The Story Behind NAZA Bikes

NAZA is a name formed from the names of more than one individual, unlike MOMOS and AFAZ.

As many may know, NAZA was founded by the late Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin SM Amin, with Puan Sri Datin Seri Utama Zaleha Ismail as his co-founder.

The name NAZA itself is a combination of the names of its two founders — NAsimuddin and ZAleha — giving rise to the name NAZA.

NAZA TWO WHEELS

NAZA Two Wheels was one of the businesses under the NAZA Group of Companies, focusing specifically on the motorcycle industry. NAZA Bikes was used as the official brand for motorcycles assembled in Malaysia by NAZA.

In addition to assembling motorcycles locally through the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) process, NAZA Two Wheels was also directly involved in importing high-capacity motorcycles from various international brands. This was made possible through Approved Permits (APs) issued by the Malaysian government, allowing the company to import CBU (Completely Built-Up) motorcycles from overseas.

At the time, the headquarters of NAZA Bikes was located in Section 15, Shah Alam, Selangor.

2000 — NAZA Enters the Motorcycle Industry

In 2000, the NAZA Group entered the motorcycle business, initially becoming the official distributor for the prestigious Italian motorcycle brand Ducati in Malaysia.

This marked the beginning of NAZA’s more significant involvement in the Malaysian motorcycle industry.

2003 — Local Motorcycle Assembly

In 2003, the NAZA Group invested RM30 million to develop a motorcycle assembly plant in Shah Alam.

This investment paved the way for the introduction of motorcycles under the NAZA Bikes brand, including the NAZA Blade, along with various other models that were rebadged from manufacturers such as Hyosung, CPI, and others.

For a period, NAZA Bikes became a familiar name among Malaysian motorcycle enthusiasts, offering everything from locally assembled motorcycles to imported high-capacity machines.

The End of an Era

The NAZA Group of Companies continues to operate, but the NAZA Bikes brand is no longer active.

For motorcycle enthusiasts who remember the era of NAZA Bikes, models such as the NAZA Blade remain part of an interesting chapter in Malaysia’s motorcycle history — a period when a Malaysian automotive group ventured beyond cars and established a presence in the two-wheel industry.

Today, NAZA Bikes has become part of that history, and it remains to be seen whether we will ever see motorcycles assembled under the NAZA name once again on Malaysian roads.