New Car Impression】Fantastic "Stealth 500" lands in Japan! 1,265,000 yen sports street model

Fantastic's new Stealth 500 is a sport street model equipped with a newly designed 463㏄ liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine. It is priced at 1,265,000 yen (tax included) and is available for pre-order now. It is available in two color options: Black & Acid Green and Racing White & Red Stripe. We will report on the appeal of this model along with a report from a test ride event held in Italy.

Coming Soon! The new Fantastico model

Since its establishment in Italy in 1968, Fantik has been producing boy racers that attract young people in Europe and around the world. Scrambler models such as the Caballero and the trail model XEF are loved by many users as sports motorcycles for public roads. Although Fantik is often seen as an off-road brand, it is also a brand that understands the joys of on-road sport motorcycles, as it has been participating in the Moto2 class of MoroGP for five seasons and won its first world championship last year. Fantastic's new model "Stealth 500" is equipped with a newly designed 463㏄ liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that delivers 45ps/8,000rpm maximum output and weighs only 147kg. Four riding modes are available: "Street," "Rain," "Track," and "Custom," with traction control, cornering ABS, and an optimized engine map for each mode. The price is 1,265,000 yen (tax included), and Motorist, the importer, is currently accepting reservations. It will be available in two colors: black and acid green, and racing white and red stripe. German journalist Klaus Nenewitz, who participated in an advance test drive of the Stealth 500, reports on the car.

Stealth 500 Italy Test Ride Report

When Fantastico gave this model the name "Stealth," it must have been with the intention of giving it a surprise impact on the market, as if its shocking performance had not been anticipated. The high presence of the form and the excellent driving performance of this machine are definitely "eye-catching," but why was it given the name "stealth," which means stealth, secrecy, and stealthiness? The name "Stealth" was chosen because of its stealthy, secretive, and stealthy nature. Yes, the opportunity to test drive this latest model at Passo dello Spino, a beautiful winding road in central Italy, was indeed a day of fun that far exceeded our prior expectations. Known as a hill climb race circuit, this twisty winding road was the perfect situation to drive this machine at will, with all the power it can handle. Polizia were stationed along the roadside, waving to us as we drove the machine. In this sense, we were riding on a visible machine, so we did not have the "stealth" of a pre-launch car, but it was a great situation to test the great handling of the car.

Character with street-sport-like extension

The newly designed engine, called MM460, has the same basic design as the one mounted on the new Caballero, but with 20 g lighter pistons for street use, vibration has been further reduced, and the RPM feel has evolved to be even smoother. Maximum output is 45ps at 8,000 rpm. Maximum torque is 42.5 Nm at 7,000 rpm, a slight improvement over the Caballero in both power and torque. This engine, made by "Motori Minarelli," a group company of Fantiq and known for supplying engines to many European motorcycle brands, is very powerful in actual driving. The transmission is unchanged from the Caballero. It works well with the Stealth and supports agile driving. Only the final ratio has been set slightly longer, adding to the extended character typical of a street sport. When the throttle is opened comfortably, this energetic single-cylinder engine blows all the way up to the rev limit of 9,500 rpm, producing a light and exhilarating feeling throughout the entire rpm range. The clutch and shifter feel very soft, and neutral is easy to find, even when cold.

Ultra-lightweight chassis that utilizes Moto2 know-how

The funtique has a strong off-road image, so is it safe for sport street use?　Although Fantaic does not produce the chassis and engine for Moto2, it does compete as a team, and its experience is definitely fed back into the production vehicles. The chassis and engine are not made by Fantaic itself. This is evident in the chassis construction, with a sturdy steel trilless frame connecting the steering head and step plate (also a high-quality, rigid part machined from Phantic's signature aluminum), to which the rear fork and subframe are mounted. The lightweight aluminum wheels are 17 inches, as per sport bike grammar. Mass centralization can be inferred from the design of the 12-liter fuel tank, which is tucked deep under the seat. In developing the new family of bikes, which includes the "Imola" with full fairing, which is expected to be introduced at the end of the year, Fantiq has also focused on reducing weight. The vehicle weight (without gasoline) is 147 kg, which is more than 10 to 20 kg lighter than rivals in the same class. Naturally, this lightness is a great advantage that can be experienced in all situations. It is extremely light in handling, and can be handled like a toy even on congested roads in urban areas. Even on the winding roads provided, the agility of this machine remains unchanged; it banks quickly with the slightest input and dives like an arrow into the next corner. 500-cylinder class is the entry model in Europe, but even experienced riders cannot help but be impressed by the fun factor of this machine.

Suspension that gives a sense of security

The suspension, which has a stroke of 130 mm front to rear, supports this ride. Although the adjustment mechanism is simple (only the preload of the rear shock is adjustable), there are no complaints in practical use. The front fork is a highly rigid inverted type with a 41 mm inner tube diameter, and is superbly set up for both comfort and sportiness. The braking system provides a comfortable ride and peace of mind, with a single large-diameter 320 mm disc and radial-mount caliper at the front. The front end's superb rigidity allowed us to brake fully with confidence, and the 230 mm disc brake at the rear allowed us to continue using the brakes with confidence all the way down the endless mountain pass descents. The Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires interact with the road surface and boast characteristics that allow them to be brought to extremely deep bank angles with confidence, and they are an excellent match for the lightweight chassis. Of course, straight line stability is also more than sufficient, and even on poor road surfaces, the line is rarely disrupted, maintaining the stability typical of Italian supersports even at high speeds. Of course, even when the vehicle speed is increased to the "Autobahn recommended speed," the sense of security remains unchanged.

Easy to maneuver ergonomics

The seat height of 810 mm is neither too high nor too low, positioning the rider well in the center of the machine, and the 1365 mm wheelbase is well balanced, allowing even large riders to freely shift their bodies on the seat. The positioning of the step bar and handlebars is also well balanced, minimizing fatigue even after long hours of riding. Vibrations are minimal, and the exhaust sound is pleasantly restrained. The electronics are state-of-the-art, with four modes: "Street," "Rain," "Track," and "Custom. In each mode, traction control, cornering ABS, and engine maps are optimized, so there is no need to fiddle with combinations. The 5-inch TFT display is highly visible and the user interface is intuitive and easy to understand. The USB power supply port is located on the left side of the frame, just behind the steering head.

The Stealth 500 is a highly satisfying machine.

Overall, the Fantastic Stealth 500 is a highly satisfying machine that is more than adequate for beginners, return riders, and even the most sport-oriented riders. What a great product at such a great price! It is a model with surprisingly appealing features. Yes, rather than being stealthy, it is definitely a capable machine that stands proudly on the front row grid among sports models under 500㏄. We can't help but hope that it will lead Fantastic to success as the rare pure Italian sport in the middle class now.

Stealth 500 - Main Specifications

Overall Length: 1,967 mm ・Wheelbase: 1,368 mm ・Seat Height: 810 mm ・Car Weight: 147 kg (dry) ・Engine: Liquid-cooled 4-stroke single cylinder DOHC 4 valve 463 cc ・Max output: 45 ps/ 8,000 rpm ・Max torque: 425.Nm/ 7,000 rpm ・Fuel tank capacity: 12.0 L ・Transmission: 6-speed return ・Brake: F = disc, R = disc ・Tires: F = 110/70-17, R = 150/60-17 ・Body colors: Black and acid green, racing white and red stripe ・Price: 1,265,000 yen (tax included) ＜Motorists＞ https ://motorists.jp/Image Gallery (9)