Fantic Caballero 500 Rally Offroad Review

For years, the idea has haunted the minds of many enduro enthusiasts: an enduro weighing around 160 kilograms that still packs enough punch to avoid feeling underpowered on the road. With the new Fantic Caballero 500 Rally, this long-awaited holy grail might just become a reality. This latest model from the Italians steps into 2025 with a distinct offroad orientation that goes well beyond what you'd typically expect from scrambler-style machines. The single-cylinder engine delivers 44 horsepower, featuring a 21-inch front wheel and suspension with 200 mm of travel both front and rear—plus, it's fully adjustable.

During the 1000PS Offroad Test Days 2025, we put the bike to the test where it counts: in loose terrain, on natural trails, through mud, dust, and challenging sections. Alongside me, as a hobby endurist, were Mex and offroad pro Busty Wolter. In a lineup with five other bikes, the Caballero Rally underwent an intense comparison test. The goal: to determine whether the Fantic not only looks adventurous but also performs in rugged terrain—or perhaps even takes on the coveted role of an all-round offroader.

Nestled in the forest under a dense canopy, the Red Stag Enduro Grounds is an offroad playground like no other. This terrain has everything to make an enduro enthusiast's heart race: gravel, deep forest floor, winding trails, tight passages, and even technically demanding climb sections. Especially in mixed weather, it becomes evident how serious Yamaha and 1000PS are about their endurance tests. This isn't a sterile test area, but a place where bikes are tested under real conditions—with mud, stones, roots, and all the elements of a true enduro challenge. Those who succeed here truly earn the label of "adventure-ready." For the test crew including Busty Wolter, Mex, and McGregor, it's the perfect venue to push the Can-Am Origin to its limits.

The engine of the Fantic Caballero 500 Rally is the core of a well-thought-out, weight-optimized design. With 463 cc displacement and 44 hp, the new single-cylinder engine from Minarelli delivers the characteristics offroad fans have been craving for years: punchy, direct, yet easy to control. The Caballero's low overall weight—under 170 kilograms ready to ride—further accentuates the engine's character. The combination of strong initial thrust, smooth throttle response, and light weight creates a playful riding experience that truly shines on loose terrain. Here, the Fantic feels far more lively than its spec sheet would initially suggest.

The sound of the standard Aero exhaust also contributes to the emotionally charged riding experience. Whether cruising over dirt roads or giving it the beans in technically demanding sections—the sound is prominent but not overwhelming. The engine responds instantly to the throttle, can be wound out to high revs, and, combined with the lightweight chassis, gives a sense of always being in control. The Italians have crafted not just a functional, but also a characterful engine that delivers riding pleasure. However, there's a minor downside: despite the carefully chosen technical components, the overall package feels somewhat underdeveloped in certain areas—but more on that later.

Busty Wolter, an experienced offroad pro and freestyle rider, sums it up perfectly: The engine might not be the strongest in its class, but it pulls consistently and delivers plenty of fun. In his view, the engine feels a bit raw in operation, with noticeable resistance in the gearbox, which is not a drawback but rather highlights the bike's mechanical charm. The gearbox is tightly tuned and provides precise feedback when shifting.

Mex is also pleasantly surprised: He firmly believes that the single-cylinder offers honest, fantastic offroad power. The Minarelli engine used by Fantic, although not a full 500 cc nominally, impresses with its refined running smoothness and pleasant vibration behavior. Typical for a single-cylinder, it delivers strong low-end torque, while its eagerness to rev ensures plenty of dynamism. Especially offroad, the engine scores with its linear power delivery. Mex also highlights the emotional aspect—the Aero exhaust in scrambler style not only looks great but sounds just right. The result: a motorcycle that's pragmatically built yet stirs emotions and brings wide grins under the helmet.

The suspension of the Fantic Caballero 500 Rally appears high-quality at first glance—not just because of its striking golden look, but primarily due to its serious functionality. With 200 mm of travel both front and rear, the suspension offers a rare level of reserves in this class. It's also largely adjustable: the front allows for rebound and preload adjustments, while the rear offers compression and preload tuning. These features are far from just cosmetic—those who reach for the tools can markedly influence the handling. Particularly, the quick rebound of the front can be significantly improved with simple adjustments. This underscores the ambition Fantic has with the Rally variant: a true offroad scrambler.

Offroad, the suspension showcases how crucial balanced tuning is for an agile ride. The front provides good progression and reserves during compression, while the rear works harmoniously, noticeably settling under load—ensuring traction and control. On tighter trails, you benefit from the bike's lightness and compactness, allowing it to playfully navigate challenging sections. However, at high speeds on rougher gravel, the suspension reaches its limits. Particularly with rapidly successive bumps, the front wheel becomes unsettled, which can't be entirely remedied despite adjusted damping. This is where it lacks the high-speed damping found in more premium suspensions—those looking to plow through rough patches at speed must be aware of this limitation.

Mex highlights positively that the suspension setup feels good right from the factory—especially in the front fork area. After specifically adjusting the fork's rebound, he was able to tame the quick rebound, praising how the changes immediately impacted the ride. The rear end also impressed him, particularly in terms of traction and smoothness when accelerating. Overall, Mex describes the Caballero as "nimble as a weasel" in handling, making it an agile companion on twisty trails.

Busty Wolter attests to the suspension's overall solid performance but notes that it is more comfort-oriented than sporty. During faster offroad rides, you can feel the suspension reaching its limits, especially on deeper waves or rough terrain. Nevertheless, the system remains controllable—there's no harsh bottoming out or unpleasant jolts up to the handlebars. For Busty, the suspension is appropriate for the vehicle class, though sport-minded riders might expect more.

The Fantic Caballero 500 Rally presents itself as accessible in terms of ergonomics. The bike feels compact, with a slim waist and a relatively low seat height—ideal for riders who might find full-sized adventure bikes overwhelming. At the same time, the high position of the footpegs provides ample ground clearance, especially valuable on tight trails. Combined with the handlebar positioned close to the rider, it results in a sporty, active riding position. After a minor modification—angling the handlebar slightly more forward—the riding feel strongly resembles that of a sport enduro. Particularly when standing, the posture feels direct and controlled, although for taller riders, the reach to the handlebars can feel quite low.

Mex also describes the ergonomics as fundamentally successful, even though at 190 cm, he's well above average height. The knee angle is sharper than on other bikes, which is due to the offroad concept. He criticizes the lack of adjustability for the brake lever, while the clutch lever is indeed adjustable—a minor inconsistency that's bothersome in everyday use but likely reflects the price-performance ratio. On the positive side, Mex highlights the intricately crafted details like the machined triple clamps and high-quality footpeg mounts.

Busty Wolter also perceives the Caballero as a more compact machine with a relatively short wheelbase. For him, the riding posture while standing feels somewhat cramped, due to the relatively high footpeg position and the close distance to the handlebar axis. Although he didn't find this posture bothersome, he notes that taller riders might not find the geometry ideal. However, for shorter riders—or those with less offroad experience—the ergonomics could offer advantages.

The Fantic Caballero 500 Rally impresses with playful and intuitive handling. Thanks to its compact build, steep steering head angle, and low weight, it feels nimble and can be precisely navigated through tight corners and technical sections. The single-cylinder engine responds directly to throttle inputs, further facilitating controlled maneuvering. Especially on winding offroad trails, the bike feels light and manageable. The handling remains convincing as long as the speed is moderate. However, at higher speeds on rough terrain, the suspension starts to work hard, the front wheel becomes unsettled, and it lacks the stabilizing mass or suspension calmness that larger adventure bikes offer.

Mex particularly highlights the simple, almost effortless cornering behavior, facilitated by the central ergonomics—even though taller riders might have to lean forward significantly. For him, the focus is clearly on straightforward offroad riding that quickly builds confidence and delivers enjoyment. Busty Wolter confirms these impressions: While the Caballero shows some nervousness in slippery or muddy conditions, such as slight fishtailing, the bike remains otherwise well manageable.

In offroad use, a finely-tuned brake is often key to control. On the Fantic Caballero 500 Rally, the braking is adequate but lacks standout features. Busty Wolter rates the brakes as solid and appropriate for the vehicle class. For him, they deliver steady and reliable performance, though without making a sporty impression. According to Busty, those looking to use the bike purely for sport might want a firmer bite and more aggressive feel—but for what the Fantic aims to be, an accessible all-rounder with an offroad focus, they are suitable.

What can be more strongly criticized is the unnecessarily complicated procedure to deactivate the ABS. Despite a wealth of offroad and motorcycling experience among the three of us testers, and even with a marked ABS button, we simply couldn't disable the ABS on our own. It was only a smartphone video from Fantic themselves that clarified the process. You have to press several buttons simultaneously to first put the bike into offroad mode and only then can the ABS be adjusted. It's not a problem for trained customers, but compared to other manufacturers, it's quite a unique procedure. Until we received detailed instructions from Italy, we spent a large part of our test time with the ABS active, which isn't exactly advantageous in loose terrain. At least the front brake works decently: with a soft bite point but progressive deceleration. This allows for good braking performance even with active ABS, as long as you act with finesse and edge toward the traction limit.

Anyone considering using the Fantic Caballero 500 Rally for true offroad adventures or even longer journeys will inevitably question its robustness. Compared to classic adventure bikes, the Fantic presents a mixed picture. The service interval of 5,000 kilometers is shorter than that of long-distance bikes, but it's absolutely reasonable for a robust single-cylinder. At the same time, the motorcycle scores with thoughtful design solutions that are missing in some more expensive models. The raised fender isn't merely a design gimmick but functional—ideal for muddy passages. Also positive: the exposed radiators are protected by sturdy metal plates.

Elsewhere, however, there's room for improvement. The exhaust header is relatively unprotected, posing a risk of hitting larger rocks. A folding solution or at least a relieving design for the rear brake lever would have been desirable—especially in offroad use, where ground contact is never entirely avoidable. In contrast, there are high-quality details like stable, grippy footpegs and the scrambler-style high-mounted exhaust, which offer clear advantages during tip-overs and water crossings. Additionally, the air filter is easily accessible, making it well-suited for quick cleanings after dusty rides.

Overall, the Caballero 500 Rally comes across as ambivalent in terms of robustness and practical offroad capability. In many areas, it shows a pleasingly robust, practical design—such as with the folding mirrors or machined parts focused on offroad use. At the same time, there are specific weaknesses that don't ruin the positive overall impression but indicate: The Fantic is not a no-compromise expedition machine, but a versatile fun-maker with offroad ambitions.

The Fantic Caballero 500 Rally leaves a mixed but fascinating impression. On one hand, it impresses with high-quality machined parts, practical offroad details like folding mirrors, and a well-thought-out overall concept. On the other hand, there are areas where Fantic had to make compromises in the finer details. The interplay between high-quality components and functional compromises creates an image that is not perfect but authentic. Especially for hobby endurists looking for a light, playful, and unique bike, the Caballero has a lot to offer—with a character that goes far beyond mere beginner-friendliness.

Busty Wolter sums it up perfectly with a vivid comparison: The Caballero is like a mule—not as big and impressive as a "horse" in the adventure bike class, but strong, sure-footed, and extremely agile. It offers enough power to have real fun offroad, is easy to maneuver, and inspires confidence. For tall riders like himself (1.87 meters), the seating position feels a bit cramped. Yet, this is also where its advantage lies: shorter riders will find a handy, accessible motorcycle that truly stands out in its class. For those who don't want an over-the-top adventure bike but a compact fun machine with genuine offroad capability, the Fantic is a charming companion.

At the 2025 Offroad Test Days, Leatt's two adventure suits impress with functionality, protection, and comfort. The MultiTour 5.5 is the weatherproof all-rounder with a 3-layer construction, 20,000 mm waterproof inner jacket, and thoughtful ventilation—ideal for 10 to 20°C and changing conditions. The FlowTour 5.5 features large mesh panels, a sporty cut, and also a waterproof outer jacket—perfect for active riders at 25°C and above. Both offer high-quality Level 2 protectors, clever details like hydration system preparation, and adjustable widths. For uncompromising touring functionality, the MultiTour is the choice. For those who value lightness, airflow, and flexibility, the FlowTour is ideal.