They field teams in Moto2 and the Dakar Rally, produce a large range of motorcycles, scooters and e-bikes and have been around since the ’60s, and yet very few people seem to have heard of Fantic Motor. It’s always been a bit rocky for the Northern Italian firm, but the last few years have seen the brand grow from strength to strength, and with a global dealer network in place, Fantics have never been available to so many riders. One of those dealers is MOTOBOX Inc, a proudly Verona-based business, that has been selling motorcycles and custom parts since 1952. And to celebrate their long association with their fellow Italians, they’ve built this stunning pair of 2023 Fantic Caballero 500s, both Rally variants, each pays tribute to a Fantic legend of days gone by.
A huge part of the recent success of Fantic can be attributed to how they’ve developed their engine program, working with Chinese manufacturer Zongshen, and acquiring Italian motorcycle engine manufacturer Motori Minarelli from Yamaha in 2025. This has allowed the small firm to very quickly build a large stable of models, with Motocross and Enduro bikes available in two and four-stroke variants, as well as modern Motards, Street bikes and Scramblers in a host of engine sizes. Combine that with their racing programs in Moto2, with world number two Arón Canet, and a growing dirt and Dakar squad, and you have one very nice recipe for success.
At Motobox, Filippo Tacconi wanted to show off just how good these new Fantics are, while reminding everyone of the company’s rich history. And so putting his design hat on, he picked out two favourites from the past and found a way to infuse the modern Caballero 500 with their flavour. The ‘blue’ bike is inspired by a Fantic offering from the ’80s known as the Koala, a strange choice of name, but this was one strange bike. Kitted out in oversized MX plastics, the Koala 50 was a big tyred mini-bike, much like the Yamaha BW and Honda Fat Cat of the same period. But using a tiny two-stroke engine, the Koala could squeak around laws that others couldn’t and was a cult hit for a brief period in history.
The most famous model ran the blue and yellow graphics package, and it is this example that inspired Filippo. “Iconic and absurd, I couldn’t help but pay homage to her with one of our specials,” he smiles. And because he also runs Taco Desi5n, the job of coming up with all of the ’80s inspired logos could stay in-house. The stock white plastics remain as they come from the factory, just with the simple addition of period correct stickers. But it’s the tank that gets the big overhaul, with the blue hue matched to white, yellow and gold graphics. Even the Koala logo has been expertly recreated.
To take the look to the next level, the stock Caballero badges have been removed from the tank, and any sign of the indent they once sat in is long gone. More blue is splashed across the fork guards, side covers and radiator covers, and the LED headlight surround is all blue too. The front cowl then combines all of these touches in one, with the main colour perfectly contrasted with the ‘Koala 500’ logo that Filippo designed for the job. Then to finish the tribute machine off, there is a customised seat with colour-coordinated stitching, a sump guard to protect the engine and the guys at FL Special Parts supplied one of their tail tidy kits for an uber neat look.
Moving to the ‘white’ bike, and it was one of the brand’s most successful sellers that sparked the imagination “ In this case, the reference refers to one of our passions, the Trial. In particular, we were inspired by the first colours of the Fantic Trial 50 produced in Barzago, Italy.” The later bikes were largely red and came with 200cc two-strokes, as the company embraced Trials competition, but it was the small capacity twin-shock machine that so many Italians remember from their youth. And once again, Filippo shows off his clever design skills, with a set of graphics and logos that bring the old look to life.
The white bodywork is hit with a tank graphic in the style of the company’s ’80s logo, with trial tribute neatly lettered beneath. For the side covers, its blue and red graphics and the custom TR500 to give the bike a factory finish. Red has been added to the fork protectors and light surround, and the rear grab rails have been painted to match. Just like the Koala bike, the sump protection and tail tidy go on, and the TR also gets a set of Acerbis bark busters to mimic the look of the competition bikes from the era. It’s all relatively simple stuff, but given the bulk of Caballeros come in red, these two throwback tributes add some much needed personality to what is a very good machine.
From the factory they come with a very reliable single-cylinder engine, good for 43hp and they make an impressive sound with full Arrows exhaust systems. The chassis is superb, with a trellis design which is very similar to another famous Italian, and made from high-quality Chromoly. You get plush suspension at each end, a race-derived aluminium swingarm and the By Brembo brakes offer all the stopping power you’ll need. There is a nice electronics suite, and for those who love mucking around in the dirt, the ABS can be switched off. A modern Fantic with classic styling makes for a hell of a fun machine, and if you like what you see, then both are available from Motobox in Verona, or talk to Filippo about coming up with a design all of your own.
[ Motobox ]