Alta Motors announces Redshift MXR electric dirt bike

Alta Motors released the Redshift MXR electric dirt bike. Unlike conventional dirt bikes, the Redhshift MXR requires no combustion engine. This means no messy and expensive gas, and more power to you.

Alta, a company based in San Francisco, California, added the bike to its electric lineup, which also includes city rides. The Redshift MXR joins the growing ranks of electric dirt bikes – as well as street bikes, cars, and other electric vehicles. Gasoline engines burn relatively expensive and toxic fuel. By comparison, electric bikes far more efficiently convert energy stored in a battery into fast motion.

Electric bikes are not only more efficient, but also offer greater torque than gas bikes. This means that electric bikes have faster acceleration and cost less to operate. A few downsides, though, include higher initial cost, higher weight, and lower range.

The range you can get on one of these bikes’ charges varies with the type of riding you do. Pushing it hard on a pro motocross heat, the bike will hold up for over twenty five minutes. In extended woods riding, you can expect it to last for over four hours.

Riding the MXR, you can choose among four speed settings, similar to an electric bicycle. The lower power setting offers a gentler ride, and considerably longer range. At the very upper end, the bike includes self-limiting speed to prevent overheating the circuitry. Unlike most electric pedal bicycles, however, which are designed to be street legal and have hard speed limits, you can push the Redshift MXR as hard as you and the bike can physically handle.

Several different varieties of electric bike have been invented. The most common ones operate similarly to traditional pedal bicycles, but with the addition of electrical drives. These drives can be controlled by hand throttle, pedal assist, or a combination, depending on the design of the bicycle. Most but not all of these enable the rider to use it as a regular bike while the motor is off. Another category resembles a scooter, meant to be faster and more comfortable than a bicycle, but costing more and not practical to pedal without the electric motor. Then there are the powerhouses like the MXR dirt bike.

The Redshift MXR is designed as an electric equivalent to a gas 350 bike. The Alta website promotes it as good for beginning trail and woods use, or as a full-fledged competition motocross bike. As they boast, an electric dirt bike “requires no air filters, oil changes, or top end rebuilds, so you can spend less time wrenching on your bike and more time riding”.

Electric dirt bikes by other companies include the Torrot e10, the Zero DS and FX models, and the KTM Freeride E-XC. Prices start as low as $2,500, with varying features such as battery size and chemistry. These rides are gaining traction, as the technology advances rapidly. The Redshift MXR is one of the most powerful and technologically advanced electric bikes, pushing the entire segment forward.

While electric dirt bikes are still relatively new on the scene, they are evolving rapidly and gaining traction. Initially suffering from very high weight and low range, successive generations have narrowed the gap, and the performance and maintenance advantages are gaining converts. The electric motor frees engineers to make design choices they could not make with a gas bike, for example giving the Redshift a uniquely smooth and stable ride on all terrains.

You can acquire an Alta Redshift MXR electric dirt bike through the company’s dealer network. The national network spreads out from its San Francisco headquarters to the east coast, with plentiful power sports dealers across the country. You can see a map of dealers at the company website, and request a demo (https://www.altamotors.co/find-a-dealer).

Tech Specs

The Alta Redshift MXR boasts some impressive technology. The MXR reaches a top speed of around 65 mph. It uses a single-speed transmission, and sports an aggressive look. The new model weighs eight pounds less than its predecessor, and features brand new front and rear suspension. It also costs several thousand dollars less than last year’s MX.

The Redshift MXR goes for around $12,000, plus accessories. It weighs in at 259 lbs, and takes an hour and a half to rapid recharge, or three hours with standard charging at half the voltage.

The Redshift MXR motor spins at 14,000 RPM, producing 50 horsepower, twenty percent more powerful than the previous year’s Redshift MX.

The Redshift MXR uses a 5.8 kilowatt hour (kWh) battery. An average American house uses around five times this much energy in a day. To charge up the battery fully costs far less than a dollar. A comparable gas bike would cost around fifteen dollars to fill.

This year’s version includes a new battery pack, dubbed the R5.8 for its 5.8 kilowatt hour capacity. It also uses a new cell chemistry to enable greater density (the amount of energy storage per pound), and to operate at cooler temperatures. The rugged battery pack can handle 20 G of shocks, and has an energy density of 185 watt hours per kilogram, quite high. The waterproof lithium ion battery represents the heart of the beast. The company claims that its battery sets the Redshift MXR apart from the competition, saying that “there is no smaller, more compact, energy dense battery pack in transportation”.

Alta built the new Redshift MXR out of forged and welded aluminum. It has a wheelbase of 58.56”, and a seat height of 37.5”. The official major maintenance schedule is one thousand hours. The company claims that “its liquid-cooled 14,000 RPM motor is pound for pound one of the most powerful in motorsports”.