But what would happen if a moto was specifically designed for Fused Filament Fabrication printing? Germany's BigRep has debuted a number of automotive and e-mobility prototypes at this year's formnext additive manufacturing exhibition, including the world's first 3D-printed working electric motorcycle.

The 190 x 90 x 55 cm (74.8 x 35.4 x 21.6 in) Nera bike was designed by Marco Mattia Cristofori with Maximilian Sedlak from the company's Nowlab innovation consultancy and printed on BigRep's own large-scale 3D printers using ProHT, ProFLEX, PETH and PLA filaments through a 0.6 - 1 mm nozzle at a layer height of 0.4 - 0.6 mm.

"The Nera combines several innovations developed by Nowlab, such as the airless tire, functional integration and embedded sensor technology," said Nowlab's Daniel Büning. "This bike and our other prototypes push the limits of engineering creativity and will reshape AM technology as we know it."

Everything except the electrical components has been produced on a 3D printer – that includes the tires (with custom tread), rhomboid wheel rims, frame, fork and seat. The Nera bike also rocks flexible bumpers to replace the traditional suspension found in other motos.