In India, the narrative of ICE two-wheeler conversion to electric vehicles has been focused on scooters. Although some scooters are entertaining, many of us are passionate motorcycle riders at heart. Thus, the Matter Aera is the newest model available if you’ve also been ignoring electric scooters in favor of waiting for a decent entry-level electric bike. And here’s a spoiler: it’s a good one!
Being an early adopter, you would naturally want something unique, which the Aera does rather well, in my opinion. Yes, I’m still not sure if the headlight complements the bike’s overall style, but overall, it’s aggressive, sporty, and sharp without being too much or too controversial. It really does have an air of refinement, which I find quite appealing.
From a distance, the overall fit and finish quality seem good, but up close, you can see some exposed wires and welding places, which is something you might not want to see on a bike that costs more than two lakh rupees.
Even if things might be okay, the charger cover was something I really did not enjoy. When closed, it has too much play and feels flimsy. Furthermore, I’m already concerned about the large panel gap on the top portion of the cover because it will make it far too easy for rainwater to soak in. However, the front storage box was something I really cherished. There’s just enough space for a smartphone and the keyfob, even with the charger inserted. The fact that the bike has keyless entry allowed me to feel much more at ease knowing that the keyfob was kept safely and securely rather than in a place like my trousers pocket, where I may keep a regular key but maybe not a bulky one.
But that motor has to be the high point. Out of the three available riding modes, Eco is best used for genuine hypermiling on days when battery life is truly low. However, City mode will work well the most of the time. It has a really punchy feel to it, and you can cruise at 50 to 60 kmph, which is a fantastic speed for your average daily commute.
However, Sport mode is the best option if you’re looking for anything more than just simple commuting. It has an instantaneous electric pull, and its acceleration up to 80 mph is powerful. After that, it takes its own sweet time to achieve the stated top speed of 105 mph, but 80 mph is still quite good for a back intended largely for commuting.
We rode the Aera on some calm, traffic-free roads near Bhuj, and I saw no derating in the motor’s performance even though we were exceeding 80 kmph for a distance of around 15-20 km. Therefore, it seems like the Aera will be more than capable of handling your quick trips down the highway.
But there was one element that made my entire trip less enjoyable. was the gearbox of the Aera. You people are all whining about electric bikes not having enough gears. Eventually, an electric bike with gears has arrived, but does one really need one?
You see, there’s obviously no engine braking when downshifting because there’s no engine. With each shift, the gearbox essentially unlocks a higher top speed. It moves up to around 40 kmph in first, then you have to shift into second and continue to go up until about 60 in second, 80 in third, and ultimately the maximum speed in fourth. My problem with it is that I can’t tell when I’m hitting the peak speed of that gear because there isn’t any engine noise. Therefore, even though the first gear pulls to a really lovely 38–39 kmph, the moment I hit 40 kmph, it felt like I had hit a rev limiter, and the abrupt stop to the thrilling acceleration was a little annoying. An electric vehicle (EV) offers a distinct riding experience due to its continuous draw to its maximum speed after the throttle is opened, an attribute that is absent in this vehicle. Indeed, you can upshift on an ICE bike, but you never have to worry about missing something because the engine’s continuous roar lets you know when you’re getting close to the redline. This implies that the Aera finds itself stuck halfway between the two distinct sensations.
Many of you may claim that the answer is to just put it in fourth gear and ride it for that one continuous pull. The problem with that, though, is that there’s less of a pull and thrill when you start the bike in fourth gear than in first. It kind of defies the idea of an EV, which is to provide exhilarating acceleration right away, as it only begins to pull post at approximately 30 kmph.
Apart from that, the whole thing is really endearing. We encountered a few swiftly paced turns, and the bike performed admirably. Yes, it is a heavy bike with a kerb weight of 169 kg. In addition to being significantly heavier than its ICE competitors, it almost falls into the KTM 390 Duke class. Thus, yes, it feels fairly light when moving and feels comfortable and stable when leaned over, even though it’s not as easy to flick around as something like a TVS Apache RTR 160 4V. The suspension seemed really cushy even on some of the rougher roads we saw, so I think the Aera will be a comfy commuter.
I also really enjoyed the 7-inch touchscreen of the Aera. Naturally, unless your gloves are touch screen compatible, you will not be able to use it while wearing them. But the response time was what I found most appealing. You can touch it to see that it’s not incredibly fast, but it’s also not sluggish either. The overall experience is extremely comparable to using a smartphone, and the response speed is just right to make it feel very natural.
With regard to features, this 7-inch TFT offers nearly all of them. This interface offers everything, from useful features like document storage, car health checks, and service alerts to geekier features like ride statistics and even lean angles. The way the layout looks when using the turn-by-turn navigation was something I truly enjoyed. It’s clear and uncomplicated, taking up the whole screen, but it doesn’t stop there. You should occasionally check your speed, gear position, and ride mode, which are all displayed at the bottom left.
Nevertheless, I believe it was a bit of a blunder that there is no hill hold. Putting this 169kg bike in gear won’t stop it from rolling, so controlling it on an incline could be a little challenging. And after using a decent hill hold system on our long-term Ather 450X, I’ve come to realize how much more convenient it is. Therefore, I believe the Aera ought to have received it as well at this pricing range.
The Aera is built on a really nice chassis, but in my opinion, its handling and motor stand out the most. Even the feature-rich but user-friendly TFT console is excellent. The gearbox, however, is my primary grievance. It is awkward and causes the bike to stand in the center. It can’t accelerate smoothly like EVs can, and since it doesn’t have an engine, it can’t communicate with you way an ICE can. Additionally, it doesn’t seem like the best value for your money when you consider that the base variant of these two items costs Rs 1.74 lakh. This is especially true when you consider that bikes like the Hero Xtreme 160R 4V, Bajaj Pulsar N160, and TVS Apache RTR 160 4V are all available for much less money.
Matter intends to conduct test rides of the Aera throughout India after Gujarat, and then the deliveries will start. Thus, if the drawbacks I mentioned don’t bother you, go test ride this and let me know how you feel about the first electric bike in India with a gearbox.
