My 2017 Alta Redshift - Long Haul Update...

ben990
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ben990 9/25/2017 7:30am
9/25/2017 7:30am
Here is some video my son took yesterday at Cato, NY:

Alta Redshift MX holeshot!

I got the holeshot against all of those pesky loud 250f's and 450f's!

Thanks you, Alta Redshift map 4! Full Alta race report coming soon...

colintrax
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colintrax 9/25/2017 8:12am
9/25/2017 8:12am
ben990 wrote:
To answer a few questions: There is no clutch or gears. There is a kill button on the right side of the handlebars, and a key...
To answer a few questions:

There is no clutch or gears.

There is a kill button on the right side of the handlebars, and a key on the left hand side of the bike. The display flashes when the throttle is live when you are stopped or going less than 3 mph, to, well, let you know it is live.

This thing is a blast to ride, and as I have said before, I can ride it right out of my workshop and on the track in the woods behind my house, at any time of the day, because no one can hear me. I have raced it in several races and it is very competitive. I have ridden more in the last 3 months I have owned this bike than at any other time in my life, except for maybe when I was about 9 years old and my parents gave me a 1974 Honda XR75 for Christmas - I rode the wheels off of that bike!

Spring change? I put heavier springs on it, both front and rear, and it works way better for me, a 220 pound 51 year old B rider. I can charge harder now with more confidence. With the stock suspension, it seemed good at some tracks, while at others it held me back some. I still don't "send it" on some jumps, but that is more the self-preservation side of me, not the bike.

Top speed? I don't know, but way fast enough for any motocross or GP race I have done. The display does show you MPH, but when I get going fast I don't feel comfortable looking down to see how fast I am going. Maybe this week I will do a speed run on smooth pavement for my own curiosity.

Maintenance? None, beyond the normal consumables, such a tires and grips because I tip over occasionally. Once the riding season ends here, I will replace the chain and sprockets, and put on new brake pads, and grease some stuff, but besides that, there is no real maintenance. I have read that there is a small amount of oil in the gearbox that you need to replace after 500 hours, and that the battery is good for 1000 charges. Based upon this, and how much I ride the bike, I might have to replace the oil in 7-8 years, and the battery in 10 years! :-)

If you don't feel like doing the speed run, top speed should be 65mph on stock gearing.
RM Mike
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RM Mike 9/25/2017 9:36am
9/25/2017 9:36am
The new plastic really helps.
NorCal 50+
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NorCal 50+ 9/25/2017 10:42am
9/25/2017 10:42am
If there are any doubts as to how much power an electric engine can make- this is 10 years ago. Never gets old:

https://youtu.be/9o15EALghp0

The Shop

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RM Mike
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RM Mike 9/25/2017 11:19am
9/25/2017 11:19am
He's not qualified to ride that bike.
Phillip_Lamb
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Phillip_Lamb 9/25/2017 11:30am
9/25/2017 11:30am
the alta does look pretty cool and i see it having a solid place in the market. especially with issues of noise and air pollution.

one could easily get away with building a track in the back yard and no would know.


it still aint a gas engine, and i hope they dont intermingle down the road for racing tho, but aside from that
Zr0man
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Zr0man 9/25/2017 12:02pm
9/25/2017 12:02pm
One showed up yesterday at the local Texas Sprint Enduro from what I read on FB. Entered in "AA" class but only completed 4 of the 8 tests. Comments mentioned ran out of juice couldn't recharge fast enough. Race was setup after each test (8 miles) you were back at camp.Seemed to be competitive when charged. Not for me I'll stay with mixing my gas and oil.
RangerLee
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RangerLee 9/25/2017 12:18pm
9/25/2017 12:18pm
theycallmeebryan wrote:
The motor definitely has a sound to it. It's not completely silent. Kinda like a hopped up Pole Position go-kart sound. I had the chance to...
The motor definitely has a sound to it. It's not completely silent. Kinda like a hopped up Pole Position go-kart sound.

I had the chance to test one out at milestone for the first time. The bike is such a blast to ride and I'd easily be competitive on it with some tweaks. I had two complaints. First, the suspension on the test bike I rode was crap. The 4cs forks are garbage, and the shock was just ok. If they go with the AER 48 the bike will be much better. Second, there was a lot of "play" in the throttle on all 3 of the demo bikes I rode. One time I laid the bike over in a turn because I was expecting that instant reaction of power from a minute twist of my hand (that instant reaction you get from a cable throttle that's properly adjusted) , but there was an excess amount of play, just like a very loosely adjusted cable throttle on our gas bikes.

The power is amazing. The bike just pulls and pulls and pulls, the kind of power that puts a smile on your face. Map 2 is enough for most riders put there. Map 4 is just ludicrous, tire spinning power that probably wouldn't be necessary. I don't see why you would want to mimic the torque curve of a gas bike because the best thing about an electric motor is that instant, smooth power. There is a literal linear connection between throttle % and power output with the electric motor.

Here's a clip during one of my sillier sessions: https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3eA4jgk2t/
It may not sound like a gasoline dirtbike, but it sure as hell roosts like one!!!

I like the fact you can talk shit to your buddies as you ride, just like when mountain biking.

As I age my skills may not be what they used to be, but I can either make everyone laugh while we ride...or cry...usually both.
#76
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#76 9/25/2017 2:10pm
9/25/2017 2:10pm
OP, thanks for taking the time out to do this, as soon as they ship to the U.K. I will be buying one!.
jonesaustin
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jonesaustin 9/25/2017 4:57pm
9/25/2017 4:57pm
Best looking one I've seen yet, extremely well chosen color scheme.
Spizzy
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Spizzy 9/25/2017 5:28pm
9/25/2017 5:28pm


Here is a picture of mine.
mtnr
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., ID, USA
mtnr 9/25/2017 5:44pm
9/25/2017 5:44pm
Spizzy wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/09/25/216708/s1200_image.jpg[/img] Here is a picture of mine.


Here is a picture of mine.
Sweet, and American made!Wink
R.EX
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R.EX 9/25/2017 6:02pm
9/25/2017 6:02pm
Spizzy wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/09/25/216708/s1200_image.jpg[/img] Here is a picture of mine.


Here is a picture of mine.
That looks badass. Can't wait to get one up to the Great White North.
tbgonz
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tbgonz 12/10/2017 12:19pm
12/10/2017 12:19pm
Can you give an update on battery life that you've experienced? How long have you been able to go on each map? What is your goto map for tracks? Trails?

I'm super curious about these bikes. Would love to have one one day.
crockett
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crockett 12/10/2017 1:13pm
12/10/2017 1:13pm
Quit comparing to gas bikes everyone please!!! It holds up more info on these bikes. If it gets you riding MORE, why would you ever be against it. All of my close riding buddies have had track, and had neighbour complaints. You guys saying they will never compare to gas bikes are as annoying as they are..

Power seems proven on these bikes, as does reliability and durability.

But how do I go about racing these? I normally race 2 classes minimum, a combined riding time of 45 mins.
Or let's say I ride a public track on a weekend. I normally ride for 1.5 hrs.
Can Alta owners tell us more about this experience?
What if you have back to back ride days?
yz133rider
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yz133rider 12/10/2017 1:37pm
12/10/2017 1:37pm
Read thru Ben's posts he's been insanely thorough with reports and info.
Braaaphole
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Braaaphole 12/10/2017 1:38pm
12/10/2017 1:38pm
Alta should offer conversion kits for other bikes. Take a 250f that grenaded and convert it, could be fun and a cheaper way to expand the market.
mark911
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mark911 12/10/2017 2:21pm
12/10/2017 2:21pm Edited Date/Time 12/10/2017 5:48pm
Asking how long the battery will last is like asking how much gas you use in a moto, it depends! So, a REALLY general answer would go as follows;

There's about 33kwh of energy in a gallon of gas. Most ICE engines are extremely inefficient at converting this into useful work, let's say 20% efficient. So that means a gallon of gas is about equal to 6.6kwhs of useful energy.

Now the Alta's battery pack is about 5.8kwhs. An electric motor system, particularly in the case with the Alta, can be very efficient, lets say 95%. So that about 5.5kwh of useful energy.

5.5/6.6 = 0.83. So, the battery pack on the Alta is equivalent to over 3/4 of a gallon of gas.

So, IF ON YOUR GAS BIKE you can do it (complete a moto, trail ride, practice, etc) on just under a gallon of gas you'd probably make it on the Alta as well assuming a full charge, although the last 10% of battery might be somewhat power restricted. Remember, your gas bike mileage will vary depending on track conditions and on how hard you ride, so keep that in mind when doing this conversion.

Most moto folks have no idea how much fuel they use because its typically never an issue unless you're a pro at Southwick or something. But if you really want to know if the Alta will fit the bill for you just do a before and after measurement of the fuel in your tank.

Again, this is a extremely simplified analysis.

Pit Row

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stillgonnagreaseit 12/10/2017 2:51pm
12/10/2017 2:51pm
crockett wrote:
Quit comparing to gas bikes everyone please!!! It holds up more info on these bikes. If it gets you riding MORE, why would you ever be...
Quit comparing to gas bikes everyone please!!! It holds up more info on these bikes. If it gets you riding MORE, why would you ever be against it. All of my close riding buddies have had track, and had neighbour complaints. You guys saying they will never compare to gas bikes are as annoying as they are..

Power seems proven on these bikes, as does reliability and durability.

But how do I go about racing these? I normally race 2 classes minimum, a combined riding time of 45 mins.
Or let's say I ride a public track on a weekend. I normally ride for 1.5 hrs.
Can Alta owners tell us more about this experience?
What if you have back to back ride days?
You ever think of just reading through the thread? OP has been very thorough and detailed in his reports. All your questions, he's answered.
ben990
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ben990 12/10/2017 3:22pm
12/10/2017 3:22pm
There is no problem racing an Alta for 2 or 3 local mx classes. Just make sure you have a 220v generator to charge the battery between motos.

There would also be no problem with a practice day, assuming that they are run like the ones around here, where your class (expert/am, novice, beginner, or mini) get around 15-20 minutes of riding, and then the other classes rotate through. Ride your 20 minutes and then charge while you are waiting for your class to come around.

There is also no problem with J-Day style races - two 30 minute motos.


Over 70 hours now


Trelleborgs now mounted
Cygrace74
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Cygrace74 12/10/2017 4:15pm
12/10/2017 4:15pm
Bike only makes it 23 minutes at a Jday
moore433
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moore433 12/10/2017 8:24pm
12/10/2017 8:24pm
slipdog wrote:
Oh, you must have missed the memo... [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/09/23/216399/s1200_Screenshot_2017_09_23_at_4.56.59_PM.jpg[/img]
Oh, you must have missed the memo...





Oh hell that made me laugh!!!!
bp99mx
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CH
bp99mx 1/14/2018 8:56am
1/14/2018 8:56am
Hello guys,

I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX to an east cost american dealer. Now it's a little bit the mess to find a shipper to import it.

Anyway I will find a solution. If somebody has some advices about transportation to share with me please do it.

I have one question, where can I provide white plastic set, and a supplier for graphic and decals for my MX. Have you some addresses. In white it looks so nicer.....

I'm really impatient to receive it, to be able to train almost everyday.

Sorry for my english, my language is the Frensh.

Thanks for your replies.
Ghost of Jabroni 1/14/2018 9:29am
1/14/2018 9:29am
bp99mx wrote:
Hello guys, I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX...
Hello guys,

I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX to an east cost american dealer. Now it's a little bit the mess to find a shipper to import it.

Anyway I will find a solution. If somebody has some advices about transportation to share with me please do it.

I have one question, where can I provide white plastic set, and a supplier for graphic and decals for my MX. Have you some addresses. In white it looks so nicer.....

I'm really impatient to receive it, to be able to train almost everyday.

Sorry for my english, my language is the Frensh.

Thanks for your replies.
Why not buy the KTM e-bike?

I thiyght it was available in Europe. Or am I wrong?
colintrax
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colintrax 1/14/2018 10:03am
1/14/2018 10:03am
bp99mx wrote:
Hello guys, I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX...
Hello guys,

I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX to an east cost american dealer. Now it's a little bit the mess to find a shipper to import it.

Anyway I will find a solution. If somebody has some advices about transportation to share with me please do it.

I have one question, where can I provide white plastic set, and a supplier for graphic and decals for my MX. Have you some addresses. In white it looks so nicer.....

I'm really impatient to receive it, to be able to train almost everyday.

Sorry for my english, my language is the Frensh.

Thanks for your replies.
Ghost of Jabroni wrote:
Why not buy the KTM e-bike?

I thiyght it was available in Europe. Or am I wrong?
The ktm is cool, but it doesn't compare to the alta. The alta is the only competitive electric bike right now.
ben990
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ben990 1/14/2018 12:28pm
1/14/2018 12:28pm
I have bought white plastic and graphics for my Alta from :

Motivate Performance
6560 Anthony Dr, Victor, NY 14564

And also

Town and Country Cycle Center
115 State Hwy 23 N., Wantage, NJ 07461

TrailDigger 1/14/2018 5:48pm
1/14/2018 5:48pm
bp99mx wrote:
Hello guys, I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX...
Hello guys,

I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX to an east cost american dealer. Now it's a little bit the mess to find a shipper to import it.

Anyway I will find a solution. If somebody has some advices about transportation to share with me please do it.

I have one question, where can I provide white plastic set, and a supplier for graphic and decals for my MX. Have you some addresses. In white it looks so nicer.....

I'm really impatient to receive it, to be able to train almost everyday.

Sorry for my english, my language is the Frensh.

Thanks for your replies.
Have them disassemble it and send you piece by piece.

Or maybe crate it back up and send it over on a freighter Smile
Ghost of Jabroni 1/14/2018 7:40pm
1/14/2018 7:40pm
bp99mx wrote:
Hello guys, I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX...
Hello guys,

I'm living in Switzerland and unfuortunatly till now Alta dosen't sale their bikes outside of US. So I bought througt internet a Redshift MX to an east cost american dealer. Now it's a little bit the mess to find a shipper to import it.

Anyway I will find a solution. If somebody has some advices about transportation to share with me please do it.

I have one question, where can I provide white plastic set, and a supplier for graphic and decals for my MX. Have you some addresses. In white it looks so nicer.....

I'm really impatient to receive it, to be able to train almost everyday.

Sorry for my english, my language is the Frensh.

Thanks for your replies.
Ghost of Jabroni wrote:
Why not buy the KTM e-bike?

I thiyght it was available in Europe. Or am I wrong?
colintrax wrote:
The ktm is cool, but it doesn't compare to the alta. The alta is the only competitive electric bike right now.
I guess that explains why it’s a Europe-only model as of now? Still sorta in the beta stages.
bp99mx
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bp99mx 1/16/2018 1:51am
1/16/2018 1:51am
Thanks to everbody for your answers.

For me E-Ktm is not a real Dirt bike. With the Alta MX I can perform in local races without any problems. Currently I'm riding a CRF 450 4T. For my mind the e-ktm is not enough efficient to have same sensations and fun.

Thanks for your decals and plastic asdresses. I will check soon.
Kennyfreemoney 4/19/2018 9:51am
4/19/2018 9:51am
Bumping an old thread, Ben990 and Spizzy, where did you guys have the graphics made?

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