Can This 3D Printed Motorcycle Survive a Five-Foot Drop Without Shattering?

Remember a while ago, when we introduced you to Pantheon's 3D-printed motorcycle project? While it's true that the firm's main business is 3D composite printing, choosing various iterations on small EV motorcycles as a test bed to demonstrate the capabilities of composite printing technology is an endlessly fascinating choice. 

The EnduroCompos, as Pantheon is calling them, have continued to evolve since that first unit they shared with the world in a YouTube video all those months ago. But of course, you don't improve by printing off a zillion copies of the same thing. Instead, you improve by trying something a little different, assessing where and how to improve, and going from there. 

And of course, also engaging with interested parties who have commented on the previous videos, particularly if they bring up good points and/or interesting questions. You know, asking totally sensible questions like, "when are you going to ride the bike off of your loading dock?" As you do.

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Now, some people might just send it right away, depending on how much sense and/or confidence they have in both the current state of the bike, as well as whatever motorcycle gear they're wearing. This also likely depends on their level of health insurance coverage, and since Pantheon is based in Canada, that's a much different question there than it would be in the US. But I digress.

This video doesn't simply answer the question posed by the title of "will our 3D printed motorcycle survive a 1.5-meter drop?" Instead, it does something far more fascinating: It takes you inside the iterative process (yes, there is a lot of math, but it's fun math, I promise) that leads to refining a girder fork design and reinforcing key parts of its structure so that it can stand the force loads generated by launching both bike and rider off that 1.5-meter loading dock and onto the asphalt below. 

It's so cool to see this thing come to life and keep growing and changing and becoming more robust and feature-packed over time. Honestly, this is what's exciting about technological advances; the ability to realize and iterate real-world, functional objects in ways that don't break the bank. Even better, it's in ways that allow you to have fun, make mistakes, try again, and learn something in the process. 

More of this, please and thank you. Humans are endlessly creative, you see; we don't need machines taking over the fun part of creation for us. This, though? This is where technology can help humans shape their dreams into reality.

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