The Brisbane, California based Alta Motors designs and manufactures the most advanced electric motorcycles in the industry. Starting in 2010, the firm has come a long way in establishing itself building bikes that prove to be better off-roaders than the petrol-powered counterparts.

Until now, their motorcycle line-up included a Supermoto (SM), an Enduro (EX) and a Motocross (MX) electric off-road bikes. Now, the makers are stepping up their game and have launched a brand new motorcycle called the Redshift MXR.

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2018 Alta Motocross MX

2018 Alta Motocross MXR


Talks about this new high performer were doing the rounds on the great world wide web for quite some time now. All their current bikes badly needed an upgrade from their 250cc equivalent electric motors that only did 42 horsepower and 120 foot-pounds of torque. Luckily, the chaps at Alta have done just that.

The 2018 Redshift MXR Motocross model ups the ante in all departments and adds a significant change with its electronics package and battery-motor combo. It boasts of more power, less weight, better recharge times, and better heat management to keep the competition in check.

It is designed to compete with any modern 350cc gasoline powered enduro motorcycle and is equipped with a 50 hp motor having 147 lb-ft of peak torque at zero rpm (a bump from the 42 hp and 120 lb-ft torque in the MX). The bike receives an upgraded R5.8 Battery Pack that delivers full-power range at cooler operating temperatures. The 14,000 high rev electric motor is, according to the company, “pound for pound one of the most powerful in motorsports”.

The dust and waterproof designs make it maintenance-free, and the water-cooled casing makes it possible to operate even at high temperatures. The MXR requires no air filters, oil changes, or top end rebuilds, so you can spend less time wrenching on your bike and more time riding.

The suspension setup on the MXR also sees an upgrade with the WP 4CS being swapped with the higher spec WP AER suspension giving the bike significant weight savings and infinite tunability. The rear shock also gets upgraded with improved valves and linkage. Bembo braking units remain the same. The 21” and 19” Warp 9 Elite wheels get new rubber in the form of Dunlop Geomaxes.

On the battery spec, the MXR will now include two off-board charging setup (2.7kW or 3.3kW) that will give a full charge in just 1.5 hours compared to the 2 hours in the MX model. The ECU can be tuned with four maps, just like before, including Eco, Sport, Performance, and Overclocked.

The range of these batteries have also improved and varies according to your riding styles. As explained by Alta, ‘Expert Singletrack & wood’ will give 4+ hours of ride, ‘Backyard Moto’ will give 60+ minutes (40+ in the MX), and ‘Expert Motocross’ will give 25+ minutes in heats (20 minutes in the MX).

Coming to the pricing of the 2018 MXR Motocross, the tag reads $11,995 MSRP. This is $1,500 more than the MX model.

With electric bikes starting to become in vogue these days, Alta was the first player offering one that provides off-road electric motorcycle fun in one small package. Their Redshift series revolutionized the electric enduro/dirt motorcycles with an agile, lightweight and noise-free motorcycle that broke the mold in the way enduro riding is being enjoyed these days. Perfect for the young riders who are just breaking into the enduro scene.

Reference

KTM Freeride E-XC