Fantic Motor have announced the long-awaited XE 300 fuel injected two-stroke production model plus they sprung a surprise on us with a new middleweight XEF 310 four-stroke, growing their enduro range to five in 2024.
The most successful manufacturer in the 2023 EnduroGP World Championship is hitting right at the heart of traditional enduro engine capacity sizes with the announcement of the long awaited 300cc two-stroke and a new XEF 310 4T model.
The fuel injected, electric 300cc two-stroke engine has been on our radar having first seen the prototype from Minarelli exactly three years ago.
It’s been a long time coming since we first saw that concept engine break cover but the development has been constant Fantic told us all the way. Race teams have been competing on a carbed version for two years now – notably Albin Norrbin who took the J2 Junior World Championship this season – and the fuel injected engine has been in development with ISDE winner and Italian champion Davide Guarneri.
Read what Davide had to say about this bike earlier in 2023: Davide Guarneri interview: Fantic’s 300cc fuel injected two-stroke arriving this year?
Finally the 300 2T production model
The long awaited XE300 2T Minarelli motor is Euro5 compliant, fuel injected, has an electric start and will be on the market by the end of 2023 they say. A motorbike which Fantic say is “dedicated to uncompromising performance thanks to the best-performing 300cc engine on the market and a revolutionary cooling system”.
Fantic say their aim all along has been to develop an “extremely high-performing engine, guarantees great power, but a regular and full torque curve at all speeds” and with “a revolutionary cooling system”.
Aside from the marketing talk, the crux of so much development time has centred on the Dell’Orto electronic, double injector system to create a motor which they promise will have the strong power you want, and expect, from a 300 but with a rideability a key goal.
Fantic say it produces “compliant power” but maintains the Euro5 standards with the electronic exhaust valve helping produce a consistant torque curve at every speed and through each gear – though it remains the five-speed transmission as per the original equipment from Yamaha.
The electric starter is designed in-house in Italy by Minarelli too and the new bike also has a hydraulic clutch which will come as a bonus to all of us who have spent any time on a YZ250 (and X model) in extreme enduro conditions.
High-spec components
Naturally the rest of the bike is the same specification as all Fantic models which means the Yamaha aluminium semi-dual cradle frame, Kayaba suspension, Nissin brakes and Arrow exhaust system.
Fantic has also developed a multi-level traction control system to help tame that 300 power in different conditions and for different riding needs which is adjustable via a handlebar map switch. This feature is common across all 4T models too.
The oil and petrol filler caps sit up top of the tank together for easy access and match the ergonomic design of the slender Fantic plastics.
Fantic say the rear axle has been redesigned compared to their other two-stroke offroad models, without changing the overall dimensions.
“Deep study” was also reserved for the handlebar switches and buttons, to improve function and usability with a minimal design. LEDs, multi-level traction control setting and double map switch are positioned on the left, with only the classic kill switch on the right.
The retail price including VAT is €10.390 from Fantic dealers.
Surprise new middleweight four-stroke
Enduro21 is glad and surprised to see the new XEF 310 (we didn’t know it was coming), a 4T model which Fantic have quite obviously positioned neatly between the 250 and 450 siblings.
The best blend of both worlds the PR material informs Enduro21 today direct from the launch their new models at the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Italy.
Fantic say many hours were dedicated to finding the best balance between performance and user-friendliness for all riders with this model. The result is the agility and user-friendliness of the 250 4T “but with a power output and powerful torque that is close to its bigger 450 sibling” they add.
A compression ratio of 12.8 is on the milder side, so user-freindly plus the power can be customised with three map options (hard/soft/standard), and there’s a nine-level traction control system all of which can be selected with the new map switches on the handlebars.
WIFI COM is also standard, a system for controlling the engine character via an App on your phone (much like the Yamaha system).
Like its 250 and 450 siblings, the XEF 310 runs the same aluminium perimeter frame and Kayaba SSS suspension with dedicated settings, 270mm brake discs on the front and 245mm on the rear.
The retail price including VAT is €10.790 from Fantic dealers.
New 2024 White Edition option
That’s not all the news from Fantic today in Italy. After the launch in September of the Black Editions which included a dedicated racing kit, there’s now a White Edition of Fantic’s MY24 off-road range: the new XE300 and XEF310 models, the four motocross models (XX125 2T, XX250 2T, XXF250 4T, XXF450 4T) and the now five enduro bikes (XE125 2T, XE300 2T, XEF250 4T, XEF310 4T, XEF450 4T).
2024 Fantic XE 300 two-stroke specifications:
2024 Fantic XEF 310 two-stroke specifications:
source:Enduro21.com