IMOLA 500 AND 125 – IMPOSSIBLE TO FORGET
Eagerly awaited by enthusiasts, the Fantic Imola arrives today in its final production configuration. It is the ultimate sporting expression of the Street family: a fully faired sports bike born on the track, with a character inspired by racing. Like the entire Fantic road range, it is available in two displacements, 500 and 125 cc, and is entirely designed and built in Italy. The name pays tribute to the town and circuit that have always embodied Italian motorsport passion, just 50 kilometres from the Motori Minarelli plant in Calderara di Reno, where the Imola is built. The Imola debuts with equipment that no other bike in its segment offers as standard: the new Fantic FRS suspension (Fantic Racing Suspension), premium-level components comparable to racing aftermarket parts, fitted as standard on the Imola 500. Engine: the “Cuore Italiano” (Italian Heart) in racing form The Imola 500 is powered by the MM460 single-cylinder engine, developed and built by Motori Minarelli: 463 cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC four-valve valvetrain with finger followers, Euro 5+ homologated. Compared with the Stealth 500, the Imola features a new dedicated airbox and exhaust header, which delivers a fuller, more linear power curve, and an even higher-performing racing piston that reduces inertia and makes the engine rev quickly and eagerly up to 10,500 rpm, delivering outstanding performance within the limits of the A2 licence. Fuelling is by electronic fuel injection with a 46 mm Ride-by-Wire throttle body, while the multi-plate wet slipper clutch and 6 speed gearbox ensure smooth downshifts and stability even under the most aggressive riding on track. The Imola 125 uses the well-proven Minarelli 125 cc four-stroke fuel-injected engine, with VVA (Variable Valve Actuation) variable valve timing and a slipper clutch: a benchmark for technology and performance in its class. Chassis: lightness, stiffness and mass centralisation The chassis design revolves around three principles: lightness, optimised stiffness and mass centralisation. The hybrid frame combines a steel trellis front section with forged aluminium side plates and a removable subframe: a solution unprecedented in the segment, providing the torsional rigidity needed for track riding and great precision through twisty and fast sections. The racing inspired aluminium swingarm with underbracing maximises traction and stability on corner exit. Compared with its sister model the STEALTH, it has a dedicated top triple clamp and clip-on handlebars independent of it, so they can be positioned to suit the rider. Every component is positioned to bring the centre of gravity down and towards the middle of the bike: the exhaust expansion chamber is housed low down, with a light high-mounted silencer, while the fuel tank is placed as close as possible to the centre of gravity. The Imola’s suspension comes from Fantic Racing Suspension (FRS), the project conceived, designed and developed entirely in-house by Fantic and described in detail in the dedicated section below. On the Imola 500, FRS uses the TRACK configuration, with a 43 mm TRACK43 upside-down fork with 130 mm of travel and a TRACK14 rear shock, both fully adjustable, including rear shock length: a specific setting for sports riding on road and track. The Imola 125 has a dedicated setting, with a preload adjustable rear shock. The ByBre braking system comprises a 320 mm front disc with radial-mount caliper and a 230 mm rear disc. The Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres (110/70-17 and 150/60-17) are fitted on lightweight 5-spoke aluminium wheels with a low moment of inertia. The result is exceptional lightness for a fully faired sports bike, translating into agility in changes of direction, shorter braking distances and immediate control: the ideal bike for those seeking maximum precision and responsiveness who want to enjoy the track without compromise. At 150 kg for the 500 and 130 kg dry for the 125, the Imola is the lightest in its class in both displacements. Technology: true sports bike electronics On the Imola 500, the inertial measurement unit (IMU) enables dual-channel ABS Cornering, switchable at the rear, and Traction Control. Four Riding Modes – Street, Wet, Track and Custom – combine the two engine maps (FUN and WET), traction control intervention and ABS management in perfect synergy, adapting the bike to every condition, from the daily commute to a track session. The Imola 125 offers Street and Track riding modes, with a single engine map and ABS Cornering available as an option. Equipment The Imola is equipped with a 5-inch TFT display, USB-C socket, twin-lens Full LED headlights and LED indicators. The full fairing, designed by the Fantic design centre and developed in the wind tunnel, provides aerodynamic protection and a sleek profile at speed. Ergonomics The riding position is sporty and compact: the clip-on handlebars, independent of the triple clamp, load the front end for precise turn-in, while the tank and seat are shaped around the rider to provide control and freedom of movement in changes of direction. A set-up born on the track, designed to heighten the pleasure of sports riding on the road too. The Imola comes in two liveries, Factory White and Racing Black. The first, Factory White, celebrates Fantic’s historic colours – white, red and blue – the same ones worn by the factory motocross and enduro bikes of the 2026 season. The second, Racing Black, has a black and red soul and echoes the colours in which the Fantic team has raced in recent years in the Moto2 World Championship. Prices and availability The Fantic Imola will be available from Fantic dealers from May 2027, at an Italian retail price of €6,990 for the Imola 500 and €5,990 for the Imola 125, including VAT.
FANTIC RACING SUSPENSION – FRS
It is one of the innovations Fantic is proudest of: Fantic Racing Suspension (FRS), the brand’s new line of high-end racing suspension. A 100% Fantic project: conceived, designed and developed entirely in-house by the company’s engineering team. Every component starts as a Fantic idea and is taken all the way through to the finished part.
Travel varies according to intended use:
CABALLERO 500 SUPERMOTO
With the Caballero 500 Supermoto, Fantic enters the motard segment with a larger displacement: a model the market has long been asking for. The project goes back to the true essence of supermoto’s origins, when off-road bikes were converted for tarmac. That is exactly how the Caballero 500 Supermoto was born: it is the most road-focused Caballero ever, yet it keeps its nature fully intact – lightness, ease and character. Engine At its heart is the MM460 DOHC single from Motori Minarelli, with a new, lighter and higher performing piston derived from the Stealth 500, a slipper clutch and Ride-by-Wire: an engine that combines strong low- and mid-range torque, ideal for corner exits, with a lively top end. In Caballero Supermoto configuration it delivers 45 hp. Chassis The Caballero 500’s steel single-spine frame is paired with the new fully adjustable Fantic FRS suspension in the TRAIL configuration developed for the Caballero family, with 200 mm of travel: generous travel that keeps the link with off-road riding and soaks up road imperfections, while providing precision and support when riding hard. Completing the motard character are the spoked wheels, 19” front and 17” rear, and the high front mudguard, the unmistakable signature of the genre. Tyres are Metzeler Tourance Next 2, while the braking system comprises a 320 mm front disc and a 230 mm rear disc. Weight without fuel is 150 kg. Technology and ergonomics The tech pack inherits the best of the family: inertial measurement unit (IMU), switchable ABS Cornering, Traction Control and dedicated engine maps. The ergonomics retain the Caballero’s strengths, with slim side panels and a natural riding position, ready to switch from city traffic to a fast mountain road. Seat height is 860 mm. Styling, price and availability Clean lines, a round full-LED headlight with the Fantic signature and the high mudguard define a style that blends Caballero heritage with motard attitude. The Caballero 500 Supermoto wears the Factory White livery, a faithful nod to the bikes that battled in the 2026 world championship season with the Fantic Factory Racing teams, in Fantic’s historic colours: white, red and blue. The Italian retail price is €7,290 including VAT, with availability from Fantic dealers from April 2027.
THE CABALLERO FAMILY EVOLVES
Alongside the new Supermoto, the Caballero range is updated with new versions and colours, confirming the Fantic icon’s ability to take on many different personalities, all sharing style, lightness and riding pleasure. Caballero 500 Rally Legend Here comes the Caballero 500 Rally Legend, a tribute to the legendary Caballeros that made their mark on the history of Italian off-road riding. It takes up their iconic colours and enhances its off-road credentials with a 21” front wheel shod with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres, Fantic FRS suspension with a setting dedicated to enduro trail riding, and generous ground clearance. It was on this very model that Fantic developed the most off-road-oriented side of the new FRS project. Off-road protection is included too, such as an engine guard and headlight grille. The Red Rally Legend livery is also available on the Caballero Rally 125. Prices remain unchanged from the Rally models: €7,590 for the 500 and €5,990 for the 125, including VAT. Both versions are available now from Fantic dealers. Sunset White The Sunset White colour scheme, with its Californian surf mood inspired by the freedom of open-air riding, now extends across the entire Caballero world in 125, 500 and 700 displacements. Caballero 500 Scrambler: new colour EICMA 2026 also sees the debut of a new colour for the Caballero 500 Scrambler: Midnight Violet, a deep violet inspired by the night sky that gives the Scrambler an elegant yet assertive character, perfect for those who want to stand out even after sunset. Caballero 700 A2 By popular demand, the Caballero 700 gains A2 licence approval and becomes accessible to newly licensed riders too. The 689 cc parallel twin, restricted to within the category’s 35 kW limit, retains the smoothness and character that have made the 700 the most versatile Caballero, on road and off-road alike.
XXF250 EVO – THE EVOLUTION SERIES GOES INTO ACTION
With the XXF250 EVO, Fantic gives concrete shape to the Evolution Series, the philosophy announced in June that moves beyond the model-year concept: updates are introduced only when the innovation is truly mature and able to deliver a tangible performance advantage. The XXF250 EVO is the first bike in the new EVO series: not merely an update, but a true evolution, with a new engine, hydraulic clutch, updated frame and new suspension setting, and it inherits key solutions from its big sister, the XXF450. Engine The new 250 cc four-stroke single has been designed to come alive at high revs, with more power and more torque across the entire rev range and a higher rev limiter. The valvetrain uses superbike derived finger followers, while the intake and airbox have been revised to increase airflow. The hydraulic clutch makes its debut, with a diaphragm spring in place of traditional coil springs and an integrated steel clutch basket/primary gear assembly: consistent modulation under stress, with no need for adjustment at the track. The Akrapovic exhaust remains standard. Chassis The aluminium perimeter frame, updated and derived from that of the XXF450, features a revised internal and external structure, a slimmer front downtube and new engine mounts for optimised stiffness. The KYB suspension has been updated and remains at the top of its class: a 48 mm SSS (Speed Sensitive System) fork with a new setting and a new rear shock with a hand-adjustable low speed compression clicker. The rear braking system has also been lightened, reducing unsprung mass. Electronics and ergonomics The racing-derived electronics package is managed by the Athena-GET ECU: handlebar-selectable engine maps, Traction Control and Launch Control, with maps and controls customisable via the WiGET app. The bodywork is slim and compact for even greater freedom of movement. Ready-to-ride weight is 101 kg; the graphics are the Fantic Racing ones, here enhanced by the Evo treatment. The Italian retail price of the XXF250 EVO is €10,890 including VAT.
ENDURO AND MOTARD 50-125 RANGE – NEW COLOURS AND FRS SUSPENSION
Fantic’s Enduro and Motard 50 and 125 range, for over twenty years the “first love” of generations of young riders, is refreshed with new Factory White and Acid Black liveries and a major step up in quality for the Competition versions. The Competition versions of both the Motard and Enduro models now feature the new Fantic FRS suspension, premium-level equipment unprecedented in the category, together with a series of special anodised parts that enhance their racing character and build quality. The anodised parts include brake fluid reservoir caps, heel guards, triple clamps, sprocket cover, rear sprocket and handlebar. The FRS suspension comprises the TR43 fork with 260 mm of travel and the TR14 shock, both fully adjustable; on the 50 cc models the shock is adjustable for rebound and preload. Two liveries are available. Factory White is a faithful nod to the professional off-road bikes that battled in the 2026 world championship season with the Fantic Factory Racing teams. Acid Black, meanwhile, opts for brand-new, on-trend colours, pale pink and green, currently among the most popular with young riders. The range’s strengths are confirmed: the Minarelli 50 two-stroke engine on the 50 versions and the Minarelli 125 four-stroke with VVA variable valve timing on the 125s, which feature switchable dual channel ABS for off-road fun. Italian retail prices, including VAT: 50 Performance €3,790, 50 Competition €4,490, 125 Performance €4,990, 125 Competition €5,990. The new Competition versions will be available from March 2027
