We’ve been talking quite a bit about Fantic recently. The Italian company managed to re-enter the spotlight in Europe thanks to a partnership with Yamaha, which injected new life into the aging brand. Fresh off the Dakar Rally, Fantic is now granting mere mortals access to its race-bred machines by releasing a new range of XEF 450 Rally machines. Two variants—Standard and Factory—are expected to hit the market as early as November, 2022.
Let's start with the XEF 450 Rally, which is the standard model. The Fantic 450s are built around the tried-and-true Yamaha WR450 platform, which includes a 450cc single-cylinder engine, an aluminum twin-spar frame, and KYB suspension. However, during the course of the XEF's two years of development, Fantic really utilized the engine and chassis as a starting point and added several improvements and unique parts designed to satisfy the needs of the most demanding adventurers.
