The Modenas Kristar was launched at the end of 2004 as the company’s first all-new underbone after nearly a decade of the Kriss. It kept the Kriss engine but claimed better fuel economy and brought a new body with dual headlights and an underseat compartment. Buyers did not take to it, and production ended two years later.
Modenas Kristar at a glance
| Maker | Modenas, Gurun, Kedah, Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Launched | end of 2004 |
| Production ended | 2006 |
| Class | underbone motorcycle (kapcai) |
| Engine | the same engine as the Kriss |
| Fuel economy | 46.95 km/L at 90 km/h, against 44 km/L for the Kriss |
| Economy measure | fuel tank breather tube connected to the inlet manifold |
| Body details | dual headlights, superbike-style muffler |
| Storage | underseat compartment opened from the ignition key slot |
| Other feature | rear light failure detection system |
| Role | first attempt to replace the Modenas Kriss |
| Replaced in the range by | Modenas CT series, 2009 |
There is no Wikipedia article on the Kristar itself; the model is described in sections of the English Wikipedia articles on Modenas and on the Modenas Kriss series, which are the sources used here.
History of the Modenas Kristar
After nearly a decade of the Kriss
The Kriss had been Modenas’ only underbone since 1996 and had become the best-selling motorcycle in Malaysia. The Kristar, launched at the end of 2004, was the company’s decision to build an all-new model rather than another variation of the same machine. Even so, it used the same engine as the Kriss, so the difference had to be made in the body and in economy.
What the Kristar changed
Modenas claimed a fuel economy of 46.95 km/L at 90 km/h for the Kristar, against 44 km/L for the Kriss at the same speed. The gain came from a fuel tank breather tube connected to the inlet manifold, which improved fuel emission and consumption. The new body brought dual headlights, a muffler styled after a superbike and an underseat compartment that could be opened from the same ignition key slot. A rear light failure detection system was claimed by Modenas to be fitted to no other model.
A short life
The Kristar did not sell. Production ended in 2006, two years after launch, because the design lacked appeal, and Modenas brought the Kriss 110 back into production in August 2006 as the Kriss 110SE in response to continued demand. The real successor to the Kriss arrived only in 2009, with the CT series. The Kristar therefore stands as the first, unsuccessful attempt to replace the model that had made the company.
Design and features
- Better economy: 46.95 km/L at 90 km/h, claimed thanks to the breather tube from the tank to the inlet manifold.
- New body: dual headlights, a superbike-style muffler and a different rear light.
- Underseat compartment: opened from the ignition key slot, a convenience rare in the class in 2004.
- Safety detail: a rear light failure detection system Modenas claimed no rival offered.
Modenas Kristar versions
- Kristar (2004–2006): the only version recorded in the sources; no other bodies or engine sizes are described.
The Kristar was meant to replace the Modenas Kriss, which outlived it; the successful successor was the CT series of 2009. More machines are in the Modenas collection.
Video: Modenas Kristar
Video by KristaraKis on YouTube.
Sources
- Modenas, English Wikipedia: launch, economy, equipment
- Modenas Kriss series, English Wikipedia: failure and end of production
