Abstract

Manufacturers of light motorcycles have always sought the use of more and more advanced materials. The application of carbon fiber in motorcycle parts design can bring high strength, stiffness, and low weight in a manner previously unavailable. This article contains selected problems regarding the construction of a swingarm made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). The swingarm was made specifically for Honda NSF 100. For the analysis, series of tests such as geometry, FEM, and structural analysis was chosen. The analysis concludes that the swingarm shape that was adopted from the original steel made part is not suitable for CFRP use. The analysis showed manufacturing errors, like the inconsistent thickness of laminate and poor quality of assembling. The full potential of the CFRP material was not used.