First Impressions On A Unique Scrambler | Fantic Caballero 500 Rally
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- #fantic500rally #chroniclesofsolid #fanticcabarello
This is a quick first impressions review of the intriguing Fantic Caballero 500 Rally. Is it a scrambler or is it an adventure motorcycle in hiding? Most of the audio was corrupted and lost so apologies for the lack of a ride along footage with sound.
Thanks for watching,
COS - Авто та транспорт
Excellent bike. Head gasket and heating issues solved with the Euro 5 model revamp released in 2021.
I have done 4000 km on my Caballero Flat Track in Portugal and Spain and I love it. Brilliant.
I don't think we have Fantic in the States ,but I love the look of this bike.
The sweet spot for displacement and it's a looker! I agree though Solid, 15L+ would be better and save the purchaser money.
The Caballero is a cult bike here in Italy. The original model's name was inspired by a "teen oriented" brand of cigarettes of the 60's, crazy times. Now it's a good Chinese/Italian hybrid retro scrambler, it has now become a huge hit on the national level.
I always assumed it was named after Steve Cabellero the skateboarder, as he's an ambassador for "wheels and waves" the vintage /retro bike scene .
@@whitecompany18 Nope, but apparently I was partially wrong. The CEO of Fantic during the 60's was a heavy smoker of this peculiar ducth cigarettes brand, and so the Caballero was born. Others like to say that that the inspiration came from another NSFW source, an Italian pornographic magazine from the same era, but it's an unproven hypothesis.
Pretty neat looking bike!
You sir have a distinct advantage over us Yanks, having access to some really cool machines 🙌. There's a lot I like about this bike,, too many to rehash in this response. But the lack of mass(weight) is #1 IMHO.
It also is a very good looking Scooter. Reminds me of the big Triumph Scrambler in colour and styling 😍👍.
Thanks for sharing this with us Solid. We likely won't ever get it 🤦♂️🇺🇲.
Cheers 🍻, G.
As an owner of the Scrambler version :
1. The switchgear has been changed to a more normal setup-personally I prefer the quirky older style and you get used to it.
2. The standard scrambler loses 50mm of travel and some adjustability, but it’s even sharper than the Rally which makes it a hoot.
3. Front brake is adequate compared to the Brembo setup on my Vitpillen 701, but the rear brake is fantastic.
4. The engine is weird, it happily manages 30 mph in 5th gear which is amazing for a little single. Top speed is in the low 90s.
5. It’s surprisingly frugal if you ignore the light -65mpg, so that 12 litre tank does get around 180 miles or a very brave 200.
6 The bike gives me confidence off road and I’ve never had a dual-sport so it’s great for a mucky stuff novice.
7. Not had any issues in 1300 miles and a years use, that’s not far, but I’ve heard horror stories of Chinese engines disintegrating at a few miles.
how does it sit at 60 to 70 mph? could it hold that speed for time?
The engine is made by zongcheng , the same company that makes lots of bike engines for big companys like KTM. This enginz happens to be a KTM licensed engine. So no KTM stamp but the same specs.
@@zacbell03 Easily. 65mph is a perfect speed. It will hold 80+ if you can hang on because the upright bars make that quite difficult.
@@EleaRevils I don’t think it’s a KTM engine. It was designed by Ricardo’s specifically for Fantic as I understand it, there is another company using it now.
@@nockianlifter661 yeah, I bought the scrambler deluxe recently. I did 85mph without any trouble. Apparently it’ll max at at just over 100 but I’m not trying that
hey good review , funny how you pick the indicators , but i have just restored a 1984 Yamaha SR185 and it has the same thing , all the older bikes i can remember had the manual turn off indicators , it is a little fiddly but , is what is was back then , the drum brakes were too . .enjoy what ever we ride . cheers Steve/Geraldton
It is a damn good looking bike. Looks exactly as a Scrambler should. Reminds me of my youth and a Honda SL 350 I had back in '73. My '99 TW200 has a turn switch like that. Annoying but you get used to it. You hit the one big 'hmmm' right on the head, will it last and will I be able to get parts.
Great 1st impression / review.
I had one for a few months. It is fun. But found it ran really hot, didn’t like slow technical trails.
Fine on twisty roads, but don’t think the engine/clutch would take long term off roading.
I used to have to park it up to cool down after any slow uphill trails.
I guess the Caballero 700 will be an instant hit once it comes out, especially if they make a rally version of that too. Combining that gorgeous bike with the awesome Yamaha CP2 motor will be just perfect.
Funny, it's got to the dealership in Austraila, but has not reached the Balkans yet.
Thank you for the review, I've been looking for one! No idea how I missed yours at the time...
Stunning looking bike, hope will come out with flat track version.
I have followed theses bikes for some time , and seen most reviews to date . Probably the most comprehensive was 2 guys ( European ) both done around 23kms on each bike on a long term test over 12 months ( with a few MASSIVE big off road trips to VERY nasty 🤮 terrain. Both blew head gaskets between 16-20000kms . Gauges fogged up when rained ( but still worked ) I think 🤔 that was it . The blinker switch has changed apparently for 22 - not sure what year model you ride
I heared about those head gasket problems. Supposedly it was a jetting issue, which was solved with a remap. Supposedly..
I had one for a few months.
Dash deff isn’t waterproof.
My headlight failed.
But my main complaint was the engine gets really hot in trail/off road type riding.
If all i did was short commutes on twisty roads, it’s great. And fun.
But I didn’t really trust it on the trails.
What even nobody tells is ,that the maintenance intervalls are every 5000 km,thats poor and expensive!
@@vogelwild382 Not for a dirt based single cylinder bike ( all my 400-650 single ADV/ Enduro bikes I have owned I done oil changes 5000 MAX , depending on how much dirt I road . Oil is cheaper than a engine
@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 thanks for your quick response.if it only was an oilchange,but i read sometghing from valve adjusting and more.unfortunatetley my mechanic skills are very poor.thats why i wouldn t trust me to purchase it.
I hope this bike starts a new time of logical motorcycles, but perhaps it's an unreal hope
Great little bike any news on the CRF300L specially the suspension I recall you produced a poll some time back to date not seen any further news?
Not available in the States so I get to avoid the hand wringing over getting one or not. :)
Ref. the indicators - Italians don't use them so not an issue over here! 😁 I've followed this bike from the start and my biggest issue is the bulge in the right hand side panel, which hinders the standing position. The Chinese engine has been around for a long time in different guises, so politics aside I wouldn't have an issue with it.
I was looking hard at the Fantic 500 as an option for my next bike. I read and watched a lot of online reviews, including some Italian footage of the bike being run around an MX course. I was quite tempted, until a local dealer told me that they have a poor record for reliability. That was enough to dissuade me, so I opted for the other bike that was under consideration - the Honda CRF300L.
The reliabilty problem has been solved on the Euro5 models.
Heat is a common issue on scramblers you need to wrap the pipe under exhaust shield it made all the difference on my BMW X-Country which has similar setup
*Fourteen and a half*
Jeezus. I thought you were going to say 7 grand and I was prepared to think it was over priced.
I wonder if a remap would solve the overheating issues I'm seeing reported... That's one hot little 450 if not!
Had my scrambler for just over a year now. Done 6500 miles and not really had any problems. Had the crush drive replaced at 600 mile service. It was a common fault but has now been sorted. Can't say i ever had a problem with the switch gear. Would i want a bigger tank? Maybe but i can get over a 100 miles on a tank and for most of my rides that's enough
The crossbar is an excellent place for a GoPro!
I rode one a few weeks ago and liked it but I then rode the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 and at $8200 (bargain) with fully adjustable WP suspension, 12k red line and lighter than the Carallero 500.
I did look big on it at 187cm but it was a blast to ride plus super easy to pickup as it is small.
Another one I must ride!
@@chroniclesofsolid you'll love it, it's like a big pit bike, small scrambler but with all top quality parts..... and very cheap so people won't mind trashing them.
Issues like low exhaust are easily fixed by firing the Duke exhaust
I watched a Yammy Noob vid on the 401 recently and it looks great. You can get them for about 6K near new, cheap as.
greetings fellow perthian! awesome stuff mate! I recognise that Dale Britton Dealership who sells this awesome bike and just wanted to ask , would you recommend this bike for a first motorbike? most reviews says that this is LAMS approved but it wasn't listed in the DOT's official list of LAMS motorcycle.
Looks like there are no heating issues anymore - rented it in Spain recently (2021 model), was riding a lot with passenger when it was 35°C, didn't feel heat at all
I'd have one today in the US if it was available. Shame it isn't.
Sat on one but found it digs in right leg when standing for off road.
Italian and Chinese? Hope it comes with a good tool kit.
I love the look of that bike. But I would be afraid to use it off road. After jumping 40cm logs, dropping it on rocky river beds and flipping it on steep hills, that pretty tank would be a mess.
My problem is, any "off road" bike, I have a habit of pushing it further and further until it's getting trashed. 😉
its a plastic tank with a removable cover, its not too expensive to just replace it. same with all the other body work
Didn't even know these were in Aus!
Me either until I just about tripped over it😅
Absolutely love the look of these Fantic bikes but for a bike that has no or very little following/trust it’s too expensive. You said it yourself will there be dealer support or even parts availability in the next few years??
It's still a bike relegated to the domestic market. Here in Italy it has a HUGE success
I’ve found dealer support fine and parts arrive within days. Fantic own minarelli so future engines are likely to be essentially Yamaha. I love the Chinese motor though, it hasn’t given me any issues, the early gremlins of the first bikes have been solved. I haven’t had any heat issues, but there is a mod for the early bikes which lowers the thermostat setting and prevents air locks which developed on some bikes during production. It’s also been extensively remapped. I think it’s good value for money, even with the potential for things to go wrong, it’s fun factor to price is unbelievable.
@@ILCARCIOFOROSSOIs it really true that the new 500s no longer overheat?
@chroniclesofsolid which would you choose between the FANTIC 500 or Triumph 400x? Cheers
Are these available in the USA?
Are the $25 ebay mirrors standard?.....
When can we get this in the states
Seeing this little sweety, I got a thought.
Fantic borrows engines from Yamaha, eg. the 450 from WR450, right?
How about going the opposite way 'round?
Yamaha could re-use their WR250R-frame and fit this engine - job done!
Light, cheap dual sport with long service intervals that passes strict EU-emissions - go production - go!!
Tell me. About it.. I'm looking for a KLX 300SM in Oriental Blue/Ebony. My 145# ass on a bike like that will net me 70-80mpg in this time of absurd prices.
Are they available in the U.S. market?
Hi there,
Nice video!😉
Between the Fantic Rally 500 the CRF300L and the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, which would you choose?
Best Regards
For the TET the Honda, for the street the caballero, for be hugli the svartpile
@@bacciuelmagnifico5943
Hi Bacciu,
First of all Thanks for your answer!😉
I do not understand what TET and hugli mean?
By the way, what do you think of Beta ALP 200 or 4.0?
Best Regards
TET = trans euro trail
hugly = ugly
Beta Alp 200 = look like a 100% funbike
@@bacciuelmagnifico5943
Thanks Bacciu!😉
I want and need something nimble and light.
The Beta ALP 200 or 4.0 looks good to me.
What do you think?
The Montesa 4ride doesn't look too bad either...🤔
@@pauloestevao2693 😁 i would tray everything before I buy. I have the caballero Rally 500, its ok for that's I need it.
Is this bike imported to the USA?
I like this bike. Really nice dash and headlight. Shame it doesn't have cross-spoke wheels to enable tubeless tyres. Some cheap Chinese bikes do. I prefer the Scrambler model with the lower front mudguard, but I'll keep my 390 Duke, anyway.
Good review.
How do I buy one?
What engine is it and who makes it?
@I_am_Thursday ah yeah. Thank you. Bloody BMW! How do you feel about it? Do you trust Chinese engines knowing the history?
@I_am_Thursday 😂😂 Yeah, I'm with you there.
The Italian-Chinese combo is well demonstrated by Benelli. Can be a reasonable choice at a low price/good value point, but that seems like a steep price. Very nearly as much money as a T7, when converting to USD for the US market. Given that a CB500X is 10,500 AUD, I could not justify chosing this bike for $4,000 more than the CB for commuting and easy trail riding.
Looks great, but that is way too much money.
I would have a hard time walking past the CB as well
The CB isn't made in Japan either. And this bike has higher spec equipment. Honda has good reputation but that doesn't always make it the best.
Its gonna be a Dud...
Why?
@@masterbeernuts9344 because it's triple the right price?
Hey Bloke, I have admired these bikes for some time, I do however think they are overpriced, for lets face it a Chinese bike, have a look at the Benelli TRK 502X, a very reasonably priced bike out of China, and I'm sure they will be around for some time to come, unlike the dealers/importers of this great bike, although sometimes a great bike will go to the wayside due to nothing more than greed, and more times than not the guys bringing them in go broke, and then there is a hole left in the market, and while they still have importers ticket to these bikes, it prevents anyone else bringing them in, generally the guys bringing them in have big egos, and because they failed to supply a bike at a reasonable price, they generally prevent others from taking over from where they left off, as they might have the compliance thing going and they want a fortune to plate these bikes, and so there it goes, here today, and sadly gone tomorrow, peace love and pizza.....TB
How is this a Chinese bike? Anything but the engine (Zongshen) is either Italian or European brand: chassis (in-house Fantic), brakes (Bybre = Brembo brand for lower cc motorcycles), wheels, exhaust (Arrow) suspension (Ohlins), electric components (Continental, Bosh)..... Almost all of the metal components are CNC machined and it's assembled in Italy.
It definitely has some "Italian" quirks but the price reflects that it's not build in a third-world country (i.e. Triumphs now made in Thailand...). Labour in europe and quality parts are expensive, but the bike shows it when looking at it from detail. It's really well put together, and I'm saying this as an ex-owner of Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC.
BTW, they are planning to start producing their own engines in 2023-2024 (they already do for the racing division), as they've bough the engine R&D and manufacture plant Minarelli from Yamaha.
The engine is chinese yes. Made by Zongsheng , you would be suprised how many parts and engines they make for the big companys.
The engine in this one is a licensd KTM engine.
It has such a great sound, and what we heard was not more than 1,5 s of it. So thumbs down for video.
That's a lot of money when you can get a Svartpilen 401 for $10k
Much better than the Svartpilen 401: bigger engine, better touring and offrad capabilities, more comfortable
Svartpilen is just under 8k brand new out of the door... So about half the price of the caballero and it got better specs ( 44hp, lighter, fully adjustable WP suspensions, quick shifter... )
Any amalgamation with any chinese manufacturers puts me off. Safety is not their forte.
Engine is made in the same factory as some KTM and BMW motors.
@@mjohns5944made by CF motor, longcin or their sub CONtractors. No thanks to current KTM's and BMW's. . Unlike my KTM640 Adventure 100% Austrian.
Sounds way overpriced at $11K USD for that? I can get a Triumph for a little more and have twice the cc's. and double the fun Lol no thanks
Good luck finding such off-road capable retro styled bike that weights only 150kg dry from Triumph (or any other manufacturer).
If they sell more than 100 of these things then I’m a skinny Chinaman. Trash.
The Caballero has been in production since 2019 and has sold fairly well from what I've read so you best get your chop sticks ready.
Fantic has only been winning MX and enduro races left and right since 2017. They are an established brand. And these street legal bikes they are making are verry popular.
And how do you know they are trash?
@@EleaRevils They have been winning since the 70's
@@mjohns5944 yes.. they used to win on the 70´s ... but you forget they whent bankrupt and have not been see since 2006.
A ex-senior engineer from Ducati bought the company and produced new bikes around 2017. So they have been away for awhile.
@@EleaRevils fair comment. Didn't realise it was an ex Ducati engineer that bought the company. Thanks. Anyway... that aside ..I just bought one as a knockabout so i'm hoping for a bit of fun out of it.
Worthless info. I can't find a Fantic dealer in Texas or ANYWHERE close to Texas. No good to brag on an Italian bike that is unavailable in the U.S.A. What a waste of video.
Ho bisogno dell'aiuto di amici italiani. Cerco pistone diametro 47,5mm e piolo 13mm per motore Fantic con cilindro MF 369 (369.47.00.5100). Sarei grato per l'aiuto. Costretto