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Lengan Ayun Sebelah lwn. Lengan Ayun Dua Belah – Kelebihan dan Kekurangan

Pelancaran Ducati Panigale V4 (2025) baru-baru ini agak mengejutkan bagi sesetengah pihak apabila lengan ayun sebelahnya telah digantikan dengan lengan ayun dua belah.

Kita harus mengatakan bahawa lengan ayun baharu itu memang kelihatan menarik, dan lebih baik dari segi kejuruteraan. Mari kita kupaskan subjek ini.

Apakah tugas lengan ayun?

Namanya mendedahkan fungsinya untuk menyambungkan roda belakang ke kerangka motosikal. Jadi, roda belakang boleh bergerak ke atas dan ke bawah mengikut permukaan jalan.

*Brock’s Performance swingarm https://brocksperformance.com*

Namun bukan setakat itu sahaja kerana lengan ayun juga perlu mampu menahan beberapa jenis daya seperti berat (penunggang, penumpang, bagasi, bonggol jalan), beban sisi (apabila motosikal dimerengkan di dalam selekoh, serta daya daripada rantai atau syaf yang cuba membengkokkan lengan ayun.

Itulah sebabnya lengan ayun pada motosikal berkuasa tinggi jauh lebih besar daripada jenis keluli petak yang ringkas pada motosikal yang lebih ringkas.

Lengan ayun sebelah

Kelebihan:

Lebih mudah untuk menanggalkan roda: Reka bentuk lengan ayun satu sisi membolehkan penanggalan roda belakang dengan lebih mudah, tanpa mengganggu penjajaran gandar belakang, ketegangan rantai dan pad brek.Sememangnya, lengan ayun jenis ini mula-mula digunakan pada Imme 100 pada tahun 1948, dan lengan ayunnya itu digandakan sebagai ekzos. Ia kemudiannya diterima pakai oleh skuter Moto Guzzi Galletto pada tahun 1950. Masih terdapat skuter yang menggunakan susunan ini.
Bagaimanapun, Honda-lah yang pertama kali menggunakannya pada motosikal sportbike di zaman moden, iaitu pada rangkaian model VFR yang mereka gunakan untuk perlumbaan endurance.

Penampilan: Massimo Tamburini sendiri berkata beliau memilih reka bentuk lengan ayun satu sisi untuk Ducati 916 yang ikonik kerana ia kelihatan “seperti roda belakang tidak disambungkan ke motosikal dan terapung,” dan Ducati telah memikirkan untuk menggunakan model itu dalam perlumbaan endurance pada mulanya. Sejak itu, motosikal sportbike Ducati perdana menampilkan lengan aayun satu sisi, selain daripada 999 dan kini Panigale V4.

Keburukan:

Kekuatan dan ketegaran: Mencapai tahap kekuatan dan ketegaran yang sama seperti lengan ayun dua sisi boleh menjadi lebih mencabar bagi lengan ayun jenis sebelah, yang mengakibatkan keperluan untuk bahan yang lebih banyak.
Keberatan: Oleh itu, ia boleh menjadi lebih berat daripada senjata hayun dua sisi.

Kurang lentur: Pada zaman motosikal superbike 70-an, jurutera terpaksa bergelut dengan kerangka dan lengan ayun yang terlalu melentur, yang membuatkan basikal mereka berhayun di dalam selekoh. Jadi kerangka dan lengan ayun bertambah teguh sejak itu. Kemudian, apabila mereka menjadi terlalu kukuh, motosikal tidak dapat dikendalikan dengan baik di tengah selekoh pula. Kenapa? Kerana suspensi paling berkesan dalam menyerap hentakan jalan apabila motosikal menegak, tetapi keberkesanan itu hilang apabila motosikal dimerengkan.Jadi, dalam jurutera mula membangunkan kerangka dan lengan ayun yang menawarkan “kelenturan yang ditala” mulai pertengahan 90-an. Kelenturan ini membolehkan kerangka dan lengan ayun menyerap hentakan jalan raya dan ketidaksempurnaan permukaan jalan semasa motosikal dimerengkan, justeru memberikan cengkaman yang lebih baik pada tayar.

Dan sebab inilah motosikal Ducati Desmosedici GP menggunakan lengan ayun dua belah, seperti yang diikuti oleh Panigale V4 baharu. Malah, Ducati mengatakan bahawa lengan ayun V4 baharu adalah 37 peratus KURANG lentur untuk daya sisi.

Kos: Lengan ayun sebelah selalunya lebih mahal untuk dihasilkan kerana rekabentuknya yang kompleks dan keperluan untuk komponen khusus. Oleh itu ia sering dipasang pada motosikal mewah sahaja.

Lengan ayun dua belah

Kebaikan:

Lebih kos efektif: Secara amnya, lengan hayun dua sisi adalah lebih murah untuk dihasilkan dan dibaikki. Mereka dihasilkan melalui rekabentuk dan teknik pembuatan yang lebih konvensional.
Kekuatan dan ketegaran: Jurutera boleh menyesuaikan kekuatan serta karakter lentur lengan ayun mereka dengan lebih mudah kerana beban diagihkan antara dua spar.

Lebih ringan: Bahan yang lebih sedikit diperlukan untuk menjadikannya cukup teguh, oleh itu boleh dibuat lebih ringan berbanding lengan ayun satu sisi.

Kekurangan:

Penanggalan roda lebih rumit: Menanggalkan roda belakang boleh menjadi lebih rumit berbanding dengan lengan ayun sebelah, kerana ia akan mengganggu ketegangan dan penjajaran rantai.
Akses penyelenggaraan: Akses kepada roda belakang dan komponen brek boleh menjadi lebih terhad, menjadikan penyelenggaraan dan pembersihan lebih mencabar.

Melaraskan rantai(!): Melaraskan rantai dan penjajaran gandar belakang adalah tugas yang wajib tetapi ia selalunya memakan masa. Rantai yang dilaraskan dengan salah akan memendekkan jangka hayatnya, manakala gandar yang tidak sejajar mengakibatkan masalah pengendalian.

Secara ringkas

Setiap jenis swingarm mempunyai penggunaan dan kelebihannya yang khusus, jadi pilihan antara mereka selalunya bergantung pada keutamaan peribadi, tujuan penggunaan dan pertimbangan belanjawan.

Single-Sided Swingarm vs. Double-Sided Swingarm – The Pros and Cons

The recent 2025 Ducati Panigale V4’s reveal was kind of a shock for some, especially among the Ducatisti. Gone is the synonymous single-sided swingarm, replaced by a double-sided swingarm.

We have to say that the new swingarm does look the butch, and it is better, engineering wise. Let us examine why.

What does a swingarm do?

The name itself lends to its function of connecting the rear wheel of the motorcycle to the frame via a pivot. So, the rear wheel can move up and down to follow the road’s surface.

However, that is not all as the swingarm also needs to be able to withstand several types of forces such as weight (rider, passenger, luggage, road bumps), lateral loads (when the bike is leaned over so much that road bumps now act vertically on the swingarm’s spar/spars), twisting load imparted by the chain.

That is exactly why swingarms on high-powered motorcycles are so much larger than those simple box-section steel type on simpler bikes.

Single-sided swingarm

Pros:

Easier Wheel Removal: The single-sided design allows for easier removal of the rear wheel, without upsetting the rear axles alignment, chain tension, and brake pads.

Granted, this setup was first utilised on the Imme 100 in 1948, and the swingarm doubled up as the exhaust. It was later adopted by Moto Guzzi Galletto scooter in 1950. There are still scooters that utilise this arrangement.

However, it was Honda who first used it on a sportbike in the modern age, namely the VFR range which they used for endurance racing.

Aesthetics: The great Massimo Tamburini chose a single-sided swingarm design for the iconic Ducati 916 because it looked “like the rear wheel is not connected to the motorcycle and is floating,” and Ducati had thought of racing it in endurance races, too. It was henceforth that top-of-the-line Ducati sportbikes feature the single-sided swingarm, apart from the 999 and now the Panigale V4.

Cons:

Strength and Rigidity: Achieving the same level of strength and rigidity as a double-sided swingarm can be more challenging, which results in the need for material.
Weight: Hence, they can be heavier than double-sided swingarms.

Less flex: Back in the days of the 70s superbikes, engineers had to contend with frames and swingarms that flex too much, making their bikes wallow in corners. So the frames and swingarms got stiffer and stiffer. Then, when they became too stiff, the bikes do not handle well in midcorner. Why? Because the suspension is most effective in absorbing road shocks when the bike is straight up, but that effectiveness goes away when the bike is leaned over.

So, in the engineers began working on frames and swingarms that offer “tuned flex” in the mid-90s. This flex allows the frame and swingarm to absorb road shocks and road surface imperfections while the motorcycle is leaned over, hence provides better grip to the tyres.

And this is exactly why the Ducati Desmosedici GP bike uses a double-sided swingarm, as with the new Panigale V4. In fact, Ducati says that the new V4’s swingarm is 37 percent LESS stiff laterally.

Cost: Single-sided swingarms are often more expensive to manufacture and repair due to their complex design and the need for specialised components. Therefore finding application on high-end bikes only.

Double-sided swingarm

Pros:

Cost-Effective: Generally, double-sided swingarms are less expensive to produce and repair. They use more conventional design and manufacturing techniques.
Strength and Durability: Engineers can tune their stiffness versus flex characters easier as loads are distributed between two spars.

Lighter: Less material is needed to make it stiff, thus is can be made lighter versus its single-sided counterpart.

Cons:

Wheel Removal: Removing the rear wheel can be more cumbersome compared to a single-sided swingarm, as it will perturb the chain’s tension and alignment.
Maintenance Access: Access to the rear wheel and brake components can be more restricted, making maintenance and cleaning more challenging.

Adjusting the chain(!): Adjusting the chain and the rear axle’s alignment is a necessary task but it is often time consuming and frustrating. A wrongly adjusted chain will shorten its lifespan, while a misaligned axle results in handling issues.

In a nutshell

Each type of swingarm has its specific use cases and advantages, so the choice between them often depends on personal preference, intended use, and budget considerations.

Single Sided Swingarm – Is it Dangerous?

Let us talk a bit about the single sided swingarm, especially considering a video that went viral recently.

The footage showed a rider and his pillion on a bike when the pillion suddenly became agitated. The camera then panned right to show their bike’s rear wheel running next to the divider and overtaking them. It concluded with a Ducati Hypermotard on its side sans the rear wheel.

Netizens were quick to provide their own comments of the incident. Some were just pure banter, some were jokes, some were derision, some were er… post-mortems.

One such comment in our sister site, MotoMalaya attracted our attention. The commenter said, “That’s the disadvantage of the single sided swingarm.” The comment was followed by plenty of derision.

Like it or not, that comment has some truth. However, before we proceed further, we would like to state that such occurrence is very rare. And it is not only Ducatis that are fitted with single sided swingarms as several other manufacturers do so, too. For example, BMW, Honda, Moto Guzzi, KTM, CFMoto, MV Agusta, Triumph, and of course scooters!

The main advantage of the single sided swingarm

The primary advantage of the single sided swingarm is quick and easy rear wheel removal and installation. Remove the tightening nut or bolts and out comes the entire wheel without upsetting the chain tension and rear brake as the rear sprocket, brake disc, and brake caliper are mounted on a carrier.

There is a very short and stout axle to hold the wheel in place. Thus, one only needs to reinstall the rear wheel and retighten the locking nut or bolts and not bother with chain tension and axle alignment.

In fact, this was why Massimo Tamburini designed the seminal Ducati 916 with a single sided swingarm. It was thought that Ducati had wanted to enter the 916 in endurance races. Tamburini himself said that he drew inspiration from the Honda NR750. Other contemporary rivals were the Honda RC30 and later RC45 – both also sported single sided swingarms because they were raced in endurance events.

However, Tamburini did also mention that aesthetically, the rear wheel appears as if it is floating and not connected to the bike. It then became the signature of high performance Ducatis and continues to be used until today.

The double sided swingarm, on the other hand…

Conversely, a double sided swingarm requires an axle/spindle to be inserted through the center of the wheel to connect both sides.

One needs to pull the axle out, take the chain off the sprocket, and pull the brake disc away from the caliper.

The drive chain requires tensioning and the entire rear end needs realignment when the axle and wheel are reinstalled. The tensioning and alignment process needs time and care. An improperly aligned rear axle will result in abnormal tyre, chain, and brake pad wear, besides handling issues.

But should the lock nut break loose and depending on the design of the rear of the swing arm, the chain can hold the axle in place albeit misaligned. Similarly, the brake caliper bracket or holder helps to keep the axle and wheel from sliding out.

Then again, there are incidents where the rear wheel came off double sided swingarms. Point is, it takes a longer time for the rear wheel to slide out and there will be plenty of warning symptoms if the axle nut was improperly tightened or had come off, such as the rear of the bike pulling to one side.

In a nutshell

So, is a single side swingarm inherently dangerous?

All engineering practices consist of compromises. That is why the rear wheel is locked with a large nut and pin or several bolts. Therefore, the proper tightening torque is essential, so use a torque wrench, for crying out loud!

We would like to state again that this was a very uncommon incident. In any case, always inspect your bike before riding.

MotoGP: Repsol Honda Sedang Menguji Lengan Ayun Karbon Fiber?

Pasukan Repsol Honda MotoGP telah menguji lengan ayun karbon fiber baru untuk motosikal Honda RC213V 2018.
Pakej keseluruhan 2018 mereka bersama dengan lengan ayun yang baru itu tampak berfungsi dengan baik sekali buat kedua-dua Marquez dan Pedrosa.
Pedrosa berjaya mencatatkan masa pusingan terpantas di Litar Antarabangsa Buriram pada hari terakhir sesi ujian pra musim di Thailand.

(more…)

MotoGP: Repsol Honda testing CARBON FIBRE swingarm?

The Repsol Honda MotoGP team has been testing a brand new carbon fibre swingarm for their 2018 Honda RC213V.

Their entire 2018 package plus new swingarm seems to be working for both Marquez and Pedrosa.

Pedrosa set the fastest ever motorcycle lap around Buriram International Circuit on the final day of the Thai pre-season testing.

Sharp eyes in the MotoGP garage have spotted something quite different on the Honda RC213V used by the Repsol Honda boys during the three-day testing in Thailand. It seemed that the factory Honda squad are experimenting with a full carbon fibre swingarm at the Buriram International Circuit and even during the Sepang winter test here in Malaysia a few weeks back. (more…)