Best Electric Motorcycle of 2018

When choosing our MOBOs, it’s not always the spec-sheet shootout winner that takes the cake. There is a lot more to consider when deciding MO’s Best of award. What does the motorcycle mean for its category and how does it impact the industry as a whole? These are but a few of the variables that must be considered for our MOBO awards.

We chose the 2019 Alta Redshift EXR for our Best Electric Motorcycle of 2018 partially due to the fact that the Frisco-based company is absolutely blazing its own trail with its latest release of the all-electric street-legal dual-sport bike. There are currently no other electric motorcycle manufacturers attacking the street-legal dual-sport category with an emphasis on dirt performance as Alta has with its Redshift EXR.

The Redshift EXR is built off of Alta’s potent MXR off-road bike. The MXR took on the Erzberg Rodeo last year with a commendable performance and just landed a third place podium in Reno for the 2018 Endurocross series. The EXR boasts the same performance as its off-road sibling, with Alta claiming 50 horsepower and 42 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel. The EXR also has four throttle maps for tuning power output, and uses WP for its suspension components. The 5.8 kWh capacity of the EXR’s battery is by no means groundbreaking in terms of range, although it can be charged fully in 1.5 hours with a 240v charger (3 hours for 120v).

The electric category of motorcycles has been advancing over the years, not only in terms of battery tech, but also kick-ass offerings like the Redshift EXR. Our (ex-)man, Brent was at the press introduction of the new Alta in San Francisco and Nevada City to put the dual-sport to the test in both environments, and he came away thoroughly stoked with the street-legal version of the company’s MXR.

Brent had this to say, “To wrap it all up, Alta is doing something special and building bikes unlike anything else. Having so much instantaneous power and torque is a sensation many of us riders have never felt, and it takes a little while to get adjusted to. But as soon as you figure it out and adapt your riding technique, it’s a whole new, unexplored world out there – on- or off-road.”

Again, the Alta doesn’t boast the furthest range of the electrics by any means, but, in its hardcore dual-sport category, this motorcycle isn’t purely designed for long range. The EXR is all about off-road performance while being street-legal. With no other manufacturers stepping into the ring yet, the Redshift EXR is easily the champion of electric dual-sports, and this year, our Best Electric Motorcycle of 2018. We hope to see extended range in the future as battery tech progresses and wish Alta all the best in creating the future of fast.