Two-stroke bikes phased out

Two-stroke bikes phased out

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The Jakarta administration has asked the Office of the State
Minister for the Environment to go ahead with its plan to ban the
production of two-stroke motorcycles in a bid to minimize air
pollution in the capital.

"We hope State Minister Nabiel Makarim does not delay the
plan, so starting next year there will be no more new two-stroke
motorcycles being sold in the city," said Jakarta Environmental
Management Agency head Kosasih Wirahadikusumah on Tuesday at
Plaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta, where free vehicle emission
tests were being performed.

The city official was referring to Decree No. 141/2003 from
the Office of the State Minister for the Environment, which
stipulates that all new vehicles, including motorcycles, must
comply with the Euro 2 standard. The decree will take effect on
Jan. 1, 2005.

Euro 2, which came into effect in Europe in 1996, permits
exhaust emissions of nitrous oxide up to 7.0 grams per kilowatt-
hour, hydrocarbons 1.1 g/kWh, carbon monoxide 4.0 g/kWh and
particulates 0.15 g/kWh.

Kosasih said two-stroke motorcycles had the "highest
emissions" of all motorized vehicles.

"A two-stroke engine motorcycle has emission levels equal to
the emissions produced by 10 four-stroke motorcycles and 20
cars," he said.

Of the approximately four million motorized vehicles in the
city, some 2.6 million of them are motorcycles, which are
relatively inexpensive and easy to purchase. Of the 2.6 million
motorcycles, one million have two-stroke engines.

Jakarta had only 25.55 days of "good" air quality last year,
and environmentalists have reiterated that reducing vehicle
emissions would significantly curb air pollution in the city.

Vehicle emissions account for up to 70 percent of air
pollution in the city. The remaining 30 percent comes from
industrial emissions.

Long-term exposure to air pollution -- especially carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and particulates -- can
adversely affect a person's respiratory and nervous systems.

An official at the state minister's office in charge of
vehicle emissions, Linda Krisnawati, said her office would
proceed with the plan to ban the production of two-stroke
motorcycles.

"Of course, we cannot guarantee that the implementation of the
plan will take place simultaneously nationwide," she said.

Linda said two-stroke motorcycles were in high demand in
certain areas due to their performance on rough and hilly tracks.

"I do not think this policy will hit a serious snag in
Jakarta. Using a two-stroke motorcycles in Jakarta is unnecessary
since the city has straight roads," she said.

PT Honda Astra Motor, the country's largest motorcycle
manufacturer, has said it supports the planned ban.

"We will support the government's policy to promote a better
environment," said company spokesman Yulian Warman.

He added that Honda Astra Motor would not be affected by the
policy because the company only manufactured four-stroke
motorcycles.