Fantic Motor

Fantic Motor is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1968 by Mario Agrati and Henry Keppel-Hesselink.

History

Fantic Motor began in 1968 by manufacturing and exporting enduro motorcycles, mini-bikes and go-karts. Today they continue in the same genre, with the descriptions changed to the modern categories of dual-sport and motard. In 2016 they returned to the US market as . In 2015 Fantic launched new models of electric bikes, called the Fat Bike. and has now a complete line of eMTB and commuter electric bikes.

Fantic began exporting to the United Kingdom in 1972, as part of a wave of manufacturers who took advantage of "sixteener laws", legislation that forbade sixteen-year-old motorcyclists from riding motorcycles up to 250 cc, as they had been used to. As a result, European and Japanese manufacturers exported their sporty and lightweight below-50cc engines, which had been common in Europe, to England also. Fantic produced a "sensational chopper moped" and a TI ("Tourismo Internazionale)," both of which became very popular quickly, pp. 5–10. with the reputation of being some of the fastest mopeds on the market, going as fast as 70 mph.

From the 1970s until the early 1980s, Fantic produced a series of 50cc mopeds called Fantic Motor Lei. The Fantic Motor motorcycles were first imported into the U.K. in 1972 by Barron Eurotrade Ltd whose headquarters were based at 51 High Street Hornchurch, Essex. The idea of forming the company and importing the Fantic came about because one of the founders saw the 50cc 'Chopper' model publicised in an American motorcycle magazine that his brother in law sent him from the States. The U.K. market of learner riders had several other makes of what were classed as Mopeds, (Motor and Pedals), but the Fantic T.I. quickly gained popularity with the rapid growth of a dealer network. The six speed gearbox was a strong selling point, and the perky Italian Minarelli 49cc engine proved to be very reliable. Stories of the T.I. model reaching 70 mph were an exaggeration, as only just over 50-55 mph could be achieved, and in the right conditions. The 125cc Chopper model could top 80 mph, as Terence Shea found when the model was first demonstrated to him at the Fantic factory in Barzago, Italy. He test rode the new 125cc chopper model, reaching a top speed . The chopper model was the original inspiration which the new U.K. importer saw as very special and distinct for a niche market, and fame grew. Part of the original marketing and advertising included a Fantic 125cc chopper model being given to comedian Dick Emery. There were many photos of Dick Emery with Terry Shea and Frank Harris of the U.K. importer, and one was blown up very large which showed Terence Shea standing next to the 'bike with his hand on the handlebars with Dick Emery sitting on it. Another popular model was the 125cc Caballero was for on/off-road, which was for a different sector of the market. The market for these types of Mopeds only lasted a handful of years. The official U.K. importers glossy studio photograph of the 125cc Chopper model was taken in London, and Terence Shea and Frank Harris of the Barron Eurotrade importer was taken from Hornchurch to London on a trailer towed by car. There was confusion in central London as to which turn to take at one particular junction on the way to the studio, which resulted in the trailer having to be unhooked and physically turned around in the narrow road and extremely busy area for the correct journey to the studio to be continued, much to the amusement of onlookers.

In the 1980s, Fantic enjoyed success in the Observed trials world championships, taking three titles as well as seven wins at the prestigious Scottish Six Days Trial.

In October 2020, Fantic bought Minarelli from Yamaha.

Racing

Grand Prix motorcycle In the 2005 season, Fantic competed in the 250cc championship as Scuderia Fantic Motor GP.

MotoGP 250cc class Fantic Motor is a new entry in the 2005 250cc world championship, Arnaud Vincent be a rider.

Results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Season Class Team Motorcycle Tyre No. Rider 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos. Point 250cc Scuderia Fantic Motor GP Yamaha-Suter 250 20 Gabriele Ferro SPADNQ POR13 CHN FRADNQ ITADNQ CAT21 NEDDNQ GBR18 GERDNQ CZEDNQ JPNDNQ MALDNQ QATDNQ AUSDNQ TURDNQ VALDNQ NC 0 21 Arnaud Vincent SPARet PORRet CHN FRADNQ ITARet CATRet NED24 GBRRet GERRet CZE18 JPNRet MALRet QATRet AUSRet TURRet VALRet NC 0

Moto2 sponsorship In the 2023 season, Fantic Motor competes in the Moto2 world championship but is the main sponsor of the VR46 Racing Team with its two riders, Celestino Vietti and Borja Gómez.

Race results

Year Class Team name Motorcycle No. Riders Races Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points Pos. Moto2 Fantic Racing Kalex Moto2 13 Celestino Vietti 17 1 2 2 1 116 10th 72 Borja Gómez 13 0 0 0 0 0 30th 9 Mattia Casadei 7 0 0 0 0 0 40th 43 Lorenzo Baldassarri 1 0 0 0 0 0 45th Moto2 Fantic Racing Kalex Moto2 20 Xavi Cardelús 18 0 0 0 0 0 31st 44 Arón Canet 19 4 8 6 6 234 2nd 31 Roberto García 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1 Moto2 Fantic Racing Lino Sonego Kalex Moto2 7 Barry Baltus 22 0 7 1 2 232 3rd 44 Arón Canet 22 1 6 1 0 227 4th Fantic Racing Redemption 54 Mattia Pasini 2 0 0 0 0 0 37th Moto2 Fantic Racing Kalex Moto2 7 Barry Baltus 7 0 0 0 0 31.5* 11th* 14 Tony Arbolino 7 0 0 1 0 24* 14th*

KeyRegular riderWildcard rider

By season (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Motorcycle Tyres Riders 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Points Points Points Kalex Moto2 POR ARG AME SPA FRA ITA GER NED GBR AUT CAT RSM IND JPN INA AUS THA MAL QAT VAL Celestino Vietti 11 13 9 Ret 4 5 10 10 12 1 10 2 DNS Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 116 10th 116 10th 462.5 1st Borja Gómez 17 21 20 19 23 17 DNS Ret Ret 16 20 18 16 24 0 27th Mattia Casadei 26 24 Ret 21 21 26 25 0 40th Lorenzo Baldassarri 23 0 42nd Kalex Moto2 QAT POR AME SPA FRA CAT ITA NED GER GBR AUT ARA RSM EMI INA JPN AUS THA MAL SLD Xavi Cardelús 23 Ret 26 17 21 16 23 DNS Ret 26 22 27 23 Ret 25 20 20 21 23 0 31st 234 7th 437 1st Arón Canet 10 1 9 DNS 6 Ret 6 Ret Ret 2 4 Ret 2 2 1 16 2 1 8 1 234 2nd Roberto García Ret Ret 0 NC Kalex Moto2 THA ARG AME QAT SPA FRA GBR ARA ITA NED GER CZE AUT HUN CAT RSM JPN INA AUS MAL POR VAL Barry Baltus 6 12 7 6 2 2 Ret 3 11 Ret 2 2 7 12 10 2 7 4 6 3 5 Ret 232 3rd 459 1st 518 1st Arón Canet 2 4 4 1 8 3 4 6 3 2 7 Ret 10 6 Ret 7 15 3 9 15 4 15 227 4th Mattia Pasini Ret 22 0 37th Kalex Moto2 THA BRA AME QAT SPA FRA CAT ITA HUN CZE NED GER GBR ARA RSM AUT JPN INA AUS MAL POR VAL Barry Baltus 14 14 6 Ret Ret 13 8 24* 14th* 55.5* 5* 157.5* 1st* Tony Arbolino 13 7 10 8 14 17 11 31.5* 11th* Season still in progress.

Current models Motard

Fantic XM 50: Performance or Competition Fantic XMF 125: Performance or Competition

Scrambler

Fantic Caballero 125: Scrambler or Flat track Fantic Caballero 500: Scrambler, Flat track or Rally Fantic Caballero 700: Scrambler

Scooter/Moped

Fantic Issimo: Moped Fantic Issimo City: Scooter

Enduro/Motocross Fantic XE 50: Enduro Fantic XE 125: Enduro Fantic XE 300: Enduro Fantic XEF 125: Enduro Fantic XEF 250: Enduro Fantic XEF 300: Enduro Fantic XEF 450: Enduro Fantic XX 125: Motocross Fantic XX 250: Motocross Fantic XXF 250: Motocross Fantic XXF 450: Motocross

Rally Fantic XEF Rally 450 Fantic XEF Rally Factory 450

Sport/Naked

Fantic Stealth 125: Naked Fantic Stealth 500: Naked Fantic Imola 125: Sport Fantic Imola 500: Sport

Past models

Standard

Fantic Caballero 250 Fantic Strada 125

Enduro

Fantic Raider 125 Fantic TZ 50 (also known as Caballero 50) Fantic TZ 125 (also known as Caballero 125) Fantic TZ 150 (also known as Caballero 150) Fantic TZ 300 (also known as Caballero 300)

Motard

Fantic Motard Casa 50 (currently sold as the XM 50) Fantic Motard Casa 125 (currently sold as the XMF 125) Fantic Motard Casa 250 Fantic Supersei 50 Fantic Supersei 125

Trial Fantic Trial 125 Fantic Trial 200 Fantic Trial 300

Chopper Fantic Chopper Moped

Fantic Motor

Bron en licentie