RedshiftMX
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The Alta Redshift MX brings electricity to the dirt track
It's been a long time since I've ridden anything motorized on dirt, but I do remember the noise. The growl of the ATC I rode as a kid, the dirt bikes that sounded like lawnmowers with the muffler replaced with a megaphone. That racket is such a fundamental part of the off-road experience that children put playing cards in their spokes to recreate the sound. But that might change, thanks to the Alta Motors' Redshift MX. The Bay Area-based company is electrifying the race track, and if you can handle the $15,000 price tag, the results are tremendous.
Meet the Silicon Valley company bringing electricity to motorcross
Brisbane is a quiet community nestled between San Francisco and the awkwardly named South San Francisco. It consists of drab commercial parks that Highway 101 commuters overlook while heading in and out of Silicon Valley. In one of these gray buildings sits Alta Motors. Like the rest of its neighbors, its exterior calm is only interrupted by the occasional car driving by. But soon, this tiny factory will be bustling with the production of off-road motorcycles and supermoto bikes. They won't be as quiet as their surroundings, but they'll be pretty close.
RedShift electric motocross race bikes will be ready to roll in 2015
BRD Motorcycles originally opened pre-orders for the RedShift electric motorcycles back in 2011, and it's almost time for them to hit the streets. A lot has changed since then, including the name of the company -- now Alta Motors -- and a recent $4.5 million investment round of investment. The company simply explains that it likes the new name better, but the changes we're interested in have to do with those sweet plug-in bikes. We spoke to CEO / co-founder Marc Fenigstein as Alta showed off the 2015 production model RedShift MX and RedShift SM at the 2014 AIMExpo in Orlando, and he explained both bikes have undergone countless changes since they first debuted. The "race bike with lights" MX has a $14,995 price tag, while the road-going supermoto model is $15,495 and features a slightly higher 85mph top speed -- check after the break for more details.
Elite soldiers will soon ride into battle on stealthy hybrid motorcycles
The US' special operations forces frequently can't rely on conventional ground transportation for their covert ops -- a loud engine is guaranteed to blow their cover. To tackle this problem, DARPA has just awarded Logos Technologies a contract to build a stealthy hybrid motorcycle for the military. The design modifies BRD's all-electric RedShift MX (pictured here) with a quiet hybrid power system that can run on multiple fuel types. The overhaul lets soldiers travel long distances while keeping a relatively low profile, and they can run solely on electric power for shorter periods if silence is absolutely vital. It's too soon to say when the bike will go into service or just how well it will perform, but it could be a lifesaver for troops that need both speed and secrecy.
Visualized: BRD RedShift MX poses for the camera, shows off its rugged good looks
Remember our testdrive of the RedShift SM through the hills near San Francisco? Well, if that didn't get you revved up for BRD's electric duo, perhaps these new studio shots of the MX can help. The folks in Northern California have passed on a few shots of the upcoming RedShift MX motocrosser that is expected to pull into garages later this year. If you recall, BRD says this electric motorcycle performs just as well as any race-ready four-stroke 250-cc gas-powered machine and splurging for one will set you back around $15,000 -- for a base model. Go on, hop in the gallery below and take a closer look.
