Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Attached to new rear suspension linkages is a Marzocchi shock. The 1987301 cc Fantic has a neW frame that enables the use of a single-shock rear suspension set up. This allows the seat height to be lowered without saoraficing ground clearance. which happens to be a high 13 inches. The Grimeca front disc brake isn't very progressive. Progress 2 setup seems to incorporate the best of both worlds: disc responsiveness and consistency plus im· proved feel. Another bon us of the maintenancefree disc is its resistance to fade in wet and/or muddy conditions. Initial concerns over mud and water wear on the pads and rock damage to the disc have proven unfounded during the past year and a half. Initial feedback in 1985 indicated the possiblity of disc pad wear problems caused by machining burrs surrounding the holes drilled in the disc. Because of this, the U.S. importer, TMI, suggested' that their dealers chamfer the holes during setup. This problem has been eliminated with the Progress 2. Meanwhile, Fantic continued to " ~arch for the optimum pad material. That selection process, now sixth generation, has picked Newfren, a non-organic pad compound to max· imize water-resistance and minimize wear. One advantage of the new setup is the addition ofa bleed screw on top of the master cylinder that allows topping off to prevent air intrusion. Fantic uses a Marzocchi shock built to their specifications for the Progress 2. The main feature is the externally adjustable damping. Each click generates a parallel change in compression and rebound damping. The rear section of the frame is detachable to facilitate rear-end maintenance. Going to a single-shock frame for the 301 allowed Fantic to lower seat height while maintaining the same 13 inches of ground clearance found on the 300 model. Taller riders may find the raised contour of the rear fender forces them forward into the saddle, eliminating the option of placing their buns back for sit-down dabbing or trail riding. In developing the 301, the factory did extensive work on the exhaust system to broaden the powerband and increase the motor's ability to rev out. The Progress 2 saw additional allention in this area. The spark plug was re, sitioned to allow higher revving. The transfer ports were also enlarged. The 30l's compression ratio of 10.4: 1 matches that of the old 300. TMI suggests adding ahead gasket to mellow the zip of the motor for less advanced riders. This change also makes starting and jelling easier. Lower level riders might consider adding two gaskets. Team riders used to drop a tooth on the countershaft sprocket, but that is no longer necessary with the Progress 2. In developing the 30 I, the factory lightened the muffler and positioned it lower on the bike to lower the cen· ter of gravity. More weight was saved by trimming two pounds off the flywheel. Fantic lopped off considerable width permilling them to fit a narrower mag case. The flywheel diameter increase more than offset the weight reduction so that the slimmer, lighter motor's inertia effect is virtually the same, actually slightly increased. Progress 2 changes not already mentioned include: A switch to state-of·the-art Michelin X-I rubber. A softening of cI utch pull by going to steel driven discs. This produces a broader "gray area" for beller feel as engagement begins. (A prototype clutch is in development utilizing , variable rate cI utch springs which is reported to significantly soften lever pull for one-finger operation.) Refinement of the steering stem and bearing which allows a tighter turning radius. A new Magura kill button. A switch to a chrome-moly steel swingarm using an alloy equivalent to American 4340. A modification of the excellent rearbreathing-snorkel air box that opens at the top. The channels into which the plastic carrier/filter "sandwich" are inserted were made snugger to eliminate possible airbox shrinkage and subsequent filter bypass. New red, white and blue graphics. In the past, Fantic's zingy little motors - not much on bottom with a quick burst in the middle - had their fans and critics. The current 249.4cc motor, however, offers quite acceptable bottom end for today's stop-and-go section demands plus noticeably smoother acceleration through a wider midrange plus higher revving capaci ty, Fantic can take much of the credit for the trend away from the larger, Test: Fantic·30J. Progess 2 State of the Art By Len Weed In the past, Fantic has made strategic leaps up the displacement ladder en route to their claimed position as the world's top selling trials bike. Entering the market in 1978, their plan was - capture the schoolboys then offer them larger . ' . bIkes. as they mature. Fan.tIc salesflguresmaturedalongwtth their customers. In fact, this successful strategy may have contributed to Fantic's bout with the expansion blues. Problems peaked late in 1984, about the same time development began on the first (pre-Progress 2) 301. Fantic, then claiming a 50% grasp of the world market (units sold), had cash-flow problems. Skyrocketing interest rates, factory expansion expenses, and supplier hassles all contributed to the manufacturer's woes. They filed for the Italian equivalent of bankruptcy protection, recovered, and are now operating without government supervision. The 301 indicated a leveling element in Fantic's strategy. It featured the same 249.4cc displacement found in the 300 twin-shock model it replaced, Perhaps the additional digit in the ,model designation 'referred to the switch to a single-shock chassis. Or it could have signaled the addition of one hydraulic disc brake, a first for a trials bike. The first 301 model, released overseas during the fall of 1985, reached American shores in March of 1986. The new version, the 301 Progress 2, debuted last December in the hands of team riders Bernie Schreiber and David Pyle at the Schreiber Cup and El Trial de Espana in California. CurrentLWo-nme World Champion Thierry Michaud used a prototype of the first 301 to score a record nine ,victories in ~ 2 Slar~S en route to 1~85 ,,":orld title. ~is three non-win' nlng ndes were second place efforts; Refinements developed during the 1986 season as Michaud won again and now appear in the Progress 2. The first 301 utilized a version of the same modified 249.4cc motor Michaud used on the twin-shock factory 300 during the 1984 campaign. The major changes involved raising the exhaust port and modifying the ....exhauslSystem. The Progress 2 reflects continumg finements. Transfer port size was increased and the spark plug was moved to improve revving capabilities without affecting midrange power. The front disc setup first appeared' on Michaud's single-shock prototype for a season's testing before going on the original 301 production UP-it. The 30l's disc and caliper are by Grimeca. For the Progress 2, Fantic repositioned the master cylinder be· hind the headlight, mounted to the boltom triple clamp. (American imports feature a custom number plate - the lighting kit is optionaJ.) A cable connects the front brake lever to the cylinder, a hydraulic line runs from the cylinder down to the caliper on the front wheel. With the original 301 setup - and disc setups on other bikes ~ there's a shorter range of lever movement from activation to full lock - compared to cable· operated drum brakes. The lever also tends to offer less progressive feel. Most riders rapidly adjusted to the setup as well as the benefits - more consistent, fade-free stopping minus any cable stretch variations. The new HIS

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