Electric motorcycles have a lot of things going for them: little maintenance, tons of power, and they’re environmentally friendly. So, why don’t more people buy electric motorcycles over gas-powered ones? Some will say their lack of noise is dangerous for riders, some will say the long charge times make them unfeasible, but one of the biggest complaints is that they are too expensive. One electric motorcycle manufacturer is looking to change that last gripe.
Electric Bikes for Low Prices, Will You Bite?
Alta Motors in California is known for building motocross, endurocross and supermoto motorcycles, but they aren’t like other MX bikes. The motorcycles that come from Alta Motors are all electric, and they are no slouches. The bike won its first ever race at the final race of the SupermotoUSA 2015 season—it was entered in the 250cc class. Later Alta Motors would enter it in the 450cc class, where the bike picked up a second-place finish.
This awesome performance shouldn’t come as too big of a shock. Electric motors can produce more torque than a gas engine, and it can provide that power instantly, a feat no internal combustion engine can match. So, why don’t more people buy these bikes? Many say they take too long to charge, and they just don’t provide enough travelling range, but Alta Motors is hoping to counter these arguments by dropping the prices of its bikes.
Alta Motor’s Redshift SM supermoto model has gone from $15,500 to $13,495; the Redshift EX has dropped from $15,545 to $12,995; and the Redshift MX now costs $10,495 instead of $14,995. This makes the line of electric bikes far more tempting considering their gas-powered competitors usually cost between $7,000 and $10,000.
Since motocross applications are usually sport and hobby based rather than commuter-based, these bikes don’t have the same range problems that street bikes have. The average 60-40-mile range of a Redshift is usually plenty, and their soundless motors will keep neighbors from complaining about the noise. So, do you think this price drop will tempt more MX, EX and Supermoto riders to go electric?
Brought to you by the motorcycling attorneys at Metier Law Firm—looking out for the riders of Colorado.