If we were going to use a 3D-printed motorcycle, it would be the Light Rider

A 3D-printed electric motorcycle? It had to happen and we’re just glad we were around when it did. The Light Rider is just such a conveyance, apparently the first of its kind and the creation of an offshoot of Airbus called APWorks. Based on that, guess what the Light Rider is made out of?

If you said anything other than aircraft-grade aluminium, you need to go back to flight school. It’s actually called ‘Scalmalloy’, which isn’t the villain in a gumshoe novel like you might have thought. Instead it’s an aluminium alloy powder which is used to print the Light Rider – which weighs in at just 35kg. Hence the name, we’re guessing.

It’s battery-powered, using a 6kW motor that can ratchet the Light Rider from zero to 45km/h in just 3 seconds. It’s got a top speed of 80km/h, which isn’t a whole lot in the motorcycle scheme of things but ask yourself this: Do you really want to go faster on a 35kg bike? Thought not. Looks cool, though.

If you really want one of these green wonders, then you’re going to have to pay for it. The lightweight electric motorcycle will set each one of the fifty potential buyers (which is the total number they’re making) back €50,000. For those of you using local currency, that’s round R880,000. So we’re thinking that the Light Rider will wind up seeing few sales in South Africa, even if the pre-order booking price is a ‘mere’ €2,000 (R35,000).

Source: APWorks