Enduro21 takes a closer look at the world’s first official Fantic Hard Enduro race bikes, the Hi-Tech Motorsports’ Fantic Motor USA XE300 two-strokes racing in US Hard Enduro and aiming at AMA Endurocross season ahead.

When the new Fantic USA Hard Enduro and EnduroCross Team was announced it sparked a lot of interest. Since they launched the fuel injected 300 model we’ve seen Fantics in hard enduro but never anything more than individual riders at certain events.

Certainly nothing as committed as the Hi-Tech Motorsports team with two official riders contesting major race series’. FYI Fantic USA was born only this summer with the news they would import the XE300 two-stroke enduro competition model as well as trail/dual sport options.

It’s a big positive because Fantic USA announced a young rider line-up of 17-year-old Braxton Hintze competing in the Pro class and 15-year-old Kael Widdicombe racing in the Junior class.

About time we saw Fantics in hard enduro

But it’s also a positive to see the Italian manufacturer’s bikes in hard enduro. Already a proven and capable bike in enduro over here in Europe, it was crying out for a major team to commit to more extreme racing.

And they are truly committed already with Hintze and Widdicombe having raced the 2025 Tennessee Knockout and the Pueblocos Hard Enduro.

Enduro21 spoke to Shawn Widdicombe, owner of Hi-Tech Motorsports and manager of Fantic USA Hard Enduro Team, to get the lowdown on their XE300 bike set-up.

Starting from the ground up, their 2025 Fantic XE300 is equipped with X-Grip “Jack The Gripper” tyres for the rear and Machete for the front, and with X Grip mousses. X-Grip are based in Austria and have growing presence in enduro, SuperEnduro and especially hard enduro where the official race team runs the Brightmore brothers Mitch and Ash, Dieter Rudolf and Kirsten Landeman.

The Hi-Tech Motorsports team tune the stock KYB front and rear suspension set-up with RaceTech Gold Valves, valved by Rob Brown. It’s a key element for the Yamaha-based chassis to dial in a suspension setting which is more compliant and helps the rider with more feel for the more technical terrain.

Protection parts

For hard enduro protection, Hi-Tech use a list of Bullet Proof Designs’ parts including rear caliper guard, hydraulic clutch slave cylinder guard, radiator guards, and clutch cover. Plus they add strength with welded swingarm tabs and a BulletProof Designs chain guide/sprocket protector.

Additional modifications include P3 carbon front disc guard, SXS full coverage skid plate, a welded Steahly off-road 9oz flywheel weight, Boyesen Reeds with a new “Torque” option developed by Cody Webb.

The gearing options are 12/51 or 12/52, tailored to terrain, and they run a lighter 9mm Brembo master cylinder (10mm stock) for easier clutch operation, paired with a Rekluse Apex manual clutch.

The bike runs on 100 octane ETS race fuel and is fitted with an FMF pipe and silencer and currently runs standard discs/rotors. The handlebar and grips set-up is ODI with the stock R-Tech handguards.

Naturally the project is in early days having only been announced at the start of August 2025.

“After approximately eight hours of initial riding,” Widdicombe explains, “both riders logged an 16 hours in a week, focusing on developing chassis settings with Luxon, including motor mounts and offset triple clamps. We’re also working on engine maps to better control the electronic power valve using the SX-1 ECU from GET, to fine tune the bike’s power and management for this sport better.”

Rider profiles

17-year-old Braxton Hintze from Nephi, Utah, a three-time US Hard Enduro Amateur Champion with a best finish of 5th place in the Pro Class at the Grinding Stone Hard Enduro, and 15-year-old Kael Widdicombe from Billings, Montana, also a three-time US Hard Enduro Amateur Champion, who finished 16th in the same event.

Photo Credit: Hi-Tech motorsports