You could be forgiven for reading this and having no idea what a Fantic actually is. Fantic Motors, hailing from Italy, has been around since 1968 with its most famous model being the Caballero which won global time trials and off-road races back in the 70s. Present day, while still producing different iterations of the Caballero, Fantic now also produces many off-road and enduro models with its flagship motocross model being the Fantic XXF 450.
The XXF 450 is based around the Yamaha YZ450F, using the Yamaha frame and engine while adding some extra pieces here and there. The XXF450 gets a full Arrow exhaust system as well as a GET ignition system which is tuned by Fantic to provide the rider with different maps from mild to wild. The suspension, while being the same KYB units seen on the YZ450F, is completely tuned by Fantic.
Riding the Fantic is quite the experience. It is the closest thing you can get to buying a professional race machine in production form. The Fantic power is aggressive and strong enough to make any professional racer smile. The suspension comes with a firm race-type setup that has great fine-tuning adjustability.
Finding a secondhand Fantic XXF 450 could be quite difficult and if you are actually lucky enough to do so then I would suggest buying it, as you aren’t likely to find another one in a hurry. The XXF 450 is a relatively new model so unless someone has cartwheeled it then it is likely going to be in pretty decent condition.
An added bonus is if you need any parts then 90% of the Yamaha parts will fit and therefore be easy to source.
If you do happen to find a secondhand Fantic then make sure it starts easily and idles with no rattles or knocks and doesn’t blow any smoke. Ride the bike and make sure the clutch doesn’t slip and that the engine selects all gears. Any cosmetic stuff like scratches and bent levers or even leaking fork seals are easy fixes but any internal engine damage can be expensive and if present then the bike should be priced accordingly.
NEW
2024 $21,599
SECONDHAND
2024 $15,950 – $18,950
MARKET EQUIVALENT
2024 Honda CRF450R
$10,700 – $12,750
2024 Suzuki RM-Z450
$10,500 – $12,450
2024 Kawasaki KX450F
$10,200 – $12,150
2024 KTM 450 SX-F
$11,500 – $13,700
