Just a few months since its first motorcycle, the Redshift, became available to the US market, Alta Motors is set to roll out a new concept model. Inspired by flat track machines, the Street Tracker is conceived as a road-legal battery-powered motorcycle built around the Redshift platform.
Californian startup Alta Motors spent six years setting up a production facility, organizing a dealer network, and developing its first model from the ground up ahead of its market launch in 2016. The Redshift is a lightweight electric off-road motorcycle available in a motocross (MX) and a street-legal supermoto (SM) version.
The American company builds the motorcycle's engine, frame and battery cases in-house, as well as all the electronic gear tasked with controlling the motor's 40 hp (29.8 kW) power and 122 lb-ft (165 Nm) torque output. These are complemented by equipment outsourced from industry leading brands, like WP suspensions and Brembo brakes.
Is there a market for silent motorcycles?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday April 09 2017, @11:22AM
Well, Bradley, I used to think very much the same as you, regarding "filtering". In California and most of Europe, it is legal, and expected. As a rule, the motorcycle should keep it's speed within about 20 mph of traffic, and he is totally responsible for moving safely through traffic. It works well. I do it, to some extent, my kid grew up with the idea, and he just does it without any special consideration.
But, you're right. I've seen it go horribly wrong. I watched a bike zip right past me on my bike, he misjudged the clearance between two cars, caught his big D-ring engine protector and flipped it. He got off lightly - the girl on the back skidded down the road a ways on her face. That one happened on Sunrise Highway on Long Island, I think it was the fourth accident I attended after getting my EMT diploma. Ugly.