My 2017 Alta Redshift MX...

mark911
Posts
360
Joined
3/28/2015
Location
Ashville, OH US
8/28/2017 6:50pm
todd92 wrote:
I just got an Redshift MX and did some laps on my private track yesterday. I'm Vet A MX 56 years old. I do 25 minute...
I just got an Redshift MX and did some laps on my private track yesterday. I'm Vet A MX 56 years old. I do 25 minute practice motos. Initial observations:

Easy enough to get used to.
Suspension valving too soft, turned the clickers in a bunch. Forks top out in whoop section.
Rear spring too stiff and I weigh 200 lbs. No preload and 98 mm sag.
Used about 60% battery for 1 moto. Recharged for 45 minutes while I took a break, barely enough juice to finish the 2nd moto. Map 2.
Struggles to jump the big jumps on my track, especially the 2 big uphill ones jumping up out of the lower elevation. I can easily over jump these on my Husky FC450.

Really my only concern after the initial ride is battery life. OTOH, I can now ignore my previous agreement with the neighbors to not ride on the weekends. 6 motos and practice at a race??? LOL
You'll never get the race and free sag numbers correct using the popular formula. I tried and ended up with a stupid soft 45 spring to get 105/45. Talked to WP and they told me they never go below 57 on the Alta, even with their lightest riders. I'm 150 lb vet and they recommend a 60. Something about the weight, weight distribution and linkage ratio makes the Alta different. WP explained a new process for determining spring rate.
1) set your race sag
2) measure the actual spring preload.
3) if the preload is between 2-8mm you are about right. Any more and the spring is too soft, less too stiff.
4) don't even worry what your free sag number is (it'll probably be between 50-65mm).

2 mm is practically rattling between the purches, so you might be good.

Once you get the forks valved properly you'll probably think to rear spring is either right or too soft. Also, the rear shock is valved very light (unless they've made changes since I bought mine).
Spizzy
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90
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8/28/2017
Location
Frankfort, IL US
8/28/2017 9:14pm
Add me to the new Alta owners list. I have one ride on it so far, and promptly sent an email to Alta looking for setup suggestions. They replied with using 70-80mm sag instead of the traditional 100, and said give it a try before you just dismiss it. I will, but havent yet.
I also asked about making the charger work on 220 volts, but Im confused as to the reply I got of just making an adapter to go from whichever 220 plug I have to a standard 110 plug. Am I to believe there is no changing or adding a wire to the charger itself to make it work on 220?
Also I asked about specific generator requirements, as just saying "we reccommend a Lifan generator" was too broad. The reply was using a Honda or Yamaha 3,000 inverter with 220. There isnt any inverter types available with 220 on them, what are the rest of you using to charge at 220?
mark911
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360
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3/28/2015
Location
Ashville, OH US
8/28/2017 10:17pm
Spizzy wrote:
Add me to the new Alta owners list. I have one ride on it so far, and promptly sent an email to Alta looking for setup...
Add me to the new Alta owners list. I have one ride on it so far, and promptly sent an email to Alta looking for setup suggestions. They replied with using 70-80mm sag instead of the traditional 100, and said give it a try before you just dismiss it. I will, but havent yet.
I also asked about making the charger work on 220 volts, but Im confused as to the reply I got of just making an adapter to go from whichever 220 plug I have to a standard 110 plug. Am I to believe there is no changing or adding a wire to the charger itself to make it work on 220?
Also I asked about specific generator requirements, as just saying "we reccommend a Lifan generator" was too broad. The reply was using a Honda or Yamaha 3,000 inverter with 220. There isnt any inverter types available with 220 on them, what are the rest of you using to charge at 220?
The Alta charger will automatically recognize the input voltage and do all the necessary switching internally, just make sure the plug to your source is properly wired (easy with 220, black and white to the main legs and green to safety ground). Most all the 220 inverters are super expensive, $4-6k. The standard type generators come in 220 but are typically annoyingly loud. That's what I run and haven't had any issues with the varying voltage and waveforms produced by the cheaper unit. Definitely much faster than 110.

I've never tried anything less than 95mm race sag and to me the front was more predictable as I increased the sag. Try less, you never know. Too bad Alta still hasn't released an owner manual yet.

The Shop

ben990
Posts
394
Joined
10/20/2011
Location
Honeoye Falls, NY US
8/29/2017 6:22am Edited Date/Time 8/29/2017 6:26am
To charge the Alta when I am away from my house, I bought a cheap Coleman Powermate 5000 generator off of Craigslist for $200, and it is both 110v and 220v. I went to Home Depot and bought the electrical hardware I needed to go from the 4-prong 220v outlet on the Coleman Powermate generator to the 3-prong plug on the Alta charger, and it worked great, but was annoyingly loud. I started bringing pieces of OSB board and I put it around the generator when I was at the races to try and suppress the noise some so I would annoy my pit neighbors less.

I recently sold the Coleman Powermate 5000 generator on Craigslist for $250 (making $50 for those of you paying attention) and found a new in the box Duromax XP4850 generator that also does 110v and 220v, has electric start, and it a lot quieter that the Coleman Powermate generator that I had. I got it for $350, and I think it retails for around $450-500.

The Powermate generator had an exhaust about the size of your fist, while the Duromax exhaust is about half the size of a car exhaust. It isn't quite as quiet as an expensive 220v generator inverter, but the noise is tolerable and way easier to put up with.


New Duromax Generator

Here is the 4-prong plug (which came with the Duromax) and the short cord and 3-prong plug that I built from stuff at Home Depot. The wiring is easy, and the Alta smart charger automatically recognizes the input voltage.


No Electrician Needed


Not As Quiet As My Alta But Tolerable

So, at the track I use the generator with 220v, and at home use my workshop 110v wall plug. 220v is much faster for charging, and based upon the structure of most mx races/practices (race/practice and then wait around for an 45-60 minutes), 220v is the way to go.





RangerLee
Posts
927
Joined
7/23/2013
Location
Spring City, PA US
8/29/2017 6:26am
I wonder if I can order an Alta with the rear brake connected via handlebar break level like on a bicycle?

I think I would like that.
8/29/2017 6:48am
RangerLee wrote:
I wonder if I can order an Alta with the rear brake connected via handlebar break level like on a bicycle? I think I would like...
I wonder if I can order an Alta with the rear brake connected via handlebar break level like on a bicycle?

I think I would like that.
My buddy is a paraplegic, and is thinking about getting back into riding with an Alta given the lack of gears, clutch, optional hand brake, easy spot to place lap belt, and no burning leg against exhaust.

From what I understand- the CEO of Alta has a hand brake on his bike.
MX47
Posts
109
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Metter, GA US
8/29/2017 7:03am
Does anyone know if you can have both a hand rear brake and foot together?
mark911
Posts
360
Joined
3/28/2015
Location
Ashville, OH US
8/29/2017 8:28am Edited Date/Time 8/29/2017 10:54am
MX47 wrote:
Does anyone know if you can have both a hand rear brake and foot together?
Yes you can, but it's not cheap. Alta's original preproduction bike was left hand rear brake only. They got too many complaints from guys who wanted something more fimiliar so they put a standard foot brake on it and removed the handlebar control. Owning a few mtn bikes I'm comfortable with either setup and with my bad knees I felt I could benefit from a left hand rear brake.

Talked to the dealer I bought my Alta from and he said he'd look into what parts Alta uses and their avalability. Never heard back. So I bought a Rekluse LHRB setup made for a KTM. It allows you to keep and use the foot brake.

Unfortunately, the Rekluse kit uses a tiny mtn bike lever on the handlebars, probably becouse most use it WITH a clutch lever as well. It worked OK, but wasn't nearly as strong as I wanted. So I bought a stock KTM hyd clutch lever and modified the pressure line to fit. Better, but still not what I was looking for. Finally, I installed a KTM Braking oversized rear rotor kit plus a high leverage lever and it's finally close to what I was looking for.

I've done quite a bit of research trying to find a setup that would allow the larger piston or twin piston Brembo caliper to be adapted but ultimately I think it would take a custom caliper support.

If you wanted to replicate what I did as cheap as possible I'd contact Rekluse and ask if they'ed sell you the adapter for the foot master cylinder separately. It's the only part I got left on the bike from the original kit. Probably save a couple hundred.
Spizzy
Posts
90
Joined
8/28/2017
Location
Frankfort, IL US
8/29/2017 12:04pm
I built my own LHRB and sourced parts from several suppliers.
http://www.clake.com.au/prices/slr-pedal-master-cylinder-adapter-kit/ This is the master cylinder adapter
https://spieglerusa.com/ This is the custom made to length fluid line.
And of course a Brembo clutch master cylinder. Still waiting on Clake parts to install everything.

Thanks for the info on the 220 cord, I was a bit concerned with smoking the charger, but now I understand.
Ive spent 2 weeks researching generator output, db level, and weight, and still havent found what I want yet. Im currently using a DeWalt 7,000 but its loud and at 192 lbs, just too heavy to be hauling all over the place. I really didnt anticipate this big of an issue with selecting a generator. I was under the impression a simple Honda 3,000 was gonna be ok, and it is for 110, but I really want to charge at 220 for the time savings.
Im currently looking into euro models as 220 is the standard over there, and Im trying to see if that will work.
Spizzy
Posts
90
Joined
8/28/2017
Location
Frankfort, IL US
8/29/2017 5:00pm
The owners manual is now up on Altas website.
Spizzy
Posts
90
Joined
8/28/2017
Location
Frankfort, IL US
8/29/2017 5:06pm
Also looks like a Euro generator will work. Alta says the charger runs on 85-265V, and 45-65Hz, well within euro parameters. Down side is buying such a generator means its worthless for anything else in America.
So the question I have to ask myself is if its worth the coin for quietness, and portability.
wardy
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1763
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3/31/2008
Location
US
8/29/2017 6:56pm
Or i can just wire you an outlet and "call it spizzy's outlet only" at the park...........................
mark911
Posts
360
Joined
3/28/2015
Location
Ashville, OH US
8/29/2017 11:17pm Edited Date/Time 8/30/2017 9:32am
Spizzy wrote:
The owners manual is now up on Altas website.
Just looked it up. Typical stuff. They're sticking to the 100-105/35mm race to free sag numbers for determining spring rate. I'd have ended up with a 40 spring (compared to stock 63) if I followed the manual. I've never had to go more than 2 to 3 rates lower on any of my previous bikes. I guess my Alta simply has an issue with lighter (140-155?) lbs riders.

I did learn one thing. The motor uses a position sensor to determine rotation angle and rpm. Although more expensive and subject to possible failure (it's redundant), it's more accurate and saves lots of onboard code and computing time. The only other motor data needed is the instantaneous current from two of the three phases. All this data is supplied to the motor control electronics via the one orange 3 conductor (and shield grd) high voltage cable running from the inverter to the MCE. The second orange cable is the high voltage supply from the battery to the inverter. The manual doesn't talk about any of this good stuff, it's probably proprietary. But I've been able to figure out what most of the inputs/outputs are and what they do. It's like a puzzle.
Spizzy
Posts
90
Joined
8/28/2017
Location
Frankfort, IL US
8/30/2017 3:57am
wardy wrote:
Or i can just wire you an outlet and "call it spizzy's outlet only" at the park...........................
Putting in said 220 outlet would potentialy save me about $2,000.
8/30/2017 8:08am
Have y'all been paying the full 15k msrp or can you get some coin knocked off the price?
Spizzy
Posts
90
Joined
8/28/2017
Location
Frankfort, IL US
8/30/2017 11:55am
Msrp is for chumps.
snydes
Posts
52
Joined
3/16/2018
Location
Pine Grove, PA US
3/27/2018 4:02pm
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/06/19/201062/s1200_Alta.jpg[/img]


Nice!
4/30/2018 7:29am
Has anyone raced one of these in a midwestern hare scramble? I'll be in the market for a new bike soon and I'd much rather add one of these to the stable. Midwestern harescrambles are usually tight and technical. Riding AA, my average speed was between 16.4 and 16.8mph and that was a fast trail.

Curious how long the Alta could last at that speed on map 2. I know it's very generalized and there's a lot of variables that go into battery longevity on a single charge.
Zoom
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1101
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10/21/2012
Location
Cypress, TX US
4/30/2018 7:43am
Has anyone raced one of these in a midwestern hare scramble? I'll be in the market for a new bike soon and I'd much rather add...
Has anyone raced one of these in a midwestern hare scramble? I'll be in the market for a new bike soon and I'd much rather add one of these to the stable. Midwestern harescrambles are usually tight and technical. Riding AA, my average speed was between 16.4 and 16.8mph and that was a fast trail.

Curious how long the Alta could last at that speed on map 2. I know it's very generalized and there's a lot of variables that go into battery longevity on a single charge.
There was a rider that recently raced the EX model in a TORCS race in Texas. He ended up going an hour and 23 minutes. Had about 5% battery left. Most of it was single track. I think he was a Vet C rider.

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