Josh Hill to Race Alta Electric Bike at Red Bull Straight Rhythm
Racer X has been following the evolution of the Alta RedShift electric MX bike for a while now, and another big step is coming in two weeks, when Josh Hill races the bike at Red Bull Straight Rhythm in the Lites (250) class.
We honestly can't think of a better scenario for an electric bike than Straight Rhythm, which is a straight (turn-less) SX track with runs of less than one minute in length. Electric motors produce huge, instantaneous torque. They get great traction. An electric bike might be heavier than a gas-powered bike, but weight is less of a factor when you don't have to stop and turn. Plus, just look at Hill rip on the thing in this video!
Yup, could be a game changer here, at least under these perfect circumstances.
As for Hill himself, he's been retired as a racer for a little over a year now, but he still rides a lot, and his talent for SX and jumping could play out well for this event. By the way, Hill works for Monster Energy now, but Red Bull is still promoting his appearance on this bike via a press release today.
Red Bull Straight Rhythm, an evolution of the sport of supercross, unveils the first half of the 2016 rider field who will race on the 1/2-mile long, “unwound” track on Saturday, October 22 at Fairplex in Pomona. This year’s event will look – and sound – a bit different, as an electric motorcycle from Alta Motors will line up to race against the gas powered machines.
This year the unique event will feature a unique entry, as Josh Hill will try his hand on an Alta Motors Redshift MX in the Lites Class, becoming the first rider ever to race an electric motorcycle in a national-level motocross event. This year’s Open Class field features Lucas Oil Pro Motocross and AMA Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey as well as newly minted Red Bull KTM rider Trey Canard, who will take to the 1Ž2 mile rhythm section track for the first time. Additional Open Class riders include Marvin Musquin, Austin Politelli, Vince Friese, Josh Hansen, Mike Alessi and Jeff Alessi. In addition to Hill, announced riders in the Lites Class include Shane McElrath, Jordon Smith and Mitchell Oldenburg. The remaining 12 riders will be announced shortly.
More info and tickets at redbull.com/straightrhtyhm
