2024 Matter Aera electric motorcycle first ride review: Game changer?

Electric motorcycles are going to be all the rage soon. From Ultraviolette, Hop, and Tork Motors, to Ola and Ather joining the bandwagon soon, this segment is ready to boom and how. But another player has been silently finding its feet in this nascent space. We first heard of them back in 2021 while it enthusiastically delivered its maiden offering in 2023. Nearly a year later, Matter Motor Works is all set to begin deliveries of the Aera electric motorcycle and we finally got a chance to ride the e-bike in its production form in scenic Gujarat, its home state. The quest then is to find out if the Matter Aera matters.

Watch: Matter Aera 5000+ review: Can India’s first geared electric motorcycle be a gamechanger?

2024 Matter Aera Review: Who is Matter Motor Works?

Matter Energy is a company based in Ahmedabad, who’ve been into fixed battery storage solutions for a variety of applications. It is now entering the electric mobility segment and is now entering the electric mobility space with the Aera e-motorcycle, which not only promises impressive performance but also packs a host of self-developed tech for the company. Matter says the Aera is a culmination of five years of hard work, which it is now ready to present in the market.

The Matter Aera looks sharp and well-proportioned from all angles. It does, however, feel generic in places in terms of design (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

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The Matter Aera looks sharp and well-proportioned from all angles. It does, however, feel generic in places in terms of design (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

2024 Matter Aera Review: Design & Build

The Matter Aera is the brand’s maiden offering and has been developed as a rival to petrol motorcycles in the 150-180 cc segment. The sports commuter looks contemporary, albeit a bit too generic in some parts. There are plenty of cuts and creases across the fibre bodywork but the projector lens headlamp and 17-inch alloy wheels truly stand out. The bike gets all-LED lighting including sequential rear turn indicators, while the LED taillight looks premium, especially with the hidden Matter branding. The Aera looks proportionate from all angles and has a decent road presence, which is impressive for a start-up.

There are five colour options on the Aera 5000+ and two on the base 5000 variant. The choices include matte and gloss finishes but we’d like to see more gloss-finished colour options. The switchgear quality is good for the segment and the overall build quality is nice but a bit inconsistent. There are minimal panel gaps overall, and we didn’t encounter any major squeaks from the machine despite the “not-so-gentle" ride. However, the shut lines can be better in some places like the panels under the seat that don’t have a flush fit like other parts on the bike. The storage cover and the charging cover also feel flimsy and may be prone to easy breakage. The charging panel particularly needs a more secure locking mechanism for people to avoid fidgeting with the part, which may lead to additional wear and tear.

2024 Matter Aera Review: Ergonomics

The riding posture is just right on the Aera. The seat height is 790 mm, which should make it accessible for a wider rider base, while the riding triangle allows for a more upright riding posture. The footpegs are mostly centre-set, while the split-style handlebar allows for a sporty feel. There’s a nice balance between comfortable and sporty, much like a sports commuter, which the Aera pulls off very well. The 180 mm of ground clearance allows it to tackle bad roads easily without compromising on the seat height.

The wheelbase at 1,354 mm is slightly shorter than that of the third-gen KTM 390 Duke but there’s ample room for the rider and pillion. The seat is nice and long with plenty of space to move around and the cushioning feels just right for the most part. We rode for about 70 km during our test ride with 3-4 hours of saddle time between breaks and seldom felt tired.

When it comes to areas of improvement, the rearview mirrors though could be wider for better visibility. Moreover, the 3.5-litre storage space where the fuel tank should be could get a liner inside instead of the rough plastic surface it currently has. The unit already holds the charging cable (with an onboard charger) and a USB charging port.

The 7-inch digital cluster is fantastic with a lot of information packed in. The Matterverse app is equally intense with rider telemetry (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

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The 7-inch digital cluster is fantastic with a lot of information packed in. The Matterverse app is equally intense with rider telemetry (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

2024 Matter Aera Review: Features

The 7-inch touchscreen digital console on the Aera is a party piece of its own. The graphics look nice and when you go to the more control options, there’s plenty to talk fiddle around with. It gets the last ride, odometer, 2 trip meters, Bluetooth-based notification system, and more. You also get service and support here, while Matter has preinstalled videos related to common issues with the e-motorcycle that can be fixed remotely.

The unit runs Mappls navigation from Map My India and this is a fairly good unit to use and gets precise data in most parts. You can either Apart from the system itself, you can use navigation via the mobile app - Matterverse - which brings a host of other connectivity features including rider telemetry and more. We’d like to spend more time with the Aera to get more data on that.

The 4-speed gearbox emulates proper functionality and essentially unlocks a higher top speed with each shift. It also allows different combinations given the 3 riding modes - Eco, City, and Sport (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

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The 4-speed gearbox emulates proper functionality and essentially unlocks a higher top speed with each shift. It also allows different combinations given the 3 riding modes - Eco, City, and Sport (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

2024 Matter Aera Review: The Gearbox

The Aera holds the distinction of being India’s first electric motorcycle with a mechanical gearbox. It gets a four-speed unit and compared to other electric motorcycles this one is a very different experience. You get a clutch and a gear lever, and they both add to a more emulative riding experience comparable to a conventional petrol motorcycle. Unlike a petrol motorcycle, this one won’t stall when you just snap-release the clutch, while you can change gears without using the clutch at all. Matter says the idea was to bring the same feel and riding experience of a petrol motorcycle but without the shortcomings of it.

That changes the way you approach this electric motorcycle compared to the other bikes you’ve ridden out there. The riding experience here is more mechanical than we’re used to on e-motorcycles with a lot more rider attention involved. You have the clunk of the gear shifts and a functional clutch that you tend to operate out of muscle memory. The addition of a mechanical gearbox is mostly emotional but feels nice. The unit essentially unlocks a higher top speed with every shift, married to the riding mode you are in.

You can shift gears without using the clutch although there is a failsafe if you downshift at over 3,000 rpm. Matter could’ve elevated the gear usage experience by restricting movement when the bike is in gear at a standstill, like a conventional motorcycle. You can move the bike around, which can be a concern if the rider does not pay attention or is at an incline. A stopping mechanism or hill hold function would be effective here.

The Aera feels confident around a corner, while high-speed stability is impressive on the e-motorcycle. The rear suspension tends to throw you off the saddle at times (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

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The Aera feels confident around a corner, while high-speed stability is impressive on the e-motorcycle. The rear suspension tends to throw you off the saddle at times (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

2024 Matter Aera Review: Handling and Performance

The Aera’s suspension setup comprises 33 mm telescopic front forks and twin shocks at the rear with a 5-step preload setup. The set-up is quite nice overall and the ride is pliant for the most part. It glides over everything and on bad roads too, the Aera feels ready to tackle bad stretches with ease. The ride quality overall is quite pliant, especially at high speeds and the bike feels quite stable across most terrains. The handling is equally impressive and the Matter Aera feels confident around a bend. The rear will feel too stiff at times and is trying to throw you off, especially at high speeds.

The Matter Aera packs a 10 kW (13.4 bhp) electric motor with active liquid cooling for the motor and battery. It comes with three riding modes - Eco, City and Sport - and we stuck to the latter given the fast and traffic-free roads of Kutch in Gujarat. Performance is smooth and fuss-free in the sport mode with a strong surge in torque at all times. Speeds climb up to 80 kmph easily and go up to a top speed of 105 kmph without much hassle. Power delivery is good and the throttle has been calibrated well with mild play around the start.

Performance tapers in Eco and City by a fair margin, both of which are intended to converse energy and maximise range. The City mode offers a fair balance though and you could easily sustain yourself in this mode throughout if you seek a healthy mix of performance and practicality. But give it a good road or overtaking opportunity, and the Sport is where you need to be.

The scenic roads of Kutch also allowed us to push the bike as well as the gearbox. The 4-speed unit with three riding modes gives you multiple riding combinations, which does seem confusing at first and takes a while to get the hang of. The braking performance is good but we would’ve liked more progressive feedback from the front brake lever. The bike comes with single-channel ABS that is non-intrusive for the most part.

While the Matter Aera aces on the fun part traversing through most surfaces with ease especially in the Sport mode, it does come at the cost of range (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

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While the Matter Aera aces on the fun part traversing through most surfaces with ease especially in the Sport mode, it does come at the cost of range (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

2024 Matter Aera Review: Range

The one thing Matter can improve on the Aera is its range. The claimed range is 125 km on a single charge but realistically you are getting 70-60 kilometres depending on the mode you ride. We were riding the bike in Sport mode throughout and ended up depleting it completely. What’s noteworthy to mention is that the range prediction was extremely off on our test bike. The last range stood at 8 per cent with 8 km left, which dropped to 0 per cent after moving the bike around for 300 metres. Mind you, the bike was already in limp mode, moving to the Eco mode in a bid to conserve energy. We also didn’t have any major functions running.

We do feel a real-world range of up to 100 km would be more usable on the Aera. Not only does it give the owner better peace of mind but eases range anxiety by a huge margin. Matter claims 125 km on a single charge but we’ll have to spend some time in the city and ride the bike to see how close can we come to that figure.

This is all the more concerning given the charging time of six hours (up to 100%) with the standard charger. Matter will introduce the option of 3 kW DC fast charging at a later date, which should reduce the charging time to two hours (up to 100%).

The 2024 Matter Aera is well thought out and versatile but needs to offer better range prediction and a more consistent build overall to feel like a solidly built electric motorcycle (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

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The 2024 Matter Aera is well thought out and versatile but needs to offer better range prediction and a more consistent build overall to feel like a solidly built electric motorcycle (Tej Patel for HT Auto)

2024 Matter Aera Review: Verdict

The matter era is certainly a motorcycle that you should consider. That's the shorter review because this is a highly impressive motorcycle for a new vehicle maker. We did not get any heating or battery issues while the performance was on tap. The build quality is equally good. But yes, there are a few glitches here and there. The overall fit and finish can be better. The screen could do with a slightly better finish on the top. The range prediction needs to be more consistent. Matter needs to make these aspects more consistent, something we hope will be sorted once series production starts.

This is essential and will make the Area a more solidly built electric motorcycle to recommend. More so, it only makes the package better value considering it is an expensive proposition at ₹1.74 lakh for the Aera 5000 and ₹1.84 lakh for the Aera 5000+. All prices are ex-showroom.

Matter will commence deliveries from March onwards from its maiden showroom in Ahmedabad. The company plans to open 150 dealerships in 12 months and is confident of delivering the existing 40,000 bookings received in the first year itself. The Matter Aera will be competing against a handful of electric motorcycles on sale including the Tork Kratos R, Oben Rorr, and Hop Oxo. This electric motorcycle segment is only some time away from that big boom and it will for sure. The Matter Aera then shows plenty of promise and will “matter" in the larger scheme of things.