Fantic Motor

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Fantic Motor

Founded	1968; 56 years ago (1968)
Founder	Mario Agrati Henry Keppel-Hesselink
Headquarters	Casier , Italy
Products	motorcycles
Parent	VeNetWork
Subsidiaries	Motori Minarelli Bottecchia
Website	http://www.fanticmotor.it/

Fantic Motor is an Italian manufacturer of motorcycles.

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 Fantic USA Inc. In 2015 Fantic launched new models of electric bikes, called the Fat Bike.^[1] 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,^[2] with the reputation of being some of the fastest mopeds on the market, going as fast as 70 mph.^[3]

From the 1970s until the early 1980s, Fantic produced a series of 50cc mopeds called Fantic Motor Lei.^[4] 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 70mph were an exaggeration, as only just over 50-55mph could be achieved, and in the right conditions. The 125cc Chopper model could top 80mph, 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 130 km/h (81 mph). 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.^[5]

In the 2005 season, Fantic competed in the 250cc championship with a team called Scuderia Fantic Motor GP.

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.^[6]

Year	Class	Team name	Motorcycle	No.	Riders	Races	Wins	Podiums	Poles	F. laps	Points	Pos.
2023	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
2024	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
				31	Roberto García	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC

(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	Points	RC	Points	TC	Points	MC
2023	Kalex Moto2	D		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
2024	Kalex Moto2	P		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

* Season still in progress.

• List of Italian companies
• List of motorcycle manufacturers

• Fantic Motor 2009 range
• Fantic Motor, Italy
• Fantic Motor, Portugal