Red Bull Straight Rhythm – Electric Boogaloo

This past weekend we saw another bit of history in the electric motorcycle return. At the Red Bull Straight Rhythm event in Pomona, California an electric dirt bike almost made the podium in its debut.

The straight rhythm event is an off season event that pits riders head to head in a drag race. Not your typical drag race but one that involves jumps, tabletops, whoops, and more.

Amongst this year’s lineup of top tier riders was none other than recently retired Josh Hill. He pulled himself out of retirement to ride the electric-powered Alta Motors Redshift MX.

Winning in his quarter-final heat, Hill gave Alta Motors its first national-level supercross win. Not only the first for Alta, but the first for an electric motorcycle. Losing in the semi-finals Hill finished the day fourth overall. Not many companies have come out and finished top 5 in their initial competition.

May believe this heralds the soon to be dominance of electric motorcycles, proof they can compete with the very best gas bikes anywhere at anytime. I am a little less positive. The straight rhythm is a short event, you aren’t eating competitors roost lap after lap, and you don’t have to worry about the battery. Time will of course show how this will truly play out.

Alta has eyes on taking the Redshift MX to other lites class races. We could soon see the Alta Motors Redshift in multiple 250cc motocross, supercross, and possibly even supermoto events in the USA.