Alta Redshift EXR vs Zero FX (Decision Making)

[ugfish]

I am looking into getting an electric dual sport and wanted to see if anyone on this forum would be able to provide me with information that would help in this decision process.

The two options for me right now are the Zero FX and the Alta Redshift EXR. (If there is anything else in the market that I am not familiar with please let me know) I have rode a Zero FX before, but have no experience with any of Alta's bikes.

From the research that I have done, here is what my pros and cons for each bike look like (please correct me if I'm wrong):

Alta Pros:
- off-road performance (based on reviews/videos)
- liquid-cooled
- better suspension
- better looking (subjective)
- charging speed
- durability
- chain-drive by default

Alta Cons:
- range
- dealer network
- dash (no app integration for custom maps)
- no J1772 charging capability
- more expensive

Zero Pros:
- price
- dealer network
- range
- better on-road manners
- nice dash (with phone app to manage custom map)
- ABS
J1772 charging capability (Zero sells an adapter - doesn't charge any faster, though)

Zero Cons:
- belt-drive (can be poor off-road? I have never rode a belt-drive off-road personally)
- slower charge times
- chain kit is an additional option
- less hp/torque
- battery more prone to overheating
- power throttling below a certain %

Thank you!

 

[Speedkills]

Alta's also power throttle when low on battery. Zeros are a good deal heavier which mattered a lot to me when riding off-road. For on-road the ability to charge zero's wherever is hard to beat. Nobody has come up with a way to charge Alta's via J1772 yet. There is a possible solution at J1772 Adapter | Home but I'll be damned if I can reach that guy. I email, he doesn't respond, I leave voicemail, he never calls back. Zero's are quieter due to belt drive, but if you actually plan on more than gravel roads for off-road you'll want to convert to chain so that plus becomes a minus. I didn't notice the Zero had any better road manners than my Altas but find the Altas more exciting/smiles-per-mile due to handling like you would expect a proper dirt bike to. Just open the throttle briskly at anything under 30mph and the front wheel comes off the ground, no bouncing the front end, or only with special gearing, just accelerates like you want it to. Zero always felt a touch short there to me. The biggest issue with belt-drive off-road is that they break when the wheel speeds up in the air then comes back down grabbing a bunch of traction. That can be a jump or just pounding through some whoops where every time your rear wheel leaves the ground it spins up.

 

[Philip]

What kind of riding will you be doing?

If you want to be riding for the sake or riding, then go with an Alta.

I have never owned or considered a Zero, but from what I have read, if you are buying an electric motorcycle for commuting or sightseeing, then a Zero should work better for you.

 

[ugfish]

Thanks for the responses!

I want to get more into off-road riding and actually take the bike out to some decent trails where I can test my riding ability. I have a HD Sportster to do most of my commuting and longer distance travel on. After reading the responses here it definitely seems like the Alta is the better performance bike of the two, while the Zero is more of a utility style of ride. It would be cool commuting on one of these smaller bikes (currently commute on a WR250X), but I hear the torque eats through rear tires pretty quick so the gas bike may remain more economical.

What would you all say is the worst thing about the EXR that I didn't include in my list of cons?

 

[rayivers]

I want to get more into off-road riding and actually take the bike out to some decent trails where I can test my riding ability.

In that case, definitely get the EXR. The Zero FX isn't an off-road bike as delivered.

 

[Philip]

What would you all say is the worst thing about the EXR that I didn't include in my list of cons?

Unlike on the SM, there is no on-board charger on the EXR. So, do not venture too far from the charger, or keep a spare charger where you are going.

 

[Speedkills]

I have both and would say that if you wanted to dual sport it's the lack of an on-board charger, but then again, the on-board charger is slow, and you can't charge at just any old charging station like you can with a zero anyway so a bit of a moot point. You won't be doing any real dual sporting on the EXR, and won't be riding to the trailhead as you'll use every bit of charge on the trail, but you can legally do any transfer sections which is nice and I have a slim hope that someday someone could make the EXR's work with ChaDeMo chargers which would mean it wouldn't need a heavy onboard charger anyway....or that's my best guess from the very, very tiny amount I understand chargers. Both super fun bikes though, I have a smile on my face every day too and from work. Unless you're backing it in every corner I don't think the torque will make that much difference in tire life on the street because you aren't typically spinning the tire, it's usually lifting the front end.

Unrelated to anything, today I took my wife for a short ride to go to a park and I realized that those 5 miles were the furthest I had ever ridden my EXR without wheelying it

 

[Oded]

I had the FX for 3 years before moving on to the Alta. Used it almost exclusively for off road riding. The belt works OK but can not be trusted, so I switched to chain drive and had no problems. I wanted a more dirt oriented bike, and the Alta is exactly that. I do have to admit that the FX can be plenty fun also off road.

It is quite simple - the FX is a dual sport more oriented to road and light off road. It is lower, more comfortable seat and more gadgets (app to control parameters).
The Alta is a hard core off road bike disguised to a dual sport. It is less comfortable, and the lack of on board charger pretty much abort the ability to ride the distance.

It is all up to what kind of dual sport riding you are after - for road oriented (using the bike as a real transporter), I'd go with the FX, for off road - definately Alta.

 

[Oded]

Another option:

ETrek - The light electric Trail Bike made in France

I rode on the ETREK when I was in France. Nice bike, smooth riding, but the power is nowhere near Alta/Zero. Component are not par with Alta.
It is a lite trail bike and everyday vehicle. The company EM is great and have nice products (I toured the manufacture facility)

 

[griffbl]

If you ride more on the street, go Zero....has passenger pegs, lower seat height, street friendlier tires. If you are mostly off road, and anything hard core, go Alta. If you ride your Alta on the street some as do I, go with a less aggressive rear tire when the OEM one wears out. My two cents!