Motorcycle Order from East Java Shocks European Factory
Motorcycle orders to East Java have surprised factories in Europe. This is due to an order placed by a factory worker in Probolinggo, East Java, who became the first motorcycle owner in Indonesia.
The factory worker was named John Charles Matthew Potter. Potter was a British national who sought his fortune in Indonesia, working as a factory labourer in Probolinggo. In Indonesia, he initially worked as a driver for sugar factories for many years. However, he gradually transitioned into a technician repairing sugar mill machinery.
The newspaper De Indische Courant (4 August 1938) reported that Potter was known as a diligent and skilled figure, as he was able to facilitate the modernisation of many sugar mills. Through this work, he accumulated significant wealth.
Potter used this money to bring a motorcycle from Germany to Indonesia. In 1893, Potter purchased the motorcycle directly from its factory, Hildebrand und Wolfmuller, for 1,000 guilders, equivalent to US$500. The motorcycle had a capacity of 1,500 cc and could reach speeds of up to 45 km/h.
Abdul Hakim, in Jakarta Tempo Doeloe (2001), noted that the motorcycle order from Potter surprised the Hildebrand und Wolfmuller manufacturer because it was the first time they had received an order from outside Europe. Furthermore, the delivery location in East Java was unknown to the factory, appearing as a remote, uncharted destination.
Nevertheless, the manufacturer proceeded to send the motorcycle to Potter. Upon arriving in Indonesia, the motorcycle made history as the first motorised vehicle in the country, alongside the railway.
“Mr Potter, a technical advisor from Firma Noll, was the first person to introduce motorcycle and car technology,” wrote De locomotief (12 July 1901).
Practically, the presence of Potter’s motorcycle became a major attraction for many people who, for hundreds of years, had only seen horse-drawn carriages and trains. Furthermore, after obtaining permission from the government, Potter frequently drove his two-wheeled vehicle on the highways.
The arrival of the first motorcycle piqued the interest of the wealthiest person in Java, Pakubuwana X, who desired the same item. However, history records that the King of Java did not purchase a motorcycle, but rather a car, which became the first four-wheeled vehicle in Indonesia.
The arrival of the first car in 1894 occurred thanks to Potter’s efforts as an intermediary. He is recorded as having assisted in bringing cars and motorcycles from Europe to Indonesia, which were purchased by many wealthy individuals.
Through Potter’s efforts, cars and motorcycles gradually replaced animal-powered transport in Indonesia. The symbol of wealth shifted from owning horse-drawn carriages to owning motorcycles or cars.
It did not take long for the popularity of motorcycles and cars to soar. Both proved to be vital modes of transport as they could reach areas untouched by railway tracks. J. Stroomberg, in Hindia Belanda 1930 (2017), noted that by 1928, there were already 40,154 cars and 10,505 motorcycles throughout the archipelago.