The Modenas Jaguh 175 was launched in 1999 as the company’s small cruiser. It was based on the Kawasaki Eliminator series and aimed at riders who wanted the look of a large American cruiser but could not afford an imported machine.
Modenas Jaguh 175 at a glance
| Maker | Modenas, Gurun, Kedah, Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1999 |
| Model | Jaguh 175 |
| Class | small cruiser |
| Based on | Kawasaki Eliminator series |
| Aimed at | riders who wanted a cruiser but not an imported large motorcycle |
| Market obstacle | very high duties on imported motorcycles |
| Other obstacle | banks refused loans on large motorcycles |
| Company formed | 1995 |
| Factory opened | Gurun, Kedah, 3 October 1996 |
| Company milestone | 1,000,000th unit produced in June 2007 |
There is no separate Wikipedia article on the Jaguh; it is described in a short section of the English Wikipedia article on Modenas, which is the only source used here. Based on one source.
History of the Modenas Jaguh 175
A cruiser built at home
By the end of the 1990s Modenas had established itself with the Kriss underbone, and the Jaguh 175 of 1999 widened the range into cruisers. The model was based on the popular Kawasaki Eliminator series, which Modenas built under its own name. It was intended for riders who were drawn to the style of American cruiser motorcycles but could not buy one: duties on imported motorcycles were very high, and banks refused to finance loans on large motorcycles, so a large imported cruiser was out of reach for most buyers. A smaller, locally built cruiser filled that gap.
The company behind it
Modenas — Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional — was formed in 1995, with Kawasaki, Sojitz, Khazanah Nasional and DRB-HICOM among its shareholders, as the national motorcycle project that followed the success of the car maker Proton. Its factory at Gurun in Kedah was opened by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on 3 October 1996, and the company produced its millionth unit in June 2007. Modenas built motorcycles below 250 cc for the Malaysian market and for export, mostly scooters and underbones, which made the Jaguh an unusual model in its range.
Design and features
- Cruiser style: the American-inspired look of the Kawasaki Eliminator, built locally.
- Accessible price: a way around the duties and financing problems that kept imported cruisers out of reach.
- Company backing: a Kawasaki-derived design from Malaysia’s national motorcycle maker.
Modenas Jaguh 175 versions
- Jaguh 175 (1999): the model recorded in the sources; no other versions are described.
The Jaguh shared the range with the Kriss underbone and the scooters of the early 2000s such as the Elit. More machines are in the Modenas collection.
Sources
- Modenas, English Wikipedia: Jaguh 175, company history
