I have a solex 3800 and it is freaking sweet. A very original moped with lots of style. When I ride it I always see heads turning. It's not the fastest but it makes up for the speed with flavor.
bumb this post if u like solex mopeds
SOLEX mopeds are the greatest
Re: SOLEX mopeds are the greatest
you talking about those cheap bicycles with motors on the front tire? LMAO
Solex Info and Pic from Solex Site.
Solex was originally designed and sold in France during the late 1950's, and went out of view in the early 70's. Thanks to those who believed in this bike, it was reintroduced a little less than a year ago. Therefore, those of you who have an older version of the Solex, can now again get the parts you need to resurrect you fun times of the past,or buy a new one! The retro look of the Solex is a reminder that the past has it's place in the present. It's kind of like re introducing the 1970 VW Bug
Solex is Chick Magnet! (Photo)
You'll be riding with lovely mo-babes, who also have fine taste in mopeds.
Re: Solex is cool
I started with one and now I have four of them. The Vespa Grande is great, but a Solex in it's own weird way is cool.
So what if it will only do 20MPH on a good day? I raced a 12 year old kid on his BMX bike for laughs (his) and he really thought he was something. But the truth is that if we were racing for distance, he'd be dead tired after a half mile while I'd still be going without breaking out a sweat.
And if treated with some semblance of care, they can last damn near forever.
Jim
Re: Solex is cool
Jim,
How are the brakes on that? More like a bicycle?
Does it stop okay from full speed?
Re: Solex is cool
Wayne:
If the brakes fail you drag your feet!
They use a drum brake on the back and caliper brakes like a mountain bike on the front.
The brakes are fair, in my opinion, but they do stop you. Don't forget it has to be a good day or you have to weigh 90 pounds to go over 20MPH. Mine does 23 downhill.
Jim
Re: SOLEX mopeds are the greatest
There is a lot of information on the Solex.
If it were not for bikes like the Solex, we would not have our mopeds today!!
They really are cool (I don't actually have one right now)
The motors were made to be worked on with only a few tools. It is a tire scrubber also.
Do a word search on Solex, tons and tons of info!!
They are one of the true clasics of the cyclemotors!!
Re: Solex Info and Pic from Solex Site.
Actually the company went out of view in the 70's,but Motobecane picked it up in 1974 and manufactured a Solex model for at least a few years after that.
simon
Interesting Solex Facts
The engine has a fuel pump, fan for air cooling, and carburetor has no float.The unit is completely self contained. If you remove the motor you have a heavy duty bicycle you can ride anywhere, unlike other mopeds.
They are a two-wheel drive moped if you think about it.
Jim
Re: Interesting Solex Facts
Right,Jim,but THAT SEAT!! Why couldn't they invest another 30 bucks in a comfy seat? I can just imagine trying to ride THAT on 2 trips of 125 mi.each in every week! Hemorrhoid city!!(1) Get a good seat and(2) speed it up a might and(3) put some racks on it and I might consider buying one.I'm sure they're pleasurable for short trips though.
Re: Interesting Solex Facts
Actually, the seat is a typical European design with springs running front to back, like the old Vespa scooters had. Plus the seat has a coil spring underneath as the only suspension on the bike.
People have travelled tremendous distances on them inclucing a fellow who circumnavigated the Australian continent.
You can never forge though that it is truly a motorized bicycle.
Re: Interesting Solex Facts
About these Solex bikes...... if you turn off the motor can you pedal the bike almost like a normal bike ? On most peds your feet crank like crazy and you hardly go anywhere..... I ride a regular bicycle too just to keep the ole legs in shape..... but a moped that you could pedal like a bike for short distances would be cool....good for the circulation and also good in the event of a motor breakdown, yes ? :)
Re: Interesting Solex Facts
Jimmy,
Yes you can. The Solex motor is disengaged by tilting the whole assembly up toward the handlebars until the friction drive wheel is clear of the front tire and it locks in this position.
You are then left with a single speed bicycle. I can't think of any reason why you could not use any size sprocket, or even lace a Sturmy Archer 3 speed hub into the rear wheel if you were ambitious.
Ron
Want to post in this forum? We'd love to have you join the discussion, but first: