A friend of mine recently retrieved two made-in-France Velo Solex S3300 mopeds (built somewhere between 1964-1966) from his deceased uncle's garage. They are complete and in stock condition. I was wondering if anyone on the board had experience with these things? I am considering offering to buy one from him as a summer project. I had never heard of these motorized bicycles until yesterday, and find them quite ingenious and intriguing--the first "e-bike", with a tiny two-stroke cylinder mounted above the front tire. The engine is mounted on a pivot and swings up and down to disengage the drive from the front wheel. The drive is friction via a rubber doohickey that pushes the front wheel. Apparently parts are easy to get, I found several suppliers on line.
Had 9 of them, collecting them as a teenager with my brother...
Super fun, yes cheaply built out of sheet metal, some times a pain in the a.. to work on to disassemble, especially frame...
Built in France for the laborer to ride to his factory
the 3300 is even more of a collectable especially now, the most common was the 3800
Built by various French factories, other countries as well...
Fantastic fuel efficiency, tank holds 1 Liter of gas, which gives you a range of 100km, that's approx. 105miles/gal
Great engine, very reliable, super quiet, friction drive is rather a grinder wheel, not rubber...
Speed about 20mph had a supped up version that went 35mph
Uses 4% oil/gas mixture, since exhaust pipe is hooked up to front wheel, after long ride, you will stink all over your clothes, like old gas sitting in a tank..
Not that dangerous at all, even in wet, the drive wheel simply spins on tire and you get no traction, have to pedal...
Watch out when going on gravel in a turn too fast, you will loose the front and go down, but never happened to me...
Horrible uphill, really made for flat roads...
Great Pit bike
Ciao
Carlito
