2027 Fantic XE300
I picked up a 2027 Fantic XE300 a couple weeks ago and figured I would share my thoughts for anyone interested.
Disclaimer: This was not written or proofread with AI. Enjoy the run-on sentences, erratic punctuation, and lack of em dashes.
The Highs
This motor is solid - really solid. It is not YZ-like anymore. They changed a lot from the 2025 models to really crank up the low/mid and smooth out the transition. I am 6'2 and about 270lbs in gear, and I can come to a slow walking pace in third gear and pull away without the clutch. Occasionally shifting between second to third/fourth is exactly how I want to ride a bike, and it pulls me around no problem. I'm not sure if they added mass to the flywheel for 2027 or not, but this bike is almost unstallable.
The mapping and map switch are both underrated. The green/mild map is extremely linear and torquey. It has a really smooth transition through the powerband that doesn't wear you out. If you flip it up to the blue/hot map, it gets a lot of that YZ feeling back to it. The power valve opens a lot faster, it hits harder, and it turns back into a screamer when you get on the pipe.
The suspension is KYB SSS up front and a KYB shock in the back. It's awesome. Obviously, it's undersprung for my weight (everything off the showroom floor is), but it's a basic respring/revalve away from being dialed. Stoked to not have to throw $3k at suspension to get it where I want it.
The ergos feel great to me. The first time I threw my leg over the bike, I felt like I was ready to set a fast lap time around my track. Being a larger dude, a lot of European bikes feel really cramped - to the point I'll get a charlie horse in my hamstrings late in a ride. This bike is roomy and easy to move around on. On orange bikes, I immediately swap the bars out, because it puts uncomfortable pressure on my palms - these feel fine.
The bikes is super flickable. I really like that balance and how it turns. It doesn't feel nervous, but it doesn't want to fight you either. The rake and trail angles are the same as a YZ250X. It doesn't feel identical to what I remember, but it could be more inertia, weight, fork height or something apart from the geometry itself that makes the difference. Either way, I dig it.
They re-did basically all the electronics compared to the 2025 is my understanding. The headlight is bright as sh*t for OEM, and you can almost hover your finger over the start button and it fires up. My (potentially incorrect) understanding is it's a new 3-phase unit which should help it charge and produce more power at low RPM.
Transmission. I'm going to put this as a high. Yes, it's a 5-speed. No, it's not exactly YZ250 or YZ250X gearing (3rd is different from the X). I much prefer this over an XC-W transmission with a granny gear and weird spacing, or a strictly MX transmission that you're constantly shifting. The stock gearing is 14/50. I know a lot of guys swap to a 13/50, but this thing lugs my ass around really well, so I don't see a reason to. I think the folks that do that also stick a Rekluse in and won't use the clutch or shift out of third gear if their lives depended on it. Don't get me wrong: I love Rekluses, but with how hard to stall this bike is, there isn't one on my parts list.
Controls/Components: Nothing feels cheap - it all feels really solid. Brembo, Domino, Acerbis, etc. I have bikes from Austria, Japan, Portugal, France and the US in my garage, and I think this has the best "small bits" on it.
The Neutral
The clutch: If you're a hydraulic clutch guy, you'll love it. I've had bikes with hydraulic and cable clutches. The biggest downside of a cable clutch is constantly adjusting it IMO, but you do have more adjustability of the friction zone/engagement point. I'm only ranking it neutral because it's nice to have, but not something I have to have.
Also: The clutch was dragging for a bit, but it's mostly gone away. I expect that to be gone with a few more hours on it. The clutch pull is heavy, but not overly so - just something I noticed. I'm already used to it.
The Lows
The top end power is lacking a bit to me. I get it and understand the ethos of building a low/mid range monster. The characteristics reminds me of riding a 300XC-W with a FMF Gnarly and Turbinecore. That's a super popular setup with the Orange Kool Aid drinkers, but not my personal flavor. I know FMF is currently working on some pipes, and I would imagine OXA will have some shortly if they don't already. An FMF Fatty style pipe would help it rev longer without totally killing the low/mid, so I'm going to give one a shot.
The plastics. Don't get me wrong, it has the best looking graphics of any bike out there, and the plastics are high quality, but taking the seat off requires a 10mm on each side - each with a washer and a metal grommet. I have some choice words for that metal grommet - it's not captured or press fit into the plastics so it falls out and vanishes. I have a replacement one on the way and I'm going to super glue/epoxy them all to the plastics. Then, to get the side panels off totally (the air filter is toolless, but the rest of them), you need a 10mm, 12mm, and a phillips. I wouldn't not own the bike because of this, it's just annoying when you're used to disassembling an entire bike with an 8mm.
The tires - OEM tires on most bikes suck, and these are no exception. Metzeler FIM compliant tires feel like you're riding on sidewalls made out of cinder blocks. I'm going to pull these off and slap on some X-Grips. I've been seeing some great life out of the King Kongs(?), so I'll get a set ordered sooner rather than later.
Final Thoughts
I've been wanting to get back on a two stroke for some time, but nothing really spoke to me from the Japanese side or the European side enough to pull the trigger. Getting the European tech and refinement, but also the Japanese handling characteristics was really appealing. The '25 Fantics had overall positive reviews, but I've ridden a big bore YZ, and that wasn't what I really wanted either. The '27 XE300 is another step removed from that and can be a lugger when you want, or have that spicy mid range with a press of a button, and I think they knocked it out of the park. Very happy and excited to get more hours on it.