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- Temecula, CA
Hi all! 30+ nov/int rider here possibly in the market for a Redshift MXR. I've been following Alta for a while now and am finally ready to switch bikes.
I've always said it would be way better if all manufacturers let you test a bike out before you make your purchase. Had i done that, I probably would have chosen against my current bike; a 2015 KX450F. It's a phenomenal bike, now after I've dialed it in for myself. But looking back, i should have chosen Yamaha.
I have ridden an Alta before, but it was only the 2017 MX, and it was at Milestone Mx on a tiny kid track. Even on that track, i could tell the 4CS forks were bad. But that was really my only complaint. The track was way too small to get a feel for the bike at motocross speeds, so up until this point i've always wondered how the bike would be on a real motocross track.
So when i found out my local dealer, Poway Powersports, had a demo bike, i quickly jumped on the opportunity to set up a demo with them. If the MXR was simply a MX with better suspension, i would still be excited about it. The MX had good power in map 4. Now, the MXR having roughly 20% more power and loosing weight are just icing on the cake.
First, some gopro footage from my session on the Amateur Track (1 of 3 tracks at Pala). This is mostly shot in map 4 but i switched down to map 2 for a lap or two in the middle of my moto.
Here are my impressions:
Power / Map setting: I didn't bother with map 1 since in knew it would be the same as the MX and I already tested that in my previous Alta experience. Too little power for me. Map 2 had very smooth, progressive power. I was able to get on the power early in the corners and smoothly rear steer the bike. For me, map 2 was lacking the mid to upper MPH power for my skill level and speed. For me it would be useful in really wet conditions. Map 3 had just a tiny bit more snap out of the corners but ultimately fell mellow in the mid to upper MPH range. Map 4 is incredible. Map 4 is more like the 450 power that i'm used to. For me its most usable, and although it seems like the trend is to race in Map 2, i'd likely prefer to race in Map 4.
Suspension: Pretty darn good! I'm 190lbs and had the forks set at 10.5 bar with stock clickers and sag at 105mm. By the way, that shock preload adjustment is sweet on the WP shock! No more powding a screwdriver at the shock preload rings. I felt that it was a little harsh at times, but i'm sure if i bought this bike that i would be able to dial it in for myself without needing to let a suspension guy massage them. Either way i'd still likely get both the fork and shock revalved. I had read comments about the shock not having enough rebound damping, but i didn't have a problem with it. The forks seemed to be precise enough to provide solid traction and were solid performers through the mid/late stroke. I got a lot of brake dive in the stock configuration.
Brakes: This bike stops fast! With little help from the light switch of a rear brake. Its full braking or none at all with no option in between. Definitely would need to install one of those springs on the master cylinder to add some resistance to the brake petal. The front works really well, and i locked it up a few times.
Ergos: The seat is relatively flat and allowed me to shift around on the bike quite easily. The stock bars seem very much like ktm style bars that are flatter and not swept back. I run these style bars on all my bikes as a taller guy, so i felt right at home in the cockpit of the MXR. The pegs are decently sized and offer average grip. I would definitely install some Tusk billet pegs. I did have a problem with my left boot getting stuck in the gap between the peg and the front sprocket cover. Why isn't there a thin piece of metal connecting the lower side of that cover and eliminating that gap? It actually ripped my Alpinestars Tech 7's where it got caught. I hope there's a fix for that soon.
Range: I was able to get 40 minutes of ride time out of a full charge using map 4 85% of the time. Pretty sufficient for my needs as i used about 1/3 charge in the 12-15 minute moto and that's about the length of local series races. I'd just need a 240v 4000watt+ generator to top off that 1/3 of battery in about a half hour while i'm resting between motos.
I think this is making my decision a little bit easier.
I've always said it would be way better if all manufacturers let you test a bike out before you make your purchase. Had i done that, I probably would have chosen against my current bike; a 2015 KX450F. It's a phenomenal bike, now after I've dialed it in for myself. But looking back, i should have chosen Yamaha.
I have ridden an Alta before, but it was only the 2017 MX, and it was at Milestone Mx on a tiny kid track. Even on that track, i could tell the 4CS forks were bad. But that was really my only complaint. The track was way too small to get a feel for the bike at motocross speeds, so up until this point i've always wondered how the bike would be on a real motocross track.
So when i found out my local dealer, Poway Powersports, had a demo bike, i quickly jumped on the opportunity to set up a demo with them. If the MXR was simply a MX with better suspension, i would still be excited about it. The MX had good power in map 4. Now, the MXR having roughly 20% more power and loosing weight are just icing on the cake.
First, some gopro footage from my session on the Amateur Track (1 of 3 tracks at Pala). This is mostly shot in map 4 but i switched down to map 2 for a lap or two in the middle of my moto.
Here are my impressions:
Power / Map setting: I didn't bother with map 1 since in knew it would be the same as the MX and I already tested that in my previous Alta experience. Too little power for me. Map 2 had very smooth, progressive power. I was able to get on the power early in the corners and smoothly rear steer the bike. For me, map 2 was lacking the mid to upper MPH power for my skill level and speed. For me it would be useful in really wet conditions. Map 3 had just a tiny bit more snap out of the corners but ultimately fell mellow in the mid to upper MPH range. Map 4 is incredible. Map 4 is more like the 450 power that i'm used to. For me its most usable, and although it seems like the trend is to race in Map 2, i'd likely prefer to race in Map 4.
Suspension: Pretty darn good! I'm 190lbs and had the forks set at 10.5 bar with stock clickers and sag at 105mm. By the way, that shock preload adjustment is sweet on the WP shock! No more powding a screwdriver at the shock preload rings. I felt that it was a little harsh at times, but i'm sure if i bought this bike that i would be able to dial it in for myself without needing to let a suspension guy massage them. Either way i'd still likely get both the fork and shock revalved. I had read comments about the shock not having enough rebound damping, but i didn't have a problem with it. The forks seemed to be precise enough to provide solid traction and were solid performers through the mid/late stroke. I got a lot of brake dive in the stock configuration.
Brakes: This bike stops fast! With little help from the light switch of a rear brake. Its full braking or none at all with no option in between. Definitely would need to install one of those springs on the master cylinder to add some resistance to the brake petal. The front works really well, and i locked it up a few times.
Ergos: The seat is relatively flat and allowed me to shift around on the bike quite easily. The stock bars seem very much like ktm style bars that are flatter and not swept back. I run these style bars on all my bikes as a taller guy, so i felt right at home in the cockpit of the MXR. The pegs are decently sized and offer average grip. I would definitely install some Tusk billet pegs. I did have a problem with my left boot getting stuck in the gap between the peg and the front sprocket cover. Why isn't there a thin piece of metal connecting the lower side of that cover and eliminating that gap? It actually ripped my Alpinestars Tech 7's where it got caught. I hope there's a fix for that soon.
Range: I was able to get 40 minutes of ride time out of a full charge using map 4 85% of the time. Pretty sufficient for my needs as i used about 1/3 charge in the 12-15 minute moto and that's about the length of local series races. I'd just need a 240v 4000watt+ generator to top off that 1/3 of battery in about a half hour while i'm resting between motos.
I think this is making my decision a little bit easier.
