The only electric motorcycle with gears in India, Matter Aera, combines EV technology with conventional riding. It’s the perfect electric bike for city riders looking for engagement, savings, and smart connectivity because it has a manual gearbox, touchscreen, low operating costs, and good urban performance.
The ability to shift gears, control the clutch and sense engine revs (and sound) are all essential components of riding a motorbike for experienced riders. All of that is absent from electric motorcycles, which may be one of the reasons they aren’t becoming more and more popular.
The Matter Aera is unique since it’s the only gear-equipped electric motorcycle in India! We spent the majority of our two-day ride in the rain.
The Aera: What is it?
It is the first motorbike produced by Matter Motor Works, a Gujarati start-up focused on energy and electric mobility. A liquid-cooled battery and motor, a seven-inch touchscreen, onboard 5-ampere charging, a four-speed manual gearbox, and a reported running cost of under 25 paise per km are all included. Aera 5000 (Rs 1.83 lakh) and Aera 5000+ (Rs 1.94 lakh), the latter of which includes a few more software features, are its two available versions.
How does the design look?
When compared to other electric motorcycles, the Ultraviolette F77 SuperStreet appears too aggressive, the Oben Rorr appears basic, the Revolt RV400 appears tacky, and the Ola Roadster X+ appears thin and minimalist.
The Aera, which resembles the 200 cc street-naked bikes, combines current electric design with conventional motorcycle familiarity. With 17-inch wheels, a weight of 168 kg (lightweight), and a seat height of 790 mm (accessible for most riders), it replaces the gas tank with a battery housing and charger and the engine with a motor housing.
What is the riding experience like?
The riding position is comfortable since no other electric bike allows you to feel the clutch with your left hand and the gear lever with your left foot. In addition to the electric motor’s humming sound, you will also hear mechanical noises from the chain drive and gear shifts as you shift into first gear and twist the throttle. These sounds truly connect the rider with the machine.
The Aera is incredibly fast in Sport mode (0–40 km/h in 2.8 seconds), but its range is only 70–80 km. Although it feels sluggish, the Eco mode’s real-world range is 120–125 km. With a range of 90 to 100 km and respectable power, the City mode feels appropriate.
Going for a ride in the rain
For hours, we left the bike sitting in the pouring rain. We boarded it as it came to a stop and took off. Since our test machine was equipped with MRF tyres, which felt incredibly gripping even on damp roads, electric bikes are just as safe in the rain as any other bike.
EVs versus motorcycles powered by gasoline
Although the Aera is unquestionably superior to the majority of other EVs, top-end performance is one area where electric motorcycles still fall short of gasoline bikes. The Aera loses speed as it begins to surpass 80 km/h, while any 200 cc petrol motorbike will continue to pull well beyond 100 km/h, even up to 130 km/h. That may be intentional because giving it a lot of power will drastically reduce its range. However, the Aera can keep up with gasoline-powered motorcycles up to 60 km/h.
It’s not a highway machine, but it’s a great bike for the city centre and can keep up with strong gas-powered motorcycles from one light to the next.
Running costs are one area where it completely outperforms others. Running the Aera in the eco mode will only cost you about 25 paise per km, whereas any 200 cc petrol bike will cost you roughly Rs 3 per km. The cost of running will just be 50 paise per km even if you push yourself and stay in Sport mode at all times.
Technology is another area; the Aera has a lifetime battery warranty, is Internet-connected, can be managed remotely, has an app that logs all of its history and your riding habits, and more.
It’s a little more expensive than other 200 cc bikes, but if you don’t have to ride far from the city, it’s a straightforward bike. Yes, it will tell you how much you saved on petrol after each ride, which is an invaluable sensation.
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