experience noticeably different now? Maybe a current comparison video? 😬
Thank you for your great work! Greetings from mainland Europe!
Hey motobob😊thank you for the inspiration, it has been a crucial part of me acquiring a Fantic Cabellero Rally 500 This sommer 2024
Regards, Brian
The market is great these days and this only helps . Thanks
looks good, sounds good, you guys have so much choice in Europe, here in US/Canada you hardly see anything other than the conventional brands
Conventional being the American manufacturers and Japanese big four?
@@motobob Japanese, American and European, no new manufacturers and very few options for small displacement bikes 150 to 500 cc.
i agree, i like the swm 500, that is a very nice bike in the 7k range but very few dealers
I've been looking for a motorcycle channel like this for years
Very nice looking bike, 500cc is plenty for blatting around the lanes...
I’m new to your videos, just subscribed, love your style of filming, nice cut away shots as you explain about certain points, turning circle and engine note to name just two, different to how most of the youtubers that I watch are doing it, keep up the good work
Thanks Peter - appreciate you taking the time to leave some encouragement!
Nice review! I really like the the look of these, I was hoping they'd be good, they look so cool.
Hey motobob !
Tout d'abord un grand bravo pour tes analyses, la diversité de tes tests et la qualité de tes vidéos !
J'ai roulé sur tout et n'importe quoi depuis 25 ans et ce sont c'est "petites cylindrées" qui m'intéressent aujourd'hui.
Que choisirais-tu entre celle là et une triumph 400 x scrambler ?
Merci pour ton retour !
Been waiting for you to ride this Bob, there aren't many UK reviews of the Caballero. I'm seriously thinking of chopping in my Triumph Street Scrambler for one of these, mainly due to the weight difference - it's 60kg lighter. I do like the matt green as well, which would be a straight swap for my green Triumph. Time to organise a test ride. Cheers
Definitely take it for a spin! You'll notice the weight difference obviously, and it'll cope with the lanes a bit better. But when I got back on my Street Twin I felt like there was a bit more quality to it and it's a better bike on the road of course with a bit more oomph in the torque department. Horses for courses, but if I lived in the sticks with some possibility of lanes on my commute, this would be awesome. I might opt for the Scrambler in town as it's a bit lower and the suspension is better around corners.
@@motobob Yeah as with all bikes there's positives and negatives. I do think £7k is a touch high for the Rally when the engine is a 450 single. Having said that I thought £9k was too high for the Scrambler but I managed to screw the dealer down t £7k for a pre-reg so I wouldn't be losing that much money. Obviously no such deals on the Rally with it being so new. The Fantic dealer nearest to me also does SWM (another Chinese engined bike put together in Italy) so I may test the SWM 6 days 440 while I'm there. It's not as pretty as the Caballero but is only £5k.
For actual off road, this is likely to be way better than a Triumph. Who can really use 1,000cc plus in the dirt effectively?
i have scambler version , very fun to ride.
Hi. I really this bike but wonder, how is the reliability?
any update on reliability?
Really nice, although I'd definitely opt for the flattracker version! I got the chance to take the new Mash motorcycles dirt tracker 6.5 out and it's really opened my eyes to torquey, mid capacity singles! I'm seriously thinking about downsizing from my bandit 12 as they are so much fun at far lower speeds and under far less pressure than on bigger bikes. The 6.5 felt good up to 70, was light, cheerful and plain fun.
Must check that out too! I’ll keep my eyes peeled
Did you ever get the flat tracker?
Good reviews as always, sir.
I'd love to see this ridden off-road in the right hands. I bet it's great fun.
Nice little bike to toot around on singles lanes and some offroad tracks, looks wise doesnt blow me out of the water but thats very subjective, there is really some good options now for these types and capacity of bikes which is really nice to see. Nice one as always MotoBob 👍
Cheers Toby!
I would love Yamaha to bring out a modern XT500. Same kind of looks as the original but with a more Powerful engine. And decent off road suspension.
I would trust the reliability of the Yamaha SCR 950 and Teneres, and Kawasaki Versys 300 and 650 more.
That is a good looking bike. I like it.
It is one of the coolest scramblers out there and definitely one of the few having REAL off-road potential! I love this bike! I was right about to buy RE Interceptor, but since I discovered this one, I’m not so sure, since the option to ride some rougher stuff as well sounds very intriguing.
Get RE Himalayan as well. I love it 😁
If only Triumph could come up with something like this -half the 1200 to a 600 single? Remember the 250 Trailblazer? Thanks for the review btw excellent and what a scrambler should look like!
They were listening to you
They were 😅
I have bought the Scrambler version, I'm heading off to Spain for the winter (lucky me) and wanted a lighter bike to go in my campervan. I'm only 5'7" but the dealer (MHB motorcycles) sorted the suspension, no problems. It's a gutsy lightweight flickable bike, loves the corners, and has enough grunt to make me laugh out loud. I would compare it favourably with the CCM spitfire scrambler I had, but £3600 cheaper, that pays for loads of touring & fuel, and not loads different in performance..….. The chinese are definitely making their way, lots of European bikes have chinese parts, we just don't hear about it. Yet. Anyway, good review as usual fella.
Can you update us on return?
I’m also thinking of getting the scambler, i’m 173cm(5’8)
How is it holding up, eny issues?
How's it holding up after a year? Heard a lot of negative reviews on the dealer/manufacturer support when something breaks...
Looks and sounds awsome! Never seen the brand before.
It sounds lovely. I'd like to see on the dirt
Nice video, thank you for sharing, can't find anywhere the fuel economy for the 125, 250 and 500
Yep Il get if I can find one in Australia,,bring on the zong🍀
Chinese engineering and manufacturing in terms of engines seem to be improving. There's a huge difference between this and things like the Benellis.
Benelli is a Chinese engine,,,
Benelli and Fantic and both Italian but made in china
@@danielkerr4100 Only the Fantic engine was built in China, the rest of the bike was built in Italy, the 2025 model has it's engine built in Italy, with upgrades, so now an all Italian bike.....
Benelli leoncino trail is just over 5k and 500cc so that would get my money i hope you get a chance to try one and compare.
I'll keep it in mind - cheers for the suggestion Des
… it weighs a lot more though!
I rode one today. A nice simple fun bike!
what was your top speed vs cruising speed? :)
How'd it go on load up in a low gear,and can chain - noise ,valve bounce?
@@grid_keeper7889 As with all bikes its very difficult to make any real assessment when the bike is not set up 100% for you. I normally spend time adjusting levers foot pedals so everything feels just so, then you can get a much better idea of the bike and how well it can perform. Unfortunately this isn't possible on most demo rides, but as I said its a well made fun bike. Its an off road biassed bike, so it is low geared but I couldn't detect any noise from the chain or the valve train. Also, the exhaust is pretty loud which drowns out most things, noise wise...
@@dietmarlienhart4308 top speed 152km/h-95mph gps actual speed-cruising speed-beyond 130kmh-80mph the air starts to be a bit uncomfortable
Good looking bike for sure 🏄♂️🏄♂️🏄♂️
Very nice bike well built and handling is great higher clearance and firm stance I’d buy it looks great and plenty of low end torque nice Italian scrambler
Without having tried one it's probably the closest to my ideal bike. I want a light and low tech bike with good suspension travel and, because there's no point pretending otherwise, I want a scrambler for the superior looks. 45 (?) BHP is a little low but my current bike with 75 is more than I need and given the A2 cut off it's hard to find bikes between the 40's and the 70's in my limited experience. I guess the thinking is that once you're no longer A2 compliant you might as well dial it up a little. Not everyone travels light.
I want this bike so much and you've not lessened my wistfulness.
What helps considering the brakes it’s also possibly those Bybre calipers are radially mounted not axial so floating disc 320 mm and 150 kg bike they have to be enough. Even though those are not highest spec like Brembo.
I have this exact model and absolutely love it..
Still got it? Reliability? I’m looking at one soon
Great review Bob, I bin following this bike for ages it's a looker for sure, I ride a 2006 MT03 a Lardy beast but would chop it in tommorrow for one of these as a run around, apart from weight and cc is it a similar ride ?
I rode one myself and loved it
I see you one of the best bikes reviewer now days on YouTupe .Would you please do a review on Africa Twin Sport Adventure 2020. Thanks.
I live in the Paris region and I"ve come back to riding after many years off. I've just been through a series of bikes in rapid succesion, Tiger 900GT pro, GS1250r, Aprilia Tuono 660 and now I am considering this! Paris keeps bringing in new measures to penalise riders. The whole city now has an 18mph limit!! And soon all bikes will have to pay 1,000 euros per year to park anywhere in Paris! You get fined 135 euros for overtaking in a bus lane. Just sold my Aprilia as I used it mainly for Paris and some weekend jaunts. I was wondering if this little Fantic wouldn't be worth it just for going around the suburbs and a bit beyond? Do the Scorpion grip well and can you corner on this bike? I guess it's not it's primary purpose. Cheers.
Great review @motobob! I’m having a mid-life crisis and tossing up between this and a Triumph 400x as a first bike. Any advice?? Enjoying all your reviews. Cheers
I just discovered this bike the other day. I like the look and sound plus the rugged appeal. Where do you get this bike? I live in the US so it probably is not here. A lot of bikes like this don 't make it here but I could be wrong. Do you know where this bike is available? What is similar to it the Triumph and Ducait scrambler? If so those bikes just don't look as good for some reason. Do you have any suggestions? I like this kind of bike. Do you think this could be an all arounder, commuter etc?
This thing is cool. Thanks for the info. 👍
👍
I love the look of these bikes, more so for the tracker in Matt black 👌👌👌😎😎😎😎
There’s something about olive-green that says “simplicity” - I like! I also like the review, but I’d of liked you to actually adjust the suspension. In my experience, some of the less expensive bikes offer suspension adjustments that do little to virtually nothing.
It looks like my XT500, I am satisfied but if you are looking for a bike right now and want a new one and not a 35 years old one, I would not hesitate. I think most modern bikes are so heavy, this is 150kg, 43 hp, nice..
Mmm had to double take some bits of this video as I recognise some of the locations - even had a pint at one of the drinking estabishments only yesterday by a strange coincidence,but as for the Bike yes it looks the part,i think I prefer he Flat Tracker one tbh,but this sector seems to be getting ever more popular and competitive now.£7k can get you a lot of choice,i would like to see how the Herald Brute compares to this when its available,but as a back road Scatcher if I was really sold on this one I think it would be worth it.
That’s a nice little bike,
Looks a bit more reliable than my Fantic GT6 50 I had back in 78 !
Thanks, this is the best video I have seen so far of the bike. I have a question you may struggle to answer (although you have to some extent by quoting your height.. ) Would I possibly find this a little small being 6'2"? The way the footpegs are designed, with the rear brake off the same point on the right side, might it be possible to lower them slightly in some way? Thanks
It look like the former Fantic Caballero 50cc from the 80"". Cool!
It’s half the price of the 1200 Triumph Scrambler, and it’s still a bit expensive for what it is. But I plan to pick-up a used one in a year or 2. That way I can buy it for 4500,5000€ which makes it affordable and the price it should cost as new. In my mind at least should not cost more than 6000€ brand new. If it was that price allot more people would buy it as a second bike. Because it’s perfect as a second bike to go have a weekend blast on gravel roads.
Great video BOB, beautiful bike looks very funny I had seen these bikes in motocross, I can't comment on the engine but for the most reliable Yamaha and Honada engines above Triumph and Ducati although I'm a big fan of Ducatiiiiiiiii and Triumph but it doesn't compare to the reliability of Yamaha and Honda, as a Scrambler motorcycle I like the Ducati Scrambler Desert, compared to the Fantic I can't say why I never tried a Fantic
Btw the 125 doesn’t have a Chinese built engine but Italian. ( ex Yamaha engine )
Fun and lightweight bike to have fun off-road. What about the reliability?
I’d love to have a reasonable sized scrambler. The 500 or even the 250 look amazing, I just want a bike that is nice and light and with plenty of punch in the throttle on small back roads. I don’t think I’m the only one so come on Yamaha, where is XT500???
thx for the vid very enjoyable - whats the range- tank size ?
12l tank, ~180-250 km per tank, huge gap, guess according to owners depending on riding style
@@dietmarlienhart4308 thx appreciated
The engine is manufactured in China but I have read that is designed by Ricardo, in Shoreham By Sea in England, which design top engines for many well known manufacturers.
Thats interesting to hear, i just wrote the manufacturers today i want to see if we get one overseas here in Thailand. Bit of a unicorn bike to me and i like to hear about the engine details more..Kove getting into the market will be interesting this year too.
Good review, thanks. What jacket is that you're wearing?
Good review … Have you ever thought of buying some more purposeful riding boots ?
It certainly helps this dwarf at 5ft 6 inch when riding my Scrambler XC
Cheers Paul - yes I've been mulling over it. But most days I just ride to work and back through London so not much need for adventure kit. But some snug, waterproof structured boots might be in order with winter only just round the corner. Got a Scrambler XE coming for test soon! Got it for a couple of weeks. Very excited :)
@@motobob You will definitely need to get some decent thick soled boots if you are going to ride the XE. It's mahoosive !
As it is a Chinese motor, how long is the service interval?
1000, 5000, 10000, 15000, 20000,...
@Ticky Tocky and you would know this because.....?
@@CountvonCount33 Because we don't know what's behind that Chinese motor nor Fantic Motor proudly says anything about it.
Once you buy the bike you're left struggling with the dealer, good luck with that!
I have read recently that this specific motor has been developed in partnership with those tasked with development of the engine for Norton's Atlas. If that is the case then I would not worry about it so long as it is maintained as recommended.
@@schmang8198 "I have read recently" it's the same as saying "someone said trees can fly".
Man I saw the bike with my eyes and I can say that the quality is very low, it really gives the feeling of a cheap $2 tool you buy in a Chinese hardware shop.
Well it certainly looks nice.
Bellissimo!
Love this review, this is really a fantastic looking bike!
A question: is the fueltank made of plastic or is it a metal tank?
Maybe you found already out. The cover is plastic. The tank is made by aluminium or thin
The splutter had me!
What would it cost me to get this bike shipped to the US?
🤷♂️
Fuel injected? Aluminum frame? Aftermarket parts?
Are the tyres tubed or tubeless? What’s the top speed? Does it run out of ‘puff’ early in the rev range? Did you take it off road?
Not sure on the tyres or top speed. It rides best between 3-6k revs and perhaps if you were on long open stretches it would feel a bit short on top-end. But for back-road blasts it's really good fun. No proper off-roading, but plenty of the tight lanes we were on had terrible surfaces and gravel across the road. Never felt out of grip with the tyres, and the suspension eats up the bumps well. The weight is helpful too.
interesting bike, but 7k for the chineese engine and simple motorcycle??? If it would be priced more like Enfield it could be a good choice, but defo not now
Don't tell this a BMW F rider 😎
Where do you think bmw etc engines are made? It also has arrow exhaust and Brembo brakes.
The susps are 200mm (scrambler) and 250 rally.. not 150 and 200 😄
Nope
Omega1136 i was wrong 🤦🏻♂️🙌🏼
I want to ride on highway in city and some off-road which one should I go for ? Scrambler flat tracker or rally ? I believe I might have more road but it's India
what is top speed, anyone has one rally 500 already and can tell?
Haven’t you ridden a cable throttle on the R9T recently?
Was hoping you’d take it off-road
Looks great, if Fantic do a rally 700 with the CP2 then they can take my money 💰 🎉❤
@I_am_Thursdaygood to know, tks, tried the CCM Maverick and it defs has a bit more dual sport ability, a bit like a Husky 701 😎 a nice bike if pricey but lacked the CP2’s urge
SWM, MASH, Benelli, some BMW, ...all made in China. But the fit and finish can be very different, and the experience can vary immensely because you're in the hands of the distributor/dealer's good will and honesty,...and the time you can spare on the garage floor. Fortunately, I'm fluent in English, French, Dutch and German which helps reading lots of useful comments on some brands. For the moment, I'd stay away from Mash and SWM. Benelli is a mixed bag, as are the Chinese built BMW. Then again, with time, improvements are possible...
Any particular reason you'd stay away from Mash and SWM?
Unfortuntaly they are the 2 brands that come close to what I'm looking for. The Mash X-ride 650, supposedly coming with a 21" front wheel version this year, would be my top pick, and the SWM Six Days 500 comes second.
Man if only Yamaha would bring back the original 80-90's styled but upgraded XT250 and XT500, I'd buy that in a heart beat!
A lot a lot a lot troubles with my brand New Rally500 and factory not even react ! My dealer self is lost by so much troubles and no Fantic Motor response ! A real shame
Any updates on this? I was kinda liking this bike but some reports of non existing support by the manufacturer makes me very hesitant.
What about the mileage? How many lts per 100km?
Where they used Brembo brakes and Marzocchi suspension on the 700, they really cheaped out this one. With a Chinese engine, Indian brakes and wherever they're from suspension.
So I am really curious on how this bike will be after let's say 20.000 kms or some intensive use in dirt after 5 years. Is it a cheap pearl, or a turd wrapped in fancy wrapping?!
I think this bike is over priced when you consider you could get a T7 Yamaha for less than £1500 more. Just saying if it was a £1000 less I think they would have a real winner here
Why? Because of a name? The Yamaha weighs 200kg, useless for off-road.
Do you often talk such utterly laughable shite? 🤣
That guy in front must have got pissed off with you following him! ;)
Available in Australia $12,999 to $13,999 plus on road costs . Just way to expensive
How much do you own?
Ah yes........The play station generation, they are a breed apart.
😂
Bekesbourne - Patrixbourne - Bridge
It's a good looking bike. I think it would make a good city bike too. But for a little bit more you could buy a new Tenere 700 with almost double the horsepower and much better all round capabilities.
The tenere looks awesome I agree. Must have a go on one
@@motobob Peach of an engine too!
When you look at it like that then the Fantic has to be over priced.
I think if it was 6k rather then 7k it would make a lot more sense
Tenere has 74 bhp but weighs 206 kg, caballero 43 bhp and weighs 145 kg, for off road bikes go for the lighter weight every time. The tenere is more use on road but the Fantic will be better as a scrambler/ off roader especially as Fantic are a well respected off road specialist.
Lovely bike
Very good, I like it🤙
Tubeless or tube type rims?
whooot.. ? where can I buy one? :o))
Krazy Horse deal them in the UK
Why oh why can't we get these in the U.S..... it's Euro 5 compliant!
Se lo chiamavano Cross non era lo stesso ?
No plastic guards around the fuel tank, no handguards. If I take that off road, I'm going to drop it eventually and bang it up - spoiling those pretty looks. Too bad, I like it overall.
You’re a shit rider then, so stick to roads
@@colinsmith1412 I can see you've NEVER actually done off road. If you do single track in the mountains, you WILL drop your bike. If you don't drop it, you're not doing real off road. Even World Champions like Jarvis drop the bike. It's funny when "bikers" like you display their ignorance in an attempt to impress people. Thanks for the laughs at your expense, noob. Hahaha!
CABAYERO CANYONEEEERRRO
What I would like is this bike but with 17 inch wheels front and rear and shod with Michelin road 6 tires. I bet it would be a big seller. Let’s call it the Caballero 500 Supermotard.
Check the Mash X-Ride 650 Classic, it's pretty close to what you describe.