Our own Alta software/firmware team -- Join in

[Silent But Dirty]

A quick fix for that is to buy one more Alta bike!

I'm keeping my eyes open fo another MX

 

[Speedkills]

where is the firmware update port located on our altas?

 

[Philip]

where is the firmware update port located on our altas?

A little twistie plug under the seat on top of the "gas tank".

 

[Motophyllic]

Does anyone know if it’s possible to buy the Alta laptop from a dealer, or to make a copy of the firmware and use it on our own laptop. There might be a MAC address tying the firmware to Altas laptop which would rule out a copy. All my computers have been supplied with software reinstalling ability. Since we bought the bike I would think we own rights to being able to re-install that software that we bought.

 

[Speedkills]

I tried to buy a laptop, no luck. I think I recall someone else on the forum had one though. It's not like the software can't be written from scratch if it isn't located but personally that's far more effort than I want to put in, vs modifying existing software which should be quite a bit less work.

 

[TCMB371]

While i haven't actually done this before, from my brief research intercepting and spoofing the CANbus shouldn't be too difficult to do if we are forced to go that route.

-Computer with Linux OS (Ubuntu is my preferred) - Raspberry Pi would suffice as a standalone unit.
-CAN interface module - There are a few open source options out there
-Cabling/various adapters between the bike, module, and computer - Typically OBD-II to USB but not sure what ports our bikes have. Might have to get creative or make a custom cable. We can figure this out.
-Software like SocketCAN - open source, sniffs the CAN data stream. Can also send modified packets back. Supports Python scripting i believe.

The difficult part would be translating the raw stream of data and determining the communication the receiving end of the bike is looking for. Typically, lots of HEXADECIMAL values. This would require LOTS of trial and error but i think we'd be able to figure it out eventually.

SocketCAN:
https://www.can-cia.org/fileadmin/resources/documents/proceedings/2012_kleine-budde.pdf

linux-can/can-utils

 

[TonyWilliams]

Should the worst happen, and Alta is no more, I would be in, and nominate Mark to be the guy to figure our machines out for us. One of the things I would look at is a lower voltage higher amp set up. At over 400 volts hot off the charger, one needs to be super savy with electrician related issues. The battery potential of the EXR/MXR is pushing 39KW HOC, one mistake and it will kill you. At least with a sub 100 volt system...

So, you want a Zero? No thanks.

Yes, high voltage can kill you. Low performance will bore me. The only folks using “low voltage” DC are hobbyists and low performance machines.

Tesla, Nissan, BMW... all manufacturers building EVs use 350-400 volts. Just like Alta at 354V.

I heard gasoline was flammable?

 

[TonyWilliams]

I would probably suggest starting from scratch with software.

There are four major things to control:

1) Throttle
2) Battery
3) Inverter
4) Motor

A group effort to write code to control the existing components may ultimately be easier than trying to hack somebody else’s work.

 

[Silent But Dirty]

I would probably suggest starting from scratch with software.

There are four major things to control:

1) Throttle
2) Battery
3) Inverter
4) Motor

A group effort to write code to control the existing components may ultimately be easier than trying to hack somebody else’s work.

There is also an accelerometer that would need to interact with everything as well.

 

[TonyWilliams]

And some code is needed for maintenance.

 

[Rix]

So, you want a Zero? No thanks.

Yes, high voltage can kill you. Low performance will bore me. The only folks using “low voltage” DC are hobbyists and low performance machines.

Tesla, Nissan, BMW... all manufacturers building EVs use 350-400 volts. Just like Alta at 354V.

I heard gasoline was flammable?

Yah, well I am a hobbyist, and as you kind of eluded to, Zero also utilizes a lower voltage set up with HUGE AMPS. Up to 600 DC Amps. Unfortunately, I am self taught EV enthusiasts with no formal training and 5 ebike builds under my belt with the most powerful being a 12kw system. And I even paid a guy to build my battery for that build. I have zapped my self 2 times with an 18S system in the past, and if I made that kind of mistake with our Alta system, as you also noted, I would be dead. That being said, if my battery craps the bed, and if I can pay someone to repair my battery and keep my bike running with the current system, its the best there is.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Yah, well I am a hobbyist, and as you kind of eluded to, Zero also utilizes a lower voltage set up with HUGE AMPS. Up to 600 DC Amps. Unfortunately, I am self taught EV enthusiasts with no formal training and 5 ebike builds under my belt with the most powerful being a 12kw system. And I even paid a guy to build my battery for that build. I have zapped my self 2 times with an 18S system in the past, and if I made that kind of mistake with our Alta system, as you also noted, I would be dead. That being said, if my battery craps the bed, and if I can pay someone to repair my battery and keep my bike running with the current system, its the best there is.

Yep, if you look at it as a performance motorcycle, and not a hobby build, you want 350+ volts.

 

[Rix]

Yep, if you look at it as a performance motorcycle, and not a hobby build, you want 350+ volts.

True that.