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Motorcycle usage and ownership has continue to increased in most of the Asian countries--especially in Indonesia-- due to motorcycle's low capital and operating costs. During the second decades, the amount of motorcycles in Indonesia has been growing very fast. Based on the data launched by National Statistics Board (2018), the motorcycles in use are more than 114,000,000 (one hundred and fourteen millions) or around 42 % of the total population in Indonesia which reaches 269,000,000 (two hundreds and sixty nine millions) people in 2019.
The high number of motorcycle ownership in Indonesia is caused by various things. One of the reasons is that efficient motorcycles is a travel solution for middle to low class people. There is also logic perception that believes the increasing of motorcycles production will lead to higher national income and employment rate. Although the economic contribution of motorcycles industry and their uses are significant, there are contradictive facts, which are number of accidents involving motorcycles riders, traffic congestions, air pollution which can be harmful to health, urban criminalities, uncontrolled behavior of motorcycle's rider and other following negative impacts.
It is not encouraging to note that most of the main streets in big cities are packed by tens or even hundreds of motorcycles every day, especially during the busy hours from 5.30 – 8.00 o’clock a.m. and from 3.00 – 6 o’clock p.m. This also happens in urban cities in Indonesia. The explosion in the number of motorbikes has made traffic jams in big cities even more uncontrollable. The capital city of Indonesia--Jakarta, also suffering chronic congestion due to growing vehicle numbers in the country. According to Tom Tom Traffic Index, the average congestion level in Jakarta was 61 % in 2017. By the rate, Jakarta is ranked 4th in the most congested city in the world. The ranking is exceeded by the city of Bogota (62%), New Delhi (62%), and the most congested city in the world is Mumbai (66%).
Based on study of App-based transportation firm "Uber", in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group, Jakartans spend a longer time in traffic than citizens of other major Asian cities. The study reveals that drivers in Jakarta spend an average of 22 days a year in traffic. The number is higher compared to many other major cities in Asia, in which drivers spend around 19 days stuck in traffic. Capital Jakarta has long been noted for its heavy traffic congestion but other studies now show Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya and Yogyakarta to be suffering in this respect also.
The high number of motorbike ownership rates in Indonesia caused complex problem to continue. Apart from increasing the level of congestion in urban areas, it also caused the level of air pollution and noise increased. One of the reasons is because motorbikes are not environmentally friendly. The fuel (BBM) residue of motorized vehicles was the main contributor to severe air pollution as 80 % of vehicles powered by diesel fuel operated from Jakarta Greater Area (Jabodetabek) to the capital. Transportation emissions comes from road transportation (90 %) and city pollution comes from the transportation sector (70 %). Pollutants produced by vehicle exhausts include carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, particles, volatile organic compounds and sulfur dioxide. These materials are certainly not good for the health of citizens and can also be life threatening.
Besides of caused environmental issue and air pollution, high amount of motorcycle also increasing the total of fatal accident in Indonesia. According to Asian Development Bank, there had been serious problems regarding road transportation safety in several developing countries, included Indonesia. There are some factors causing such issue, one of them is significant growth of motorcycles in those countries. Data from Statistica, during 2013 to 2019, the highest number of fatalities in Indonesia was reached in 2016, with over 31,000 persons dying in traffic accidents. The studies indicated that traffic accidents involving motorcycles which led to fatalities had placed a big portion from total accidents.
Moreover, there are many things that cause traffic accidents to motor-drivers. Some of them are due to Indonesian drivers' are not even obey the road rules and the regulations. They are not pay attention to the traffic lights, riding motorcycle with many hitchhiker, don't have any driving license, etc. Second, Indonesian drivers' do not priority the safety. They do not wear the safety riding gear or even a safety helmet and do not pay attention to motorcycle's speed. Last but not least, there is also miserable reality in Indonesia. In fact, many parents in Indonesia give motorbikes for their children who are still in elementary school. Eventhough, the age limit for using motorbikes has been regulated in Indonesian law. It is strictly prohibited to use motorcycle for minors. But, still, the parents even ignore the safety of their children. In addition, incresing number in motorcycle provoked an increase in urban crime. The term "pembegalan" or "begal" has become a common thing in Indonesia. "Begal" is a criminal activity where a person or group tries to forcibly rob a motorbike on the road.
However, besides lot of disadvantages, people still choose motorcycle. It caused generally of it's cheap price, flexible to use, easy to obtained, and also perception that the increasing of motorcycles production will lead to higher national income and employment rate. It is not wrongly established, but it cannot be denied that there are still more disadvantages in the use of motorcycle. People still have many accommodation options for traveling other than by motorbike.
Nowadays, public transportation management is getting better. There are several public transportation that can used in Indonesia. There are inter-city rail, KRL Commuterline rail, intergrated Transjakarta bus, MRT, LRT, etc. Along with the construction and improvement of the quality of public transportation, the use of private vehicles also decreased in 2020. That is proven by data from Tom Tom Traffic Index, the average congestion level in Jakarta slightly decreased to 36 % in 2020 (previously in 2017, had 61%). It's led to Jakarta being ranked 31st in the Traffic Index Ranks of Urban Congestion Worldwide.
Motorcycle utilization and proprietorship has kept on expanding in the vast majority of the Asian nations - particularly in Indonesia. It caused of motorcycles is a travel solution for middle to low class people in Indonesia. The increase in the number of motorcycle also give various negative impacts on the environment, health, social and drivers' safety. It caused number of mishaps including bikes riders, gridlocks, air contamination, metropolitan culpabilities, uncontrolled conduct of bike's rider and other after negative effects.
