Guys. i am a little confused. Kawasaki has become super popular in Malaysia since their big bikes were getting cheaper circa LATE 2000s. One of the first models to sell was of course The ER6N. the models were not made in Japan hence the competitive price. So many have said MADE IN MALAYSIA. While the other half swore by Thailand.

You guys do Kawasaki Malaysia import the motorcycles from Thailand or locally made? Why the confusion? A dealer has borrowed me some of Kawasaki Manuals. They stated Malaysia models separate from Thailand models? What gives? I am so confused. Please help me you guys.

No confusion. Unless otherwise stated, most of the 'mid range' kawasaki bikes are assembled in Shah Alam, Malaysia.

Here you go...

A few of Kawasaki dealers I've been to all say from Thailand. How come? Help.

Made in Thai, assemble in shah alam

Those assembled in Malaysia are called CKD (Complete knock down) whereas those imported from other countries are called CBU (Complete Built Unit). CBU are more expensive due to import tax.

assembled as in putting the tyres only since the bikes come pre assembled in wooden crates

if imported CBU from Jap, u wont get the price as it is now.

Yes correct. It's actually known as "Semi Knocked Down" (SKD).

Shortest answer with the best explanation yet

Actually Kawasaki has been very popular since Kawasaki Sunrock first started to CKD big motorcycles in the early 90s.

EN500 Vulcan was CKD, ZZR250 was CKD, ZXR250 too was CKD... and they were all hugely popular those days.

I think Kawasaki Sunrock was the first to officially CKD big bikes.

Then Yamaha followed suit with the XV535... but when shit hit the fan at the end of that decade, they stopped CKD-ing big bikes. For a few years during and after the economic meltdown, apa pun tarak... nobody could afford to buy fancy big bikes even CKD ones, except the filthy rich who'd buy CBU bikes and grey imports.

The big bike CKD business only started to recover after 2005. After 2010, it started to boom. Sekarang, meriah gilababi.

This post has been edited by ZZR-Pilot: Jun 9 2017, 02:22 PM

There is no factory that manufactures big bikes in Malaysia.

They're all from outside Malaysia, brought in either in CBU form or CKD.

When he said Msia models different from Thai models, depending on what bike you're talking about he could mean that they have different sources for the same parts.

For example, Kawasaki in Thailand might find it more economical to use certain tyre brands that are available locally there while Malaysia might use whatever that's economical here. Same tyre specs, different brands. Ditto the fluids like engine oil, same specs different brands.

Sometimes, Kawasaki might import parts from OEM factories outside of Thailand. And that would make Msia models arguably different from Thai ones.

I think it's the same logic as when buying CKD cars.

Overall, unless the difference in quality and reliability is glaring, IMHO it really doesn't matter. No reputable motorcycle brand would allow vast discrepancies in performance and quality across the region anyway.

Informative.

I laugh at your last sentence


That's how the industry works. Different sources from different countries. As long as it's according to the spec, then not much to be worried.

Differences between countries mostly localisation specs.

Entertaining yet informative. Salute you sifu.