Fantic Caballero: 70's & 80's Motorcycles Part 5

[@brenrfielder5527]

Hi All, the Bumper Book of Sports Mopeds is now on eBay. Keep the revs up! Brent

[@maxflight777]

Can’t locate it ! Keen to my purchase now Brent. 👍

[@simonbarrett7686]

Had one brand new back in '77, and within six months it felt six years old, Italian build quality! But it was my first bike and therefore I'll always love it. Although truth be told after six months I part-exed it for a Fizzy which didn't have the character or presence of the Fantic but it stayed in one peice.

[@exzentrische]

I have Caballero Cross Strada 100cc. From year 1973.

[@marksteveo]

I got a 2nd hand Caballero in 1983 after reading an article in an old bike mag then putting an ad in the paper. I think it was a '76/77 model. I loved that bike and so did everyone who rode it. All my mates at the time had restricted RD's, XL's and ER's...nobody could catch me. No key, if I remember right. Thanks for the video - great stuff.

[@davemonday5381]

I own 10 bikes 1975 to 1978 there mostly 250cc and a couple of 400cc s. I didn’t realise that others had this same affliction. I’m not the only restorer in the village. One day we’ll have a vintage pride parade.

[@cedriclynch]

The sound of your Fantic Caballero 50 is absolutely correct; there is nothing missing from the silencer. The loudness is mainly the result of the silencer not having a circular cross-section. Also part of the noise comes from the intake.

[@Martindyna]

Interesting about the early iron barreled Fantic engines being unreliable if thrashed, presumably the alloy barrel & fins kept the engine cooler. Brent's endless back garden was also impressive (presumably backs on to a field).

[@ukaypete]

I had the first Caballero in Reading. Bought from Wally Searle Oxford Road in 1974..rode it to London and Oxford..freedom!

[@mond56r89]

Back in 76, when I was sixteen, I had a Fantic Caballero RC50 (the six speed alloy engined enduro bike). It was the actual bike that was on the Fantic stand of the Earls Court motorcycle show. The thing was a missile compared to all my mates bikes and I wish I still owned it. I still ride bikes to this day, but that Fantic was quite possibly my favourite.

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

Great to see the uncommon bikes being restored Martin , Thanks !!

[@retrorestore]

Brent has a great collection and growing in value as well. Cheers Martin

[@tigermoth3194]

That's one lucky bloke, there Martin, and what a nice moped collection Brent has got. Its nice to hear that he uses them too, rather than just sitting in a shed gathering dust. Mark.

[@retrorestore]

Yes Mark. I was lucky to find him and he had good stories as well. Cheers Martin

[@Fred4662]

In York there were quite a few Caballeros and GTs and a Chopper or 2, I always thought they were cool and were pretty fast. I knew someone with a Puch Grand Prix, it was the fastest moped I ever saw.

[@Davidand-Goliath]

Hi i had a 1973 garelli tiger when i was 16 m reg and like brent i first saw a Garelli tiger when still at school go by and boy did i want one. Some sports mopeds in my town were fantic chopper 50cc and mainly garelli records also fizzy and ss50s. Can you get a fantic chopper 50cc review that would be good i would also like to get a garelli tiger again at some point.

[@retrorestore]

Hi David, I bet you wish you still had yours, I had an ss50 and a fs1e dx before I got my yamaha RD's. Great times. Cheers Martin

[@thelodger1289]

My mate had a Fantic Chopper in 1974. Nice looking.

[@kevinjenkins2468]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@theart8039]

They weren't available in Sussex in 1977, I would definitely have had one rather than my Suzuki AP50

[@onlyme6479]

My first bike back in the day

[@meandthefamily1485]

Two people I knew had the Garelli Tiger cross ,and a bike called a Cimati I'm sure in bronze colour never knew what model it was looked similar to a tigercross that was in 1978 and I was just 12 , never found out what it was ,there is nothing n KZbin that I've found anyway ,I went on to have an SS50 followed by an AP50 at 16 in 82 , great memories and bikes , Cheers all 👍

[@cedriclynch]

The Cimatti model that looks similar to the Garelli Tiger Cross is the Kaiman. Cimatti also did a more road-oriented model called the Sagittario. Cimatti used engines made by Motori Minarelli, as did Fantic and several other manufacturers. The Minarelli engine was very reliable provided that you did not rev it above about 9000rpm. If you over-revved it the top piston ring would break. The Garelli shared this problem, but worse since the Garelli has a chromium-plated bore that cannot be rebored by a normal workshop. The Garelli has two other major issues: the main bearing inner races are a sliding fit (rather than a press fit) on the crankshaft and they fret looser until after a few thousand miles the flywheel fouls the magneto stator and usually the flywheel key shears. Also the Garelli's connecting-rod small end is uncaged; it has 28 loose rollers that will probably fall into the crankcase if you take the piston off without knowing this and taking suitable precautions to catch the rollers. When re-fitting the piston you have to stick the rollers in place with grease and take great care not to dislodge any of them as you insert the gudgeon pin.

[@markgreenhow7953]

Anyone have a Cimatti Kaiman? Now that was real Italian exotica for the well heeled 16 year old!

[@richardrichard5409]

Yup, my best mate had one in metallic green, usual 6 speed Minerelli engine.

[@mikeclifton7778]

That induction noise brings back memories!

[@buxvan]

Too right. That noise was as loud as the exhaust ! One of the faster mopeds if I remember.

[@johncourtman9774]

Hi there Martin, this is Delboy, just wondering what else we are doing in the garden, just wondering how much you spend on your lawnmowers on Ebay or wherever? just give me idea of ways to get some pocket money now I've just got my driving licence back, right chuffed your son is keeping his mini, looks really good and my son was hoping to get his up and running this year, hopefully he will pass his test this year, only 17 like.

[@retrorestore]

Hi Delboy, For the Briggs and stratton powered mowers, we pay between £10 and £25.00 depending on condition. We pay more for Hayters and Hondas as they can be worth a lot more. Good luck with his test. Cheers Martin

[@dannygroom3327]

No need for a mot on that now!

[@maxflight777]

The most fun I ever had in my life was on a sports moped .... agreed ! 👍😀

[@daveb1963]

What about malaguti monte 50

[@goonluv]

Loved the last bike.and thats one big garden lol atb Gordon

[@retrorestore]

Big enough for a moped Rally Gordon. Cheers Martin

[@darcysmoke]

i'm 55 now but as you said , most fun i had was riding tea cup(50cc) racers....

[@bingobango5297]

espresso cup

[@allanbuttery5297]

Excellent Trial bikes Questionable Trail bikes?

[@VeeDubJohn]

Thanks Martin!

[@retrorestore]

Hey John, thanks for watching and commenting. It makes it all worthwhile. Cheers Martin

[@paulr7582]

Ya bikes look great. I used to race against garellies on me casel ss4 5occ .great days back in the 70s .rogo from gelding Notts.

[@garybarfoot9856]

I had a cabby in 1978 imo they were more common than the super t.

[@HarveyGeorge]

cool

[@latitudeash]

Cool bikes

[@retrorestore]

cheers bud

[@jezztech]

Did i hear you correct? "not a popular bike in UK" how old RU , you were not there!, the Caballero was everywhere ! all 16ers wanted them , all Mothers hated signing guarantor for them, you are too young to say that.

[@retrorestore]

Really, i'm 58

[@jezztech]

@@retrorestore congrats you look younger, but seriously in my neck of woods they were ab solutly everywhere, they were sold out of local Kawasaki centre, soon as the cabs came in they were sold.

[@cedriclynch]

@@jezztech A lot of Italian and Austrian sports mopeds were sold through Kawasaki dealers in the mid 70s. Kawasaki did not make any mopeds until after the speed restriction was brought in in August 1977. Kawasaki did not allow its dealers to sell any other Japanese make but did allow them to sell bikes made in any other country.

[@jezztech]

@@cedriclynch er yeah I know.

[@maxflight777]

Christ I’ll pay £1000 for that ! Message me if it’s available

[@richardrichard5409]

It was 6 years ago🤣

[@maxflight777]

@@richardrichard5409 Heartbreaking news ! 😂

[@henrytudor7058]

In it's time it was crap.

[@arturalmeida9677]

Cerco pistone diametro 47,5mm e piolo 13mm per motore Fantic con cilindro MF369 (369.47.00.5100). Sarei grato per l'aiuto. Costretto