Enduro Upgrades For The Fantic XE 125

Fantic XE 125 Enduro Bike: From OEM To AS3

Up until recent times Fantic were predominately known for classic trials bikes, 50-125cc motard bikes and more recently a selection of Scrambler and Flat Track bikes with their Caballero range. However in 2021 the Italian manufacturer released a brand new range of off-road motorcycles with the introduction of the Fantic XX 125 2 stroke motocross bike, the XE 125 2 stroke enduro bike and the XEF 250 4 stroke enduro bike.

The introduction of 3 new models also saw Fantic enter the racing scene with the XX 125 not only running in, but consistently winning the EMX125 series and Cas Valk taking the Championship at the end of the 2022 season. Fantic also now have a team competing in Enduro GP, a Moto2 team plus a Factory Rally team.

At AS3 Performance we love to get involved in anything new and different so we worked closely with a local Fantic dealer and brought a standard Fantic XE 125 into our workshop to test fit and develop a range of parts for the bikes! Below we feature a selection of before and after photos so you can see the difference between the bike in complete OEM form and how it looks after the installation of the AS3 Performance parts! 

Clutch Cover

On the after photo above, you can see our black AS3 Performance Factory Series billet aluminium clutch cover has replaced the OEM clutch cover. As well as providing a big visual upgrade, our clutch covers are a much stronger and more durable alternative. They are hard anodised to resist wear to the face of the cover and feature our laser etched AS3 Performance Factory Series branding. Our clutch covers have been used by many of our sponsored riders competing in some of the toughest race conditions from MXGP to the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. You can read in more detail about the features and benefits of installing an AS3 Performance clutch cover here.

Foot Pegs & Kick Start Lever

Our Factory Series foot pegs, anodised in black, complement the clutch cover nicely. These foot pegs, as well as our Racing Series foot pegs, are very popular with a lot of our riders, as they are wider and lighter than the OEM foot pegs. The foot pegs come in a choice of red or black for the Fantic bikes. Our Racing Series foot pegs feature a 60mm wide platform with a stainless steel 30 teeth plate, giving you better grip and larger surface area than the OEM foot pegs. Titanium foot pegs are also available for the Fantic motocross and enduro bikes.

In the centre of the photo above you will also notice that we have replaced the OEM kick start lever with our black anodised kick start lever. It has a textured anodised finish with AS3 Performance branding and is manufactured from 7075 aluminium which is a stronger grade of aluminium than some of our other parts as it will come under more stress than for example a reservoir cover. If you prefer the OEM look and just need a similar replacement, we also supply the kick start lever in silver for the XE 125 but we went for the black version as it compliments the black fuel tank and wheels.

Rear Brake Pedal, Clevis, Reservoir Cover & Oil Filler Plug

We have replaced the OEM rear brake pedal with our cold forged black version, featuring a red flexible tip, the tip is spring loaded and will pivot if caught on something which will help prevent it from bending or snapping during a race. You can also see the brake snake cable that is mounted to the exhaust mount, this is to help prevent the lever branding outwards if caught on a deep rut or tree root. With the addition of the other red anodised parts like the rear brake clevis, rear brake reservoir cover and oil filler plug, these "pop out" against the Fantic's original red decals. The red anodised parts are also available in black for the XE 125.

Gear Lever

The OEM gear lever has been replaced with our black anodised, cold forged gear lever, which is less susceptible to snapping upon any impact. The process of cold forging means they are much less brittle than the cast OEM levers. With a big choice of tip-colours available, we have fitted an anodised red tip as an added stand-out feature, matching the rear brake lever tip on the other side. We also offer the gear lever and rear brake pedal as part of a kit at a slightly discounted rate as many customers prefer to upgrade both levers, these are available as shown in the photos or in our Factory Series option. The Factory Series levers have a textured matt black anodised finish with grey tips.

Case Saver & Front Sprocket Guard

The black case saver and black front sprocket guard have been added. The latter prevents mud and stones getting caught up in the chain and sprocket during a race and the case saver will prevent the possibility of an expensive repair to the engine casings in the event of the chain snapping or failing. Both guards are a big visual upgrade on the OEM parts, as they are both CNC machined from 6061 billet aluminium to make them stronger, especially the front sprocket cover as the OEM cover is plastic. They have a polished finish and are anodised in black. A big upgrade on the OEM parts.

Ignition Cover

We have replaced the OEM ignition cover with our billet aluminium Factory Series ignition cover. These are CNC machined from a solid block of 6061 aluminium. This is a big upgrade for the XE 125 as the OEM ignition cover is plastic on this model and when competing in enduro events the possibility of this part taking an impact is high. The hard anodised black colour is a huge visual upgrade too! This part was developed from scratch, when we received the bike we test fit the Yamaha YZ 125 clutch cover and that fit perfectly but we didn't have a matching ignition cover for the other side. We only had the bike for a short period of time but we managed to have the ignition cover developed and tested in less than 4 weeks.

Rear Brake Disc Guard

Another Plastic to aluminium upgrade for the Fantic XE 125 is the rear brake disc guard. We have replaced the standard plastic disc guard with our billet aluminium rear brake disc guard. These are always a popular choice with anyone riding off-road bikes. From enduro and motocross, to trail and adventure bikes, our rear brake disc guards don't only look much better than the OEM ones - they are also an essential protection part to help prevent damage to your rear brake disc, which, if damaged, could lead to the end of a race, or leaving you stranded on a trail.

Rear Brake Caliper Guard

The rear brake caliper guard has also received the same upgrade as the rear disc guard. We have swapped plastic OEM rear brake caliper guard with our CNC machined billet aluminium version. Our rear brake caliper guards for the Fantic bikes come in a choice of anodised black or red. These caliper guards are also being used this year by our supported MXGP team JWR Honda Racing.

Rear Brake Line

The brake lines on the XE 125 have been upgraded from the rubber OEM brake hoses to our AS3 Performance by Venhill stainless steel braided brake lines. This will improve the overall feeling of both the front and rear brakes by eliminating that 'spongey' feeling you can sometimes get with the OEM rubber brake hoses. Featherlite AS3 Performance throttle cables have also replaced the OEM throttle cables. These are described as "featherlite" because they have a teflon inner liner which is designed to reduce friction inside the cable, allowing for smoother throttle operation. We ran red for all cable upgrades and they provide a nice stand-out visual upgrade, but all cables are available in black for the bike too.

Chain Guide

The chain guide on the XE 125 has also had an upgrade. Here you can see our AS3 version with a black anodised aluminium mounting bracket paired with a hard wearing TPU plastic block. the blocks are replaceable and can be ordered separately from our website if required. We also offer the chain guides with an anodised in red bracket, depending on your preference. It was a close decision but we opted to go with the all black option to match the black wheels on the XE 125.

Rear Axle Blocks

To add a touch of colour to the rear wheel on the XE 125 we replaced the OEM axle blocks with our red anodised rear axle blocks. They are CNC machined from billet aluminium with AS3 Performance laser etched branding and feature alignment scales on the top & bottom, allowing precise positioning of the rear wheel. The red axle blocks compliment the red graphics and seat on the bike. We also have axle blocks available in both red and black that come complete with the adjuster bolt incorporated in to each block.

Rear Sprocket

The OEM rear sprocket has been replaced with one of our black aluminium rear sprockets. Designed for maximum strength and minimum weight, they are up to 50% lighter than the OEM steel rear sprocket! We also stock rear sprockets in red for the Fantic motorcycles. Another option that is more popular with enduro riders is our Factory Series rear sprockets. These sprockets combine the durability of a steel sprocket with the weight saving of an aluminium sprocket by having an aluminium frame with a steel outer ring. To view our Factory Series rear sprockets click here.

A nice shot encapsulating our upgrades on the left side of the XE 125. Note the red anodised chain guide fitted in this one

Fantic XE 125 Photos and Videos

The above photos and details are a small snapshot of the parts we have developed for the Fantic XE 125. Most of the products that we have available on our website for the Fantic XE 125 have detailed photos added to the webpage so that you can see how the parts look on the bike. We also have videos posted on our YouTube and Tik-Tok channels. Click here to see a video walk round of the bike with some of our black parts fitted!

Fantic XE 125 FAQ's

With the Fantic XE 125 being relatively new to the enduro scene, we receive many questions and enquiries about the bike and parts that fit the bike. Below we address some of the most frequently asked questions about the Fantic XE 125 enduro bike.

The first time we laid eyes on the Fantic XE 125 enduro bike, our immediate thought was, 'that's a red Yamaha YZ 125'. Infact, it's probably closer to Yamaha's cross country version - the Yamaha YZ 125 X. When we started to strip the bike down in our workshop, the first parts that we used to cross reference were the Yamaha YZ 125 parts and we found that almost all of the Yamaha YZ 125 parts fit the Fantic XE 125. We then cross referenced these parts with the Fantic XX 125 (the motocross version of the XE 125). To summarise, the Fantic XE 125 is very similar to the Yamaha YZ 125 and shares a lot of the same parts and components, but does have some differences which make it it's own - for example, the seat, tank, plastics and graphics.

Is the Fantic XE 125 2 stroke or the Fantic XEF 250 4 stroke better for enduro?

The majority of enduro riders prefer to ride a 2 stroke as they are lighter and have that sharp, snappy power delivery that is often required when having to overcome difficult obstacles with minimum space for acceleration. 4 stroke enduro bikes can have their advantages as the power delivery is smoother and can be easier to ride in certain sections, but they are heavier than 2 strokes and this can be a disadvantage, especially in wet and muddy conditions which can drain vital energy from the rider in long enduro races. Fantic now produce a 300cc 2 stroke and we are confident that this will become the bike of choice for all enduro riders on the Fantic brand.

What is the best Fantic motocross bike?

Since the introduction of the XE and XEF models in 2021, Fantic now offer a whole range of 2 stroke and 4 stroke motocross bikes. These include the XX 125, XX 250 and the XXF 250, but we believe that the new 2024 Fantic XXF 450 is currently the best Fantic motocross bike on the market. It has received a lot of the same upgrades that the Yamaha YZ450F received in 2023, which was a surprise for us, but great for Fantic enthusiasts! This is the same bike that is now ridden by Glenn Coldenhoff in the MXGP Championship.

Do Fantic still make trials bikes?

Back in the 1970's and 1980's, Fantic had a strong reputation for building trails bikes, but now Fantic do not currently make trails bikes. We do however stock a small selection of clutch cables, throttle cables and brake cables for the classic Fantic trials bikes, including the Fantic 305 and the Fantic 240.

To shop our complete range of products for Fantic motocross, enduro and trials bikes please click here.