The Modenas Dinamik was the company’s first two-stroke motorcycle, built on the Kawasaki Leo Star and rebadged under the Modenas name. It was also the machine with which Modenas prepared for the Malaysian Cub Prix, where the engine was enlarged to 125 cc.
Modenas Dinamik at a glance
| Maker | Modenas, Gurun, Kedah, Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Class | small motorcycle (kapcai) |
| Engine | two-stroke, based on the Kawasaki Leo Star |
| Donor displacement | 118 cc in the Kawasaki Leo Star 120 |
| Racing displacement | raised to 125 cc for the Cub Prix |
| Emissions | claimed to exceed Euro 2 without a catalytic converter |
| Launched with | the Elit and Ceria scooters |
| Racing class | Expert category of the Malaysian Cub Prix |
| Company formed | 1995 |
| Factory opened | Gurun, Kedah, 3 October 1996 |
There is no separate Wikipedia article on the Dinamik; it is described in a section of the English Wikipedia article on Modenas, which is the only source used here. Based on one source.
History of the Modenas Dinamik
The first two-stroke
After years of building only four-stroke motorcycles, Modenas launched its first two-stroke, based on the Kawasaki Leo Star and rebadged as the Dinamik. The donor machine was the Leo Star 120, which despite the name had a displacement of 118 cc. Modenas claimed that the Dinamik exceeded Euro 2 emission standards without the addition of a catalytic converter. The model was launched alongside the Elit and Ceria scooters of the early 2000s, giving the range a cheaper two-stroke alternative to the four-stroke underbones.
Prepared for racing
The Dinamik was also built as Modenas’ preparation for the Malaysian Cub Prix, a moped championship then dominated by Yamaha and Honda. For the race the company increased the engine’s displacement to 125 cc, which gave more power and torque than the original 118 cc Leo Star engine. Modenas formed a factory team and supported others in the series, using the Kriss in the Wira category and the Dinamik in the Expert category.
The company
Modenas — Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional — was formed in 1995 with Kawasaki, Sojitz, Khazanah Nasional and DRB-HICOM among its shareholders, and its factory at Gurun in Kedah was opened by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on 3 October 1996. Its products were aimed at the Malaysian market and at export, and the racing programme was part of the company’s effort to compete with the established Japanese makes in the small-bike market.
Design and features
- First two-stroke: a break from the four-stroke underbones that had built the company.
- Kawasaki basis: the Leo Star 120 with its 118 cc engine, rebadged for Malaysia.
- Emissions claim: Euro 2 compliance without a catalytic converter, according to Modenas.
- Racing pedigree: the Expert-class machine of the Modenas Cub Prix programme.
Modenas Dinamik versions
- Dinamik: the road model, with the 118 cc two-stroke engine.
- Dinamik racing version: the same design with displacement raised to 125 cc for the Cub Prix.
The Dinamik joined the scooters of the period, the PGO-based Elit and the water-cooled Elegan. The company’s main road model remained the Kriss. More machines are in the Modenas collection.
Video: MODENAS DINAMIK VS YAMAHA Z
Video by dimitris prov on YouTube.
Sources
- Modenas, English Wikipedia: Dinamik, Leo Star basis, emissions, Cub Prix, company history
