I’m Not an Electric Motorcycle Guy, But This New Bike’s Surprise Classic Feature Might Just Change My Mind

For the specs-obsessed, electric motorcycles can feel like an easy sell. 

After all, not unlike electric cars, they offer levels of torque and off-the-line acceleration that leave their gas-powered brethren in the digital dust. The thing is, a lot of us motorheads are not spec-obsessed.

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For us, the joy of motorcycling lies more in the rumble of the engine, the smell of burning petrol and the singular satisfaction of tickling the gearbox as we dart through traffic, lean into two-lane twisties or race down the highway.

In other words, as obnoxious as it sounds, we’re less about specs and more about soul.  

One electric motorcycle brand seems to get that, and is making a play for our hearts with a bike that delivers at least one of the aforementioned sensations.

Meet the Matter Aera, to date the only electric moto with a manual transmission. That’s right, you’ve gotta shift this thing.  

Paradigm shift

Look, I’m not here to shift shame. I accidentally did that once before, in a story about the DCT-enabled Honda Rebel 1100, and I have always regretted it.

There’s nothing wrong with automatic shifting, and if that’s what it takes to get you on a bike, experiencing your own joy, more power to you.

Matter India

However, a healthy population of crusty curmudgeons traditional motorcycling enthusiasts, like myself, appreciate the challenge of mastering the mechanics of manually shifting (a dying art form in the four-wheeled world). 

For us, what Matter is doing is hella compelling. 

Based in the western India city of Ahmedabad, this startup currently offers one bike in two trim levels — the Aera 5000 and Aera 5000+ — which launched in Bengaluru and is now rolling out across the country.

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What makes the Aera special is what Matter calls Hypershift, a four-speed manual gearbox integrated with the bike’s three ride modes to deliver 12 riding configurations. 

While this feature obviously increases rider engagement, the brand says it also boosts efficiency, throttle precision and the ability to adjust to changing conditions. 

Let’s (still) talk about specs

Of course, this selling point would be mute if the bike didn’t deliver in other areas. Relative to its shockingly low base price (just over two grand), I would say it does.

The liquid-cooled motor produces a pretty pedestrian 14 horsepower but a comparatively huge 384 lb-ft of torque. (By comparison, the super-speedy BMW R 1300 RS I wrote about last week makes 109.9 lb-ft. of torque.)

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Ultimately, that adds up to 0-25 mph time of 2.8 seconds. Weird metric, I know, but together with the bike’s top speed of roughly 65 mph, it speaks to where this bike is most likely to sing — urban environments and perhaps fun little country roads, rather than a wide-open highway. 

The Aera charges via a standard 110-volt wall socket and has an estimated operating cost of $0.003 per mile, which could save you upwards of $400 per year versus a typical gas bike. 

Despite the old school flavor of its gearbox, it has plenty of built-in tehc, including a seven-inch smart touchscreen for navigation, music, ride analytics and over-the-air updates, plus smart park assist, dual disc brakes with ABS and a keyless smart start system.

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Beyond the additional color options (five versus two), it’s in the tech realm where the differences between the two trim levels emerge.

The 5000+ offers new feature updates over the air, plus advanced stats, Bluetooth pairing, live location tracking, additional navigation features and vehicle health monitoring.

Now, is this bike going to make you feel like Johnny and Benny in The Bikeriders? Not a chance. But shifting helps it get closer than pretty much any other electric moto, and that’s saying something.

Availability and pricing

The Matter Aere 5000 is rolling out across India now at a starting price of ₹ 1,73,999 (roughly $2,065), as is the Matter Aere 5000+, which starts at ₹ 1,83,999 (about $2,184).

Matter India

Matter Aera

• Starts at $2,065

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