Sun, 23 Jul 2000

Kick scooters glide their way into Jakarta

By Danielle Bray

JAKARTA (JP): Move over skateboard, out of the way rollerblades. Make room for the latest fad in foot-powered transportation -- the kick scooter. These modified skateboards, equipped with a handlebar and a rear brake, have become the hottest means of transportation for the youth of the new millennium.

During test-marketing in the United States, the scooters were primarily bought by three groups of people: Young professionals, college students and nostalgic adults.

Scooters were popular among the poodle skirt-wearing, bobby sock-clad youth of the 1950's. They have since been modified for the consumption of today's youth. Similar to their predecessors, the scooters consist of a basic board on two wheels, steered by handlebars and powered by the feet.

However, the new version is manufactured from lightweight metals, sports shock-absorbent wheels and is sleeker in design. It offers smooth riding through congested sidewalks and is collapsible for convenient storage.

While kids scooters have been available for decades, the newly designed kick scooter is the first high performance, folding mode of transportation intended for teenagers and adults.

On flat surfaces, the scooter's glide is about as effortless as that of a bicycle. When pushed uphill, they are lighter than a bike.

These scooters are coasting their way across the globe. They have a moderate following in North America, Europe, Japan and are now being sold in Indonesia.

In Jakarta, these skateboards with handlebars, known as the Glider IIK, are available in certain places like Pondok Indah Mall and Plaza Senayan, or some sports stores. This particular model is made from lightweight aluminum, and is manufactured in Taiwan.

The handlebars are adjustable, and have a vast turning range, allowing the operator to weave around objects with ease. The platform is large enough for two feet to rest on, one behind another, and the ride apparently is quite smooth.

The Glider IIK is selling at a rapid rate in Jakarta. They appeared on the scene three months ago, and are quite a hot item. A sales associate at MG Sports & Fitness in Plaza Senayan says that "on average, we sell approximately seven units a day, and more on the weekends". They ordered in new stock, as they sold out of their first shipment in a matter of weeks.

A lady who had purchased a scooter for her son, Enrico, said, "He saw all the other children riding them at Senayan Square and he wanted one as well."

These units are sold to those with money to spend. They are advertised at Rp 790,000 for the larger model, and Rp 448,000 for the smaller version. They are not marketed as a toy, and the slogan "Can be used for recreation, sports, transportation to school, the office and for shopping" is printed on the flyers that accompany the product.

Aris, a salesman at Gramedia in Pondok Indah Mall, remarked, "These products have been in the store for three months, and have been selling very well, I've sold 50 Gliders in the past four weeks."

Rudy James Tikoalu recently purchased the smaller version of the foot-powered scooter for his eight-year old son Tafito.

He said, "I have one friend who has a similar scooter; we ride them around the neighborhood".

His father does not allow him to ride it to school or anywhere near the street. "It is far too dangerous with the traffic. However, it is very safe in a controlled community and around the house," he said.

Soraya H. Shakti has just returned from a trip to Santa Monica, California, where she rented a scooter to ride up and down the pier. "They are very easy to ride, and are quite relaxing. I enjoyed it so much that I bought two to bring home to Jakarta." She added that she, along with her son, plans to ride them around the neighborhood. "I bought mine in the U.S., as I didn't realize they would be available in Jakarta so soon."

Claudia Motz, a visitor from London, commented: "They are quite common in the U.K.; I see them everywhere. People are so concerned about the environment these days, so they have become a practical means of transportation."

It is apparent that in other parts of the world, the scooter is mainly purchased by young adults, and used as a mode of transportation. However, in Jakarta, where the sidewalks are barely accessible to foot passengers, and the traffic would merely crush a kick scooter and its rider, they tend to sell more rapidly to children for the sheer sense of enjoyment.

According to a salesman at MG Sports & Fitness in Plaza Senayan, locals buy the scooters due to their simplicity of operation, the enjoyment factor and because they are easy to maintain.