I'd pretty much given up on riding or owning an Alta in the near term, and next thing I know I'm sitting on one. I gave up on the KTM E-Ride recently too, now apparently it's slated to enter the US market...
Edgar at Town & Country Cycle Center in Wantage, NJ was kind enough to arrange a test ride, so I hustled down there ASAP. Apparently the Altas have been selling extremely well, as the one I rode was the last unsold one of 4 arrivals the previous week.
The bike has a clean ultra-high-quality look to it I haven't often seen in MX bikes, and all components are top-notch. Seat height is tall, but I found it manageable. The riding position was comfortable and immediately felt right, much like my YZ.
It's also wicked fast. The #1 (mellowest) throttle map felt roughly equivalent to a stock 5.7 / 6.5 FX, #2 about the same as my geared-down 'MX' below @ 25mph (if I added my other battery it would be about the same at all speeds, I think), but the #3 map was a real handful at WOT on the partially-paved work area / parking lot / obstacle course behind the store. I didn't try map 4 as the test area was full of activity; wish I'd had even 100' of actual dirt, but I was so happy to be riding one at all I really didn't care. It was real cool to finally try out some aggressive throttle curves & get the full 'electric experience' at lower motor rpm. The SM version isn't shipping yet, but I doubt hooligans will be disappointed.
The Brembo brakes had yet to bed in so the front felt a little weak, but I'm sure that will change quickly. The WP suspension soaked up the potholes & manhole-cover edges quite well, & apparently the 2018 MX will have the SFF-type WP's (air-only spring in LH fork leg, damping cartridge in RH leg) like the KTM's already do.
As soon as the 2018 features are annnounced, I'm signing up.
Ray
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Topic: Alta MX test ride (very brief) (Read 1242 times)