DOES IT MATTER?
What’s it like to ride India’s first electric two-wheeler with a multi-gear transmission and liquid cooling? Mandar reports after some saddle time
THE MATTER AERA 5000 CAUGHT my fancy at its unveiling back in September 2022, because it claimed to be India’s first electric two-wheeler to feature liquid cooling and a four-speed gearbox. Since then I was eagerly waiting to see how it rides and more importantly, does a gearbox on an e-bike make any sense to begin with. Cut to early 2024 and I’ve ridden it for a good 100km and here are my first riding impressions. Beginning with its styling, the Aera is surely a handsome motorcycle. Although it looks very traditional in person — almost like an ICE-bike — it has just the right amount of unique touches which hint at its electric creds. This is done to appeal to the masses, people of all ages and I have to say it is done rather well. Up front there’s a sharp headlight with a projector unit and LED DRLs. In profile, the bike features 17-inch alloys and LED turn indicators which are neatly integrated into the tank extensions. The Aera gets a large split seat which is comfortable and has a lot of room to move around. That in combination with the wide, flat handlebar and the relaxed footpegs makes for a comfortable yet engaging ride. My favourite part of the Aera though, is its sharp rear. The bike gets a tidy tail courtesy of the fact that the rear number plate and turn indicators are housed on the tyre hugger.
Honestly speaking, I wasn’t expecting the Matter Aera’s overall fit and finish to be great but much to my surprise it’s a rather well-built motorcycle. Yes, there is room for improvement in a few areas such as the flimsy charging port and belly storage covers but overall it feels solid with consistent panel gaps and good paint quality. Apart from the surprising fit and finish, the Aera also gets a very comprehensive 7-inch capacitive touch LCD display which is responsive. The unit boasts an array of functions and is legible even in bright sunlight. The Aera sports an on-board charger and can be charged from 0 to 100 per cent in about five hours using a 5Amp socket.
Coming to the bit that I was most excited about — the Aera’s performance. The Aera 5000+ gets a 5kWh liquid-cooled Li-ion battery which powers a midmounted, IP-65 rated motor that churns out 10.5kW and
520Nm of peak torque. Matter claims that it can sprint from 0 to 60kmph in under six seconds and can deliver a claimed range of 125km on a single charge. I started riding the Aera at 99 per cent charge, with 114km of range being displayed on the cluster in ‘City’ mode and after riding it for close to 50km, the range dropped down to 53km. That was under mixed conditions, with a few acceleration bursts in ‘Sport’. So I believe that it’s possible to eke out anywhere between 80-100km of range from the Aera realistically.
You can ride the Aera in two configurations — like a traditional automatic two-wheeler, or use the clutch and make things more engaging. Aboard the Aera, the first noticeable things are the light clutch and surprisingly loud whine from the e-motor. It sounds mechanical and goes well with the character of the bike. It gets three ride modes — Eco, City and Sport. The first and second gear are shorter for good off-the-line performance and it picks up speed well. Acceleration wise the Aera feels on par with a 180cc motorcycle. Because it has a clutch, you can even launch the Aera and set off even quicker. But the gearbox isn’t the smoothest out there and definitely needs improvement in the refinement department. The
throttle calibration is spot on though, and can be easily modulated no matter what ride mode you’re in. To calm things down, you can just leave it in fourth all day long. Yes, that does take a toll on off-the-line performance but it’s no slouch in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
At 169kg kerb weight, the Aera feels heavy because of the fact that its battery sits fairly high up, on top of the gearbox. Moving the Aera around then, feels a tad cumbersome at slow speeds but once on the move the bike hides its weight pretty well. It is underpinned by a tubular frame and sports telescopic front forks and dualshocks at the rear. The suspension is set up on the softer side, which gives it good ride quality. I didn’t get a chance to ride the Aera in sharp twisties, but it feels flickable and very predictable. The bike also does a very good job of damping out rough roads although it does thud over sharp speed breakers. The Aera gets disc brakes at both ends with single-channel ABS. The setup is progressive and gives good feedback but could certainly do with more bite, especially the rear.
The Aera is targeting buyers of the 180cc class and is offered in two variants — 5000 and 5000+ — which are priced at `1.74 lakh and `1.84 lakh respectively. And for what it promises in terms of features, range and its unique riding experience, I feel that the price tag is extremely justifiable. Yes there are a few niggles but the Aera does deliver a lot on what’s promised. It looks great, is feature rich, well built and has a competitive riding range. All-in-all, a solid electric alternative to a 180cc sport bike. ⌧
AT 169KG KERB WEIGHT, THE AERA FEELS HEAVY BECAUSE ITS BATTERY SITS FAIRLY HIGH UP