Matter Motor Works has shocked the electric mobility world with their new innovation. Introducing the Matter Aera, India’s first electric motorcycle with gears! Yes, you heard that right. This electric sport bike comes with the a traditional gear shift system.
Offered in two variants, the 5000 and 5000+, we finally got to take the latter on a spin. And this is what we think of the Matter Aera.
Matter Aera: Design and Feel
Okay, right off the track, this bike looks super cool. The body is futuristic but also resembles a traditional bike. It has a sporty and aggressive stance with sharp lines, similar to 150-200 cc ICE motorcycles.
- The electric motor and gearbox are designed to resemble a traditional combustion engine. A unique head-lamp with illuminated side panels adds a futuristic touch.
- It has body indicators which is usually seen in four-wheelers. It even has a Guide You Home feature which means the headlight will stay on for 10 seconds after you turn off the bike to let you navigate in the dark better.
- While it may look big and chunky, it is neither too heavy nor too light. Which means that its easy to handle and great for long rides.
- The seat is made of proform material and is rather broad making it very comfortable. And the seat height? Its actually perfect at 790 mm. Its not too high nor too low which means getting on and off is hassle-free.
Matter Aera: Performance Review
The Matter Aera comes with a 5 kWh battery pack and gives a claimed-range of up to 172 km. With a real-world range of 125 km, you can definitely travel for a decent distance before needing to recharge. It can accelerate from 0 to 40 kmph in just 2.8 seconds with a top speed of 105 kmph.
The only difference between the two variants are the apps and features in the touchscreen.
Additionally, the bike is super stable and has a great balance even when zipping around tight corners.
There are three modes, Eco, City and Sport, with increasing performance with each mode. In the Eco mode, it acts like a 125cc bike; in City mode, it acts as a 150-160cc bike; and finally the Sport mode will make it perform akin to a 200cc bike. There is also a Park Assist mode which allows you to reverse rather easily. The speed is capped at 1-2 km so even if you mess up, it won’t cause any accidents.
Personally, we loved the Sport mode. It was a blast! It gives the bike a powerful, exciting feel that makes riding super fun. We almost forgot that it was not a traditional petrol bike. But also, the Eco and City mode feel almost the same with not much difference in performance.
The Matter Aera comes with a dual telescopic fork suspension and oh yes, it does great to absorb all the bumps in the road.
There are 3+1 gears, with 1 down and 3 up gears. You can start and stop in any gear, though starting in 1st gear is the smoothest. There’s even a clutch for shifting gears so it really does work like a traditional bike.
Though I should add that based on our test ride, shifting gears wasn’t as smooth as we’d hoped and it felt a bit clunky at times. Regardless, it was a new experience and Matter is constantly improving their bikes so it should get better with time.
Charging and Running Cost
The charger comes pre-installed in the bike and you are given a 1 kW charging cable along with a small storage for it. Can you guess where this storage space is? That’s right, since it doesn’t have a fuel tank, they’ve replaced it with a small storage. If that isn’t a genius design feature, I don’t know what is.
Charging time is around 5 hours and according to their estimate, it should only cost you ₹0.25 per km which is crazy low since a petrol bike will usually run at ₹2.5 per km. Dude, that is literally 10 times higher!
Smart Features
- It comes with a 7-inch touchscreen, keyless fob, lifetime battery warranty, and an app that records the entire history of the bike and more.
- Just like we have seen in new age vehicles, you can upload your Driver License and Registration Certificate onto the screen for added convenience. So if you’re not carrying your wallet, you won’t be completely screwed.
- The screen cannot be used while the bike is moving for added safety. We did encounter some glitches in the screen and it was a little distracting while riding.
- Additionally, the smart screen also runs a full health checkup of the vehicle so you don’t have to take it into the shop to get it checked all the time.
Pricing
Available in two variants, Aera 5000 at ₹1.83 lakh, and Aera 5000+ at ₹1.94 lakh, it has taken the market by storm. The Matter Aera is perfect for urban city riders with a blend of traditional and modern technology. With the revolutionary tech of a manual gearbox, it is sure to gain the interest of the Indian audience.
