Matter Aera

Why? What’s the need? Did anyone ask for it? If the Wright Brothers had not flown an airplane because of these questions, or if Benjamin Franklin had not been able to control electricity, then we would still have been far behind even in this century. This is also the story of Matter. The Indian brand decided that an electric motorcycle should also have a 4-speed gearbox—despite it not needing one—and no one apparently asking for one. So, does this gearbox make the riding experience better? And if we keep the electric part aside, then is the Aera 5000+ still a good motorcycle? 

Matter Aera 5000+: Design

The Matter Aera is a good looking motorcycle. It looks wide and muscular, which helps its road presence. You get all LED lights with a projector unit in the headlamp and the Matter logo glows in the taillamp when you apply the brake. You get 5 color options to choose from - Cosmic Black, Cosmic Blue, Glacier White, Blaze Red and Nord Grey. Personally, I really like the white and the blue shades more, but all of them look sporty with contrast graphics. The other details I really liked are the front indicators which are integrated into the fenders, and the rear indicators are dynamic like the ones we get in cars. 

Even the alloy wheel design is quite striking and unlike anything else we have seen so far. The front is a 100-section tyre, and the rear is a wide 130-section tyre, which helps the bike look proportionate with its wide tank. Another cool thing is this transparent clutch cover. When the bike is running, the wheel spins inside the case and splatters oil on it - looks very cool. The good thing is that the oil does not stick on this glass and drips down so it always looks clean. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Build Quality

But not everything is good here. The build quality feels quite average. Yes, the plastic panels are quite solid, but the way they sit together leaves a lot of panel gaps. Even the rubber covers of the screws are loose. If Matter pays a little more attention to the fit and finish, then the experience can be even better. However, the quality of this switchgear is really good.

Overall, Matter Aera is a motorcycle that will attract everyone's attention. It is not loud enough to be seen by everyone, but when someone sees it, they will definitely notice it.

Matter Aera 5000+: Convenience Features

The highlight of the Matter Aera’s features is definitely the 7-inch TFT touchscreen. I have tried a lot of electric vehicles in the past and this definitely stands out in terms of the interface and layout. All the information is clearly visible in all modes - navigation or standard. The menus too are very well laid out. The touch also works well even with gloves on and in the rainy weather that we were riding in. There is Day and night mode, you can adjust the brightness as per your needs and it also has inbuilt 4G which supports onboard navigation. And this navigation also works very well. The GPS location is very accurate.

This system can also be paired with your phone. The application that Matter has designed is one of the better ones that I have used. In this, you can push the navigation data from your phone, track the last known location of this bike, monitor the data of your ride like in which mode you have ridden the bike and for how long. This combination, how these two units sync with each other, is very useful. Matter doesn't give you a key with this bike. Rather, it gives you a key fob that comes with keyless entry. This is very convenient and works well. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Safety Features

In terms of safety, you also get a front ABS, which means that if you apply a brake in such weather, the front wheel won't lock, and the bike will be in your control.

Matter Aera 5000+: Rider Comfort

If your height is equal to mine (5’7”), then this bike is going to be comfortable for you. It is a little wide because the battery pack sits inside the bike which makes it a little difficult to get your feet down. But because the seat height of this bike is kept low at 790mm, riders of most heights will feel confident. Despite being clip-ons, the handlebar position is upright and combined with the centre-mounted footpegs, it offers a fairly upright and comfortable rising position. I do have a problem with the rearview mirrors, though. These are very close to the rider, which restricts visibility. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Pillion Comfort

The same is true for the pillion as well. The pillion also gets a big seat on which they can sit comfortably leaving a space between the pillion and the rider. Plus, the grab handles at the back are very easy to hold and finally, the footpegs are not too high which helps the pillion feel comfortable.

Matter Aera 5000+: Riding Experience

The Aera does feel sporty and fun to ride. And because it has gears, when you shift from first gear to second gear and give throttle again, you get the full surge of torque once again. This offers good acceleration throughout the speed band. The shifting experience is similar to a regular motorcycle too. But because the torque is significantly more, you get better acceleration than an ICE. The top speed is also 105kmph and the bike hits it relatively easily. 

However, the gear shift experience feels a little dull and feels artificial. And because of the shifts, you do miss the strong linear acceleration that EV are known for. While overtaking someone, EVs offer you good power and ICE offers a higher rpm. With the Matter Aera, ‘redline’ comes without warning, and shifting gears causes you loss in momentum. This makes the process longer when you know that the motor can offer you seamless acceleration, you’d want that over having to shift. 

Another special thing about this setup is that whenever you are stopping the bike, you do not need to press the clutch. Whether you are in third or fourth gear and stop somewhere - you can simply come to a stop like in a gearless scooter. And then when you have to go again - just give throttle in third or fourth gear, and the bike will automatically start moving forward. This is a very convenient aspect and allows you to use the Aera like a gearless motorcycle - although the performance and acceleration is not as powerful as in the lower gears. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Riding Modes

The Aera gets three ride modes - Eco, City and Sport. All three modes are very well tuned and even the Eco mode is usable for city commutes. In the City mode, you get good performance to make overtakes and stay ahead of the traffic. Finally, the Sport mode is the one that will give you a fun riding experience. Be in the right gear and the initial acceleration is strong - better than most 150-180cc commuters. 

Range And Charge Time (4/5)

Matter Aera 5000+: Range & Charging Time
Matter claims a total range of 172 km on a full charge. In the real world, however, you can expect 125 km of range if you ride mostly in City mode. In my experience with the motorcycle, in a mix of Sport and City mode, I got a full-charge range of approximately 110 km, which is ample for daily commutes.

As for charging, you can take it to a DC fast charger or charge it at home. The former will juice up the 5kWh battery in under 2 hours, and the latter will take about 6 hours. Both of these speeds are impressive. Furthermore, Matter has integrated the on-board charger with the battery pack. This means you don't have to carry a bulky charger around, and the charging wire is neatly stored in the ‘fuel tank’’ storage box. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Handling

An EV bike will spend most of its time in traffic. Which means - it has to be nimble to cut through traffic. With the Matter Aera - its weight does come in the way of doing so. It weighs 168kgs, which is more than a standard 150cc motorcycle and along with the fatter rear tyre - it does feel very stable. However, this means it does require some effort to sharply maneuver through traffic. You do have to muscle the bike a little to change direction, but the effort is not so much that it gets tiring. Because it feels stable, it is just a matter of time before you get used to the weight.

Matter Aera 5000+: Ride Quality

The suspension of this bike is also tuned above the bad road surface well. Regular speed breakers and small potholes are dealt with smoothly as well and you won't feel a lot of jerks. But where you hit a big level change or a sharp speed breaker, or a pothole, then this rear suspension hits you. However, if you reduce your speed or travel with a pillion, this too can be avoided. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Verdict

There are two lenses to look at this bike - it is an electric motorcycle, and it is a geared electric motorcycle. Let's look at it through the first lense. As an electric motorcycle, Matter Aera is a good bike. It has sporty looks, a lot of features that work well, the rider and pillion will also be comfortable and you get enough performance and range to tackle everyday commutes easily. 

But now comes the second lense, where it is a geared electric motorcycle. While it is not necessary to have gears in an electric motorcycle, Matter has added a multi-speed gearbox to give you an authentic riding experience. And as far as my experience is concerned, this gearbox feels a little artificial. Electric motorcycles are known for their linear performance and seamless acceleration. Because of this gearbox, this smooth performance gets intercepted. And this experience does not feel very natural.

If you, too, believe that your motorcycle has to have great features - then you will enjoy this experience. But if you do not care whether your EV has gears or not - and you are more interested in the performance and experience, then I would request you to ask Matter to offer the Aera without the gearbox. Because with this performance and these features, you will definitely enjoy riding it as a gearless more.

Matter Aera 5000+: Price 

There are two variants of the Matter Aera with a price difference of approximately Rs 10,500.

At this price point, it is slightly on the expensive side but offers a unique riding experience. Matter is also trying to expand their presence in India, so more interested customers can experience this geared electric motorcycle to gauge how they feel about this new tech. 

Matter Aera 5000+: Competition 

Being a geared electric motorcycle, the Matter Aera is unique and does not directly go up against anything in the market. The Revolt RV1 and RV1+ are priced between Rs 95,000 and Rs 1.05 lakh (ex-showroom prices). The Oben Rorr EZ is also priced at the Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom) mark, making these alternatives almost Rs 1 lakh cheaper.