Boutique Italian manufacturer Fantic is stirring things up in a middleweight segment long dominated by big names like Yamaha, Honda, and Aprilia. For years, these brands have pretty much set the pace, but Fantic’s Caballero 700 Scrambler is proving that there’s room for some pretty fresh ideas. Because unlike other scramblers which are just naked bikes with knobby tires, the Caballero is built to perform off-road—and looks good doing it.
At first glance, the Caballero 700 Scrambler stands out with its retro scrambler looks. But what really grabs attention is its engine, which is a 689cc parallel-twin—but not just any parallel-twin. This thing’s rocking the famed Yamaha CP2, an engine that’s become pretty much legendary thanks to its grunty torque and bulletproof reliability.
Believe me, for die-hard Yamaha simps like myself, seeing the CP2 in a bike like this is a dream come true. I just wish I could somehow get my hands on it.
Diving into the specs, the CP2 engine is rated for around 74 horsepower, which isn’t a lot, but is plenty for having a blast both on and off-road. In the Caballero 700, the engine is housed in a steel perimeter frame equipped with long-travel Marzocchi forks up front. At the rear, an adjustable monoshock complements the setup. The brakes consist of Brembo calipers that put the 175-kilogram (around 385 pounds) bike to a stop with relative ease.
And while the Caballero 700 in its base form already ticks all the boxes for a fun and capable machine, Fantic isn’t stopping there. They’ve introduced two special editions: the Deluxe and the Travel.
The Deluxe edition gets an elegant Campovolo Grey color scheme accented by black fenders and a distinctive “3 stripes” graphic that runs across the side plate, seat, and tank. This variant was designed to appeal to urban riders who want style without compromising functionality.
On the flip side, the Travel edition is built to go the distance. It comes kitted out with side storage bags developed in collaboration with Givi, a luggage rack, a tank-mounted storage bag, and even a windscreen. Finished in a bold Tundra Green with red number plates, this edition is geared toward riders who plan to explore gravel roads and twisty backroads.
In terms of pricing, details are still emerging. A report from the Japanese publication Autoby notes that these special editions have launched in Japan, but it doesn’t clarify whether they’re exclusive to that market. In Europe, the base Caballero 700 reportedly starts at the 10,000-euro mark (about $10,500 USD), with the special editions definitely carrying a premium for their extra features.
But apart from just admiring the specs and capability of this bike, I think it’s worth exploring the collaboration between Yamaha and Fantic on the Caballero 700. It raises some interesting questions—why would a brand like Fantic choose to incorporate Yamaha’s CP2 engine?
Well, if we turn back the clock a bit, we’ll find that Fantic acquired another Italian brand called Motori Minarelli, a brand that was once owned by, you guessed it, Yamaha. Granted, the idea here was to leverage Fantic’s know-how when it came to electric mobility. But the development of the Caballero 700 could be living proof that both Fantic and Yamaha want to retain some fun factor in the mix.
To that end, I think the Caballero 700 Scrambler is quite a special motorcycle. It’s a missed opportunity for Yamaha not to offer a middleweight scrambler themselves; a bike that slots somewhere in between the XSR700 and Tenere 700. But perhaps this partnership is exactly what they had in mind.
What do you think? Would you love to rip around backroads and gravel roads on a machine like this? I know I would. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sources: Fantic Motor, Autoby
