Alta Motors Electric Motocross Bike

Watch the Alta eBike jump through the woods in silence.

The battle for electric motorcycle manufacturers continues to be the 100 years of development given up to internal combustion. As fast as technology moves, it's a constant struggle. And once in awhile we see a glimpse of what we've grown to love in burning gasoline captured elegantly with electricity. This video released by eBike startup Alta Motors shows a group of riders soaking up some pretty undeniable two-wheeled fun.

The bike is called the Redshift MX—a full off-roader made for lites racing, with fully adjustable WP suspenders, making 40 horsepower and weighing around 260 pounds. Perhaps the best news for dust rats accustomed to 250F MX bikes: a 1,000-hour maintenance cycle. Alta claims a 2-hour usage time, and around 2.5 hours of charging time on 220v plug. The real bad news comes in the shape of the $15,000 MSRP, but we have to keep in mind that the price isn’t so much an artifact of Alta making eBikes, but the fact that it is a small company.

In any case, it’s always encouraging to see progress being made in the motorcycle world. Alta is another step in a futuristic direction, and we can only hope that more companies strive to create something new. And for those of you worried about not hearing the satisfying sound of an engine revving and dipping as you ride, Alta’s team tells us (with a smirk), “It’s okay, we were all yelling ‘braaap!’ in our helmets.”

More info about the Redshift MX (and Alta Motors) can be found at altamotors.com.