I see a couple of other problems that I feel impacted Alta's sales. First, they tried to take a bike with significant range limitations but which was marginally acceptable for some closed track applications like MX and repackage it as a SM or enduro bike, both applications where the typical expectation is something with much greater mileage/range. The formula just doesn't work and the non-recurring/recurring engineering and manufacturing costs to support the additional models must have weighed heavy on them. I think it's safe to say that the only narrowly acceptable RACE application was/is MX or other short race format at the intermediate/vet level. I know there are some exceptions, but I'm talking as a whole.
I'm not sure how it is in Europe, but here in the states if you want some decent sale numbers (to leverage larger/cheaper buys of quality components like Ohlin suspension, Kite hubs, DID rims, etc), you'll need to appeal to more than the vet demographic. However, even the beginner local race crowd has visions of being the next (insert name of you're favorite Pro rider here). They know if that's the goal you gotta be on one of the big name bikes to get any kind of support or attention. Plus, there's not even a class for "electric" approved by the AMA yet, at least not at the full sized bike level. So what's the motivation to buy a bike that's most likely the most expensive option, one you'll find it hard to get any help (financial/parts), and one you can't race anyway? And that's before you add the cost of a good (ie quiet, so you don't piss off everyone around your pits) generator.
It's the chicken before the egg syndrome. Someone needs to first make a bike that'll appeal to the younger, up and coming generation so that the AMA can no longer ignore the growing demand for an electric "race classification or classifications". But if it can't be raced, how it that going to be appealing?
The FIM is way ahead of the AMA in this respect, but we all know how political (insert, where's the money) these organizations can get, so I not very optimistic at this point.
Bottom line, beside the technology limitations and safety issues there's tremendous headwinds bearing on the "off road competition" segment of the EV market right now. On the other hand, there's significant tailwinds regarding the "street legal" segment. If I was an investor, that's where I'd be putting my money.
