KerkuS Motorworks co-owner Kamarul Azahar Azman, who was among the motorcycle enthusiasts invited to review the model in 2015, had thought the TTR200 was “not bad at all and rode well too, especially for a 200cc motorcycle”.

“The people in Modenas told me they chose not to go ahead and build the cafe racer because they felt there was no demand for it in Malaysia, where everyone rode kap chais (underbone motorcycles) anyway,” he told FMT.

Kamarul said the opposite had been true since then, for the demand for cafe racers had gone up.

“At KerkuS, we’ve noticed the demand for cafe racers going up. Modenas has made a huge mistake, in my opinion. It’s a shame.”

A Modenas representative from the corporate communications department confirmed that the motorcycle company had wished to produce the cafe racer and then changed its mind, but declined to say why.

Further attempts to contact Modenas regarding the cafe racer were unsuccessful.

Cafe racers are lightweight, lightly powered motorcycles optimised for speed and handling and for quick rides over short distances.

Modenas, a contraction of Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd, was formed in 1995. It launched its first model – and the first national motorcycle – the following year and has since produced a slew of small motorcycles, the more notable models being the Kriss and the Jaguh.

DRB-Hicom Bhd and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd are among the majority shareholders of Modenas.