We truly are creatures of habit, aren’t we? Whether it’s checking our phones for messages the moment we wake up, assigning a specific pocket for our motorcycle keys, or instinctively reaching for the clutch and gear the second we’re on the saddle — it all happens without a second thought. With electric motorcycles, we’ve had to change that. No clutch or gear to keep the left limbs engaged. Though I didn’t like that initially, I accepted it and even got used to the almost scooter-like riding until Ahmedabad-based Matter Motor invited me to ride its Aera 5000+ — India’s first electric motorcycle with a gearbox (and a clutch lever).
Of course I was excited to ride it, but that also meant it was time to recalibrate my mind again — or so I thought. My phone was paired with the bike, the destination set on the Aera’s 7-inch TFT console, and it was time to roll. Clutch in, a click down from neutral to first, and with a gentle twist of the throttle, I was gliding silently. This was new… yet familiar. In my eagerness to put all of the 11.5 kW to good use, I switched from Eco straight to Sport, skipping the City mode. And then it was a riot!
All that initial grunt EVs pride themselves on sent me blisteringly quick to 40 kph before I hit a wall… not a literal one, of course. I’d simply run out of revs and forgotten to shift into second gear. At the end of each gear, the motor hit a soft limiter, making it clear that I had to shift up. Soon enough, I got the hang of it and was comfortably holding triple-digit speeds. And that’s when I spotted a choc-o-bloc jam ahead. Out of instinct, I relied on ‘engine braking’ and downshifted from fourth to second at 80 kph. The bike slowed down aggressively… a little too aggressively. The TFT flashed a ‘motor derated’ warning and showed a countdown for when full power would return. Clearly, I needed more recalibration than I thought.
Weaving through the slow-moving traffic, a fellow journo pointed out that I didn’t even need to modulate the clutch. Ah, the clichéd ‘old habits die hard’ — my left hand kept searching for bite points that no longer existed. But this was just the start. In places where I’d usually stick to first gear on an ICE bike, I found myself staying in third or even fourth, just to dull the initial pull. Of course, I could’ve managed things differently by switching to Eco or City mode, but Sport mode gave me that extra oomph for quick overtakes whenever the gaps showed up.
Once I was familiar with the gearbox, I kept a steady pace, but ironically, the biggest limitation to exploiting the motor’s full potential was the gearbox itself. I couldn’t help but wonder how much more fun it would’ve been without having to glance at the speedo or anticipate the rev limiter before every shift.
At 168 kg, the Aera isn’t exactly light for the performance it offers, and ditching the gearbox could easily shave off a few precious kilos. That said, the weight is well managed. The 5-kWh battery sits beneath the ‘tank’ and the seat, giving the bike a slightly top-heavy feel, but nothing unmanageable. Though rain spoiled our plans to hit the track, the Aera handled city duties well. The suspension absorbed most of the usual bumps and undulations, though the rear struggled with larger hits, occasionally launching me off the seat. Braking wasn’t always confidence-inspiring either — the rear locked up a bit too easily, and the front lacked the initial bite and urgency I expected. Still, at city speeds, the braking performance is perfectly adequate — and that holds true for most aspects of the bike.
Matter’s touchscreen TFT is among the best I’ve used on an EV. It’s slick, intuitive, and responsive — even with gloves on, navigating through menus was a breeze. Then there are thoughtful touches like the built-in charger — just plug a cable into any 5A socket and you’re good to go. There’s even a neat little storage bay in front of the seat to stash the cable or essentials. It’s a bike that looks like a typical ICE motorcycle, yet hides a lot of cleverness beneath its panels.
At first glance, you might mistake the Aera for a conventional bike, especially with the centrally mounted motor. But then you notice the modern touches — integrated indicators, exposed projector headlamp, and that unique tail-light design. It’s a fresh, futuristic aesthetic without trying too hard.
But the big question remains — is it worth spending Rs 1.94 lakh (ex-showroom, Ahmedabad)? You get performance comparable to a 150cc–160cc ICE motorcycle, contemporary styling, keyless ignition, and segment-leading features. And of course, the headline act — a four-speed gearbox. The ride modes (Eco, City, Sport) offer distinct personalities and make managing torque easy, but the gearbox feels like an added complication more than an enhancement. Perhaps Matter should consider offering a variant without the gearbox and clutch — keeping the performance, but simplifying the experience. Because in the end, while we remain creatures of habit, the quiet ones we’ve made with EVs have found their place — and perhaps they’re best left undisturbed.
