Alta Mods

I have done the following to mine:

skid plate (protects battery and suspension linkage) from AEO Powersports in Arizona
stiffer suspension springs front and rear - I am 220 pounds, Vet B

I have also put on white plastic and a graphics kit.

Play around with race sag. It makes a difference in how the bike handles.

Besides that, keep the clutch cable lubed, the air filter clean, and change the gearbox oil every few hours. Just kidding! Ride, wash, lube chain, and repeat over and over.

Have fun with it - you will love it!

Here are the items we have in stock right now for the Alta

SXS skid plates
Footpegs (Yamaha YZ pegs work on this bike)
Any bend of Fatbars
front disc guard (System Tech Racing)
Speed Bleed buttons for forks
White plastic
graphics kits
handguard
Springs for fork and shock

We ship every day if you would like to get anything for your Alta

Scott
Elite Motorsports
970-461-1022

mark911, what triple clamps are those? Do they hold the forks closer together than the stock ones?

Neken non-adjustable triples. 22mm offset using KTM front wheel and Cone Valve forks. Originally designed for a KTM, so I assume the center to center dimension is very close to stock Alta 4CS forks. Neken probably makes clamps for the 4CS as well.

Note: I didn't like the stock triples on the Alta. They seemed to be made of very soft material and the machine tolerances a bit off. I never did any formal measurements or testing, I based this on observation alone.
1) My front wheel would twist off center even on the slightest of falls.
2) I noticed quite a bit of "creaking" in the clamps, probably the stem slipping within the conical seat.
3) The clamps deformed quite a bit even with very low clamp bolt torques.
4) When all the clamp bolts were loose the tubes were still VERY tight in the clamps and were very difficult to rotate.

Probably most of the issues can be traced back to the stock Alta adjustable offset stem which uses a conical taper seating interface to the lower clamp. Its just a very difficult interface to get right from a machine tool standpoint and not the most robust interface from a design standpoint. It is adjustable, however.

mark911 wrote:

hi mate. i've just purchased one of these
did the clamps/wheels/suspension from a KTM450 fit straight in?
thanks

Pretty much, yes. Obviously, the stock front fender and number plate will not fit without work, but any Husky/KTM that'll fit the lower triple will. The rear wheels are interchangeable with the right spacers, but the Alta front hub is different from the KTM/Husky as it mounts the rotor some 7-10mm more outboard. So, if you swap forks with triples you'll need another front wheel. If you simply swap fork tubes I believe everything will work as the Alta triples are spaced further apart (compared to KTM) to allow interchangeability with the SuperMoto front brakes. I've heard that the caliper might need to be shimmed a bit, however. The frame will need some grinding to mount the Trax shock (2015 or older model).

mark911 wrote:

Pretty much, yes. Obviously, the stock front fender and number plate will not fit without work, but any Husky/KTM that'll fit the lower triple will. The rear wheels are interchangeable with the right spacers, but the Alta front hub is different from the KTM/Husky as it mounts the rotor some 7-10mm more outboard. So, if you swap forks with triples you'll need another front wheel. If you simply swap fork tubes I believe everything will work as the Alta triples are spaced further apart (compared to KTM) to allow interchangeability with the SuperMoto front brakes. I've heard that the caliper might need to be shimmed a bit, however. The frame will need some grinding to mount the Trax shock (2015 or older model).

Hey Mark, I had no idea this was your bike!

I'm the guy that first came up to you in the morning at the Cahuilla OTMX race!

mark911 wrote:

Pretty much, yes. Obviously, the stock front fender and number plate will not fit without work, but any Husky/KTM that'll fit the lower triple will. The rear wheels are interchangeable with the right spacers, but the Alta front hub is different from the KTM/Husky as it mounts the rotor some 7-10mm more outboard. So, if you swap forks with triples you'll need another front wheel. If you simply swap fork tubes I believe everything will work as the Alta triples are spaced further apart (compared to KTM) to allow interchangeability with the SuperMoto front brakes. I've heard that the caliper might need to be shimmed a bit, however. The frame will need some grinding to mount the Trax shock (2015 or older model).

I’ll never understand the amount of modifications people do. For what? Is it just to see how much you can Frankenstein something? Why stop at the front end.? How about remove the motor and shave a thousandth off something in there, remove all the harnesses and rewire everything up a gauge. Get a Tesla battery and use those cells to build a custom pack with an extra 1AH. Put dual Ferrari rotor and calipers on the real wheel.
I just don’t see the point unless your so fast that the bike is holding you back. You have reached the physical limitation of the motorcycle and you need more.
Look how many people get their suspension and don’t even ride it, they instantly send it out to be re-valved. Again, is that suspension holding you back? Trust me it’s not. Eli will get on your bike for the first time in his life and go five seconds a lap faster. That’s not meant an insult because he would do the same to me and anyone else.
if you’re making modifications just as a hobby for the hell of it then I understand. If you’re doing it because you think it’s going to make you faster, you would be better off to spend a day practicing front braking 1 second later than usual.

mark911 wrote:

Pretty much, yes. Obviously, the stock front fender and number plate will not fit without work, but any Husky/KTM that'll fit the lower triple will. The rear wheels are interchangeable with the right spacers, but the Alta front hub is different from the KTM/Husky as it mounts the rotor some 7-10mm more outboard. So, if you swap forks with triples you'll need another front wheel. If you simply swap fork tubes I believe everything will work as the Alta triples are spaced further apart (compared to KTM) to allow interchangeability with the SuperMoto front brakes. I've heard that the caliper might need to be shimmed a bit, however. The frame will need some grinding to mount the Trax shock (2015 or older model).

mark, so if I was to buy Ktm clamps, cone valve forks and Ktm wheels it would be a bolt in easy upgrade? I Have some come valve out of a KTM 250 2017 and was going to order some wheels and clamps, just wondering with the new wheels/clamps/forks it will fit in..

alfie.collett wrote:

mark, so if I was to buy Ktm clamps, cone valve forks and Ktm wheels it would be a bolt in easy upgrade? I Have some come valve out of a KTM 250 2017 and was going to order some wheels and clamps, just wondering with the new wheels/clamps/forks it will fit in..

Yes, piece of cake. I had to replace the stock fork stop bolts with longer ones, but that's only a couple bucks.

mark911 wrote:

Yes, piece of cake. I had to replace the stock fork stop bolts with longer ones, but that's only a couple bucks.

thanks mark, do we have any idea on what pegs fit yet?

Alfie, footpegs for any modern Yamaha YZ will work. This was one of the first mods I made to mine.

Does anybody know what brand/model countershaft sprocket the Alta uses?

Nesc39 wrote:

I’ll never understand the amount of modifications people do. For what? Is it just to see how much you can Frankenstein something? Why stop at the front end.? How about remove the motor and shave a thousandth off something in there, remove all the harnesses and rewire everything up a gauge. Get a Tesla battery and use those cells to build a custom pack with an extra 1AH. Put dual Ferrari rotor and calipers on the real wheel.
I just don’t see the point unless your so fast that the bike is holding you back. You have reached the physical limitation of the motorcycle and you need more.
Look how many people get their suspension and don’t even ride it, they instantly send it out to be re-valved. Again, is that suspension holding you back? Trust me it’s not. Eli will get on your bike for the first time in his life and go five seconds a lap faster. That’s not meant an insult because he would do the same to me and anyone else.
if you’re making modifications just as a hobby for the hell of it then I understand. If you’re doing it because you think it’s going to make you faster, you would be better off to spend a day practicing front braking 1 second later than usual.

Just because you don't understand doesn't mean bike mods are a waste of time.

You're half correct. A day of practicing is one of the best mods available. Mod the rider not the bike...

But consider a set of worn out tires. Would you practice braking all day on worn out tires missing half the lobbies? That's what it is like practicing on an improperly set up bike. If you can shave 1 second by practicing braking for a day, and tou can shave 1 second by getting the right bike setup, then why would you not make the bike mods?

I'm probably the shortest rider you'll ever meet. For me modifying my bike by installing tall pegs, low bars, and internally lowering the suspension makes more of a difference than a week straight of 10hr practice days.

I'd go back to agreeing with you when it comes to graphics and anodized doohickies and colored hoses etc. But to each his own.

mark911 wrote:

Does anybody know what brand/model countershaft sprocket the Alta uses?

OEM KTM countershaft sprockets work on all Alta Redshift Models.

Scott
Elite Motorsports
www.elitektm.com
970-461-1022

Elite Motorsports wrote:

OEM KTM countershaft sprockets work on all Alta Redshift Models.

Scott
Elite Motorsports
www.elitektm.com
970-461-1022

I should have guessed!

Have you tried an 11t sprocket? I'd rather not go bigger on the rear as the bike squats too much for me already. I'm looking for a bit more snap out of slower comers. It'll rev more for the same speed (about 8%) but it's got plenty of top speed stock. Not sure it it'll help or hurt range but suspect it can't be good.

11t is pretty tiny. Even the stock 12 is small. I wish Alta started with a secondary drive that allowed more conservative final drive sizes like13/50, allowing more viable options to go either way. Maybe the 2018?

mark911 wrote:

hi mark,

so ive got my Alta, ive got the 2015 trax shock.
im looking to buy some KTM wheels but im aware you said the Alta front hub is different?
could I machine some spacers for the front wheel to fit?

I have run a KTM front wheel on mine, but I used longer bolts with some spacers to hold the front caliper on and have it line up correctly with the brake rotor. The spacers were about ~8mm.

ben990 wrote:

I have run a KTM front wheel on mine, but I used longer bolts with some spacers to hold the front caliper on and have it line up correctly with the brake rotor. The spacers were about ~8mm.

I never tried to put a KTM wheel on my stock forks. Ben is correct. With the stock forks and clamps a KTM front wheel can be centered and since the rotors new location is more inboard the positive gap between fork lugs and caliber bracket can be bridged with spaces. However, if you mount KTM forks or triple clamps the stock Alta front wheel will not work as the lug to bracket gap is now negative and the caliper bracket can't translate in that direction. Just depends on what you want to do.

okay great, im planning on putting Ktm wheels, Ktm clamps and leaving stock alta 4cs forks in.
Just waiting to get all the bits and ill show you guys, it should look really good! I have some white plastics but they haven't arrived into the UK yet!
Have you guys modded the brake pedal? it seems they aren't very big and have very little grip.

How long until KTM or one of the Japanese manufacturers buy out this company. This bike is a game changer.

redrider400 wrote:

How long until KTM or one of the Japanese manufacturers buy out this company. This bike is a game changer.

I think you’re on the right track. Easier to acquire a known success than invest the R&D dollars to compete and possibly lose. I could see KTM, Honda, or Yamaha making the purchase.

alfie.collett wrote:

okay great, im planning on putting Ktm wheels, Ktm clamps and leaving stock alta 4cs forks in.
Just waiting to get all the bits and ill show you guys, it should look really good! I have some white plastics but they haven't arrived into the UK yet!
Have you guys modded the brake pedal? it seems they aren't very big and have very little grip.

Here was my first go at adding grip to the brake pedal. Just used the pins from an old set of MTB pedals I have.

With my lower than stock pegs, and the taller pins, I still need to whip up a new pedal height adjustment cam, as the stock one doesn't quite have enough range.

alfie.collett wrote:

okay great, im planning on putting Ktm wheels, Ktm clamps and leaving stock alta 4cs forks in.
Just waiting to get all the bits and ill show you guys, it should look really good! I have some white plastics but they haven't arrived into the UK yet!
Have you guys modded the brake pedal? it seems they aren't very big and have very little grip.

R.EX wrote:

Here was my first go at adding grip to the brake pedal. Just used the pins from an old set of MTB pedals I have.

With my lower than stock pegs, and the taller pins, I still need to whip up a new pedal height adjustment cam, as the stock one doesn't quite have enough range.

ive got a Ktm 85 rear brake pedal tip and modded it on, its a BIG improvement to the stock pedal tip,
my wheels came today!

redrider400 wrote:

How long until KTM or one of the Japanese manufacturers buy out this company. This bike is a game changer.

Jmicmoto13 wrote:

I think you’re on the right track. Easier to acquire a known success than invest the R&D dollars to compete and possibly lose. I could see KTM, Honda, or Yamaha making the purchase.

I hope they don’t..a smaller company can move quicker faster at bringing out new technology...technology gets bogged down in corporations

Brad460 wrote:

I hope they don’t..a smaller company can move quicker faster at bringing out new technology...technology gets bogged down in corporations

I think you’re right if one of the Japanese corporations purchase them. If KTM did, I think they would be fine and thrive as 2 wheel anything is KTM’s M.O.

No shortage of grip or pedal height adjustment now!

mark911 wrote:

Very well done, nice clean look!