and other irrelevant chit-chat 
Local Motors has launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance its Cruiser motorized bicycle, which was designed using the company’s online co-creation platform.
Based on a design submitted by one of the members of the Local Motors website, and voted on by his peers, the Cruiser apes the board racing motorcycles that were popular a century ago, but built with very modern mechanicals.
The company has engineered battery and gasoline-powered models on the same basic frame.
The electric version has a top speed of 27 mph and a range of 20 miles per charge, which can be doubled with the addition of a second battery.
Gasoline models use a 49 cc Honda powertrain that’s good for up to 34 mph, but can be adjusted to meet local regulations for this type of vehicle.
Both feature leather accents, springer front suspensions and white rubber tires.
The campaign is powered by Crowdtilt, but fully embedded into the Local Motors website.
Along with its own car, the Rally Fighter, the company has worked with a variety of partners ranging from Domino’s Pizza to the U.S. Army to quickly develop projects through its crowdsourcing concept.
Members of its community are also able to post their own ad hoc projects in order to seek feedback and input from others on the site.
While Local Motors plans to produce the Cruiser in-house with the money raised, it will incorporate the crowdfunding capability into future campaigns to give members a tool to help bring their own projects to fruition.
Contributions levels for the Cruiser project range from $1 for a $50 discount on a Cruiser purchase to an introductory price of $3,499 for a complete bike, which will list for $3,799. Four prototype cruisers are also available for $5,000 each, but are being offered as non-functional items.
