alta motors redshift electric dirt bike ridden by jeff walker

Watch an electric Alta Redshift rider chase down 4-stroke dirt bikes

Alta Motors is no more, but some of its products are still out and about. One is the Alta Redshift electric dirtbike. A Redshift owner let pro rider Jeff Walker take his bike out for a ride at the Fox Raceway in Pala, California. After a quick lap to get the layout down, Walker proceeds to catch and pass most of the four-stroke bikes on the track. And he does so silently… ok, well not so silently, because once he finds the horn button he proceeds to wear it out a bit.

Walker notes that the suspension setup is far too soft for this sort of thing. But that doesn’t discourage him from ripping around the course. At on point, Walker overshoots a corner and he says it’s because without the engine noise it’s hard to tell just how fast you’re going.

Alta Motors folded towards the end of 2018. It’s a shame because the company appeared ready to produce some great all-electric options. A pending deal with Harley-Davidson didn’t work out and that left the company seemingly out of options. At least some of its products are still out there turning fast laps.

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4 responses to “Watch an electric Alta Redshift rider chase down 4-stroke dirt bikes”

  1. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    I was sad to find Alta had gone belly-up. Years ago I applied for a job at a machine shop run by the “D” in B-R-D Motorcycles, when the prototype was just a CAD file. That would have been a fun wave to ride, but my CNC and Solidworks chops weren’t quite up to the task. Years later I was running a water jet cutter at another machine shop cutting out parts for the Alta.

    Riding without a clutch or shifter (electric or DCT) is kinda weird for a minute, but you get used to it. As demonstrated, it leaves you free to honk the horn whenever you please!

  2. SlowJoeCrow Avatar
    SlowJoeCrow

    Electric dirtbikes are a cool idea, since it addresses the noise and spark issue, while making the tree huggers heads explode. Ithink they may be more suited to circuit than trail use since it keeps them close to base. I’m also curious about traction, since one of the reasons for single cylinder engines off road is the widely spaced power pulses, rather the more continuous delivery of a multi, or an electric.

    1. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      Electric motocross would be a brilliant motorsport for tracks in suburban areas barely able to operate due to noise restrictions. Such tracks might even be able to turn a profit.

    2. Jeff Glucker Avatar
      Jeff Glucker

      Exploring a National Park or some other wonderful land with an electric dirt bike would be amazing.