President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has purchased a custom motorcycle, a Royal Enfield Bullet 350cc in chopper style, a modified Chopperland from the Elders Garage workshop, as stated in an official press release on Saturday.
The gold-painted motorcycle arrived at the Bogor Palace, in West Java, on Saturday on 9:50 a.m. and was received by the President himself.
The President first set his eye on the motorcycle in the Sumpah Pemuda (Youth Pledge) celebration back in October last year. At the event, he sat on the motorcycle and ended up making a purchase.
“The original price was Rp 150 million [US$11,261] and I negotiated it down to Rp 140 million,” the President said in the release. He added that this purchase was designed to increase the brand’s value.
“I have purchased a locally made product to increase the brand’s value. This is not my first time, I have pushed for local products like Sejiwa Coffee in Bandung, Tuku Coffee Shop in Jakarta and Aming Coffee in Pontianak,” said the President.
The President believes the modified Chopperland motorcycle has great export potential to several countries in Southeast Asia.
“I see a market opportunity, not only locally but also for export to countries like Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines,” he said.
Heret from Elders Garage said the motorcycle was the firm’s first product modification.
“This gold Chopperland motorcycle is our first product. In the Youth Pledge event, we brought it here and Pak Jokowi was interested. We made a calculation and priced it at Rp 140 million,” Heret said.
Vero, Heret’s partner, said the President might be interested in the motorcycle’s high handlebars, “A chopper-style motorcycle usually has a lower seat, more relaxed but with higher-positioned handlebars. Maybe Pak Jokowi was interested because the seating is much more relaxed compared to other motorcycles.”
Vero also explained that most of the modified motorcycle used local products, from its frame to its seat. “The frame was made in Jakarta and the seat was made in Bandung using genuine leather,” he said.
Heret appreciated the President’s push and has high hopes for the creative industry.
“We have new hopes that there will be bigger markets ahead, as has been experienced by other products when Pak Jokowi has shown his appreciation, things have turned out for the better,” he said.
