Dialing in the new Fantic XE300 at the Sandwinder Enduro in Smithville, Texas was a chance to put real race miles on the bike and share the process with you. I’m not chasing the full series this year, but this race is always a fun one, with a mix of GP-style high-speed sections and tighter singletrack that really shows how a bike behaves. With very little time on the Fantic before this event, I went in with zero expectations and focused on enjoying the day and the journey.
Watch the Full YouTube Video
The last enduro I raced before the 2026 Sandwinder Enduro was the Red River Dirt Riders Enduro, which was the penultimate round of TSCEC in 2025. I wanted to also race Barnwell Mountain Enduro again, BUT I was sick in bed. I have been training, though, just a bit different than I was for the racing I did in 2025. For 2026, I am going to be running more trail events, so my training has been structured more around time on my legs.
Knowing that my bike riding muscles and mind weren’t as primed as they were the year before, I needed to pay attention to everything else that was in my control. Mainly, that meant a good night’s sleep, plus solid hydration and nutrition for race day. By the end of test eight I was definitely mentally faded and physically worked, but not so wrecked that my tongue was in the spokes.
Fantic XE300 Tweaks
Throughout the race I made small, specific changes to get the Fantic working better: adding half a turn of preload to adjust sag, moving the clutch and brake levers to suit my hands and shoulders, lowering the rear brake pedal, and sticking with the softer green map to keep the power manageable. I break down what each adjustment did in the video, but the takeaway for the majority of those was finding comfort for my body.
The mental side of not fully knowing how the Fantic would respond when it was pushed did create some doubt in me. I kept reminding myself I have very little time on the Fantic and on a two‑stroke, so just feel it out and ramp up as you get more comfortable. That strategy kept me upright, and still pushing at a pretty decent pace on the day.
The number one thing that caught my attention was while I was warming up before test one. Knowing it was more of an open test, I wanted to see how the Blue Map, or the Wild Map, felt. It was constantly lifting the front wheel off the ground as I was coming out of turns in the figure eights I made. Due to that, I decided right away I was going to come back to playing with Traction Control and the Wild Map in the future. FYI, we’re calling the Green Map the Mild Map, so we have Wild and Mild; they’re pretty fitting. Also, I want to try more preload, and Hans Neff recommended raising the forks in the clamps by 3mm.
Enduro Community and Results
It was a fun weekend to be back racing with my TSCEC friends and family. It’s interesting how many enduro attendees don’t realize how far back my time in TSCEC goes. I started racing again in 2007 (TORO and TSCEC), and I was AA in the TSCEC Series in 2010 & 2011 (I think). Though I was never one to compete with Cole Kirkpatrick or Haydn Franklin during their prime, I was there trying (haha).
Ryan Watson did a heck of a great job riding the AA spot on our row. It was really fun trying to get a pull from him. Then as Riley Johnson would catch and drop me, there were a few seconds in there where I felt fast. As is expected with an event called the Sandwinder Enduro, the tests got rough and deep quick. The last 1.5 miles of the second test, which we did three times, was the worst on the day. The third test, which we also did three times, was probably the most fun. It was also the one I took a win in for the 40A class. I’m sure Haydn Franklin took a nap or missed a line, but I’ll take the little moments when they arise! 3rd in the 40A Class, ~5 minutes behind Haydn and one minute behind Nathan Goertz, and 28th Overall on the day.
I’ve been getting more messages about nutrition. Please keep those coming. The reason I put the content out I do is to entertain and educate other riders. I want you to enjoy you’re time on the bike more, so you enjoy the sport more, too.
If you have questions about the XE300, nutrition/hydration, or enduro race prep, drop them in the comments. If I don’t get to see you on the trail, I’ll see you here on the internet for the next one.
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