Solifer’s automatic mopeds came in two forms. The SMA of 1976–1979 was an automatic version of the SM, while the Export Automat introduced in 1979 was a completely new model that reused an older name. Both relied on the same two-speed automatic Tomos engine.
Solifer Automat at a glance
| Maker | Solifer, Finland |
|---|---|
| Class | automatic moped |
| Versions | SMA 1976–1979; Export Automat from 1979 |
| SMA basis | Solifer SM “fat tank” |
| Engine | Tomos A32-KS, two-speed automatic |
| Carburettor | Encarwi S85 |
| Drive ratios | 26/28 |
| Exhaust | horizontal, above the footrest |
| Shared engine | SMA and Export Automat 1979–84 |
There is no separate Wikipedia article on the automatic models; this page is based on the sections about them in the Finnish articles on the SM, the Export and the Solifer company.
History of the Solifer Automat
The SMA of 1976–1979
The first automatic Solifer was the SMA, the SM-automatic. It was added to the SM range in 1976 and used a two-speed automatic Tomos A32-KS engine, the same unit later fitted to the Export Automat of 1979–84. The carburettor was an Encarwi S85, the exhaust ran horizontally above the footrest and the drive ratios were 26/28. In other respects the SMA matched the fat-tank Solifer of the period, with its larger tank, frame, saddle, headlight and instrument panel.
The Export Automat
In 1979 Solifer presented an entirely new model called the Export Automat. It had little in common with the original Export moped of 1960 beyond the name, and it used the same two-speed automatic Tomos engine as the SMA. The automatic transmission made the moped easier to ride in traffic, as the rider had no clutch or gear lever to operate.
Automatic mopeds in the range
The Finnish Wikipedia list of Solifer mopeds mentions the Solifer Automat, the Solifer SMA and the Solifer Export Automat as separate entries, which reflects how the automatic versions were sold under more than one name. The automatic models belong to the period when Solifer, alongside Tunturi, was one of the significant moped manufacturers in Finland, from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. Around 175,000 Solifer mopeds were built between 1958 and 1984, and more than 20,000 of them were exported.
Design and features
- Two-speed automatic: the Tomos A32-KS removed the need for a clutch and gear lever.
- SMA basis: the 1976–79 version was built on the SM fat-tank model.
- Encarwi carburettor: an S85 unit fed the automatic engine.
- New Export Automat: the 1979 model was a fresh design, not a version of the 1960 Export.
Solifer Automat versions
- Solifer SMA 1976–1979: automatic version of the SM fat-tank.
- Solifer Export Automat 1979: a completely new automatic model reusing the Export name.
- Solifer Automat: the general name used in Solifer’s own model list for the automatic machines.
The automatic models were derived from the Solifer SM and shared their name with the older Solifer Export. More Finnish mopeds are in the Solifer collection.
Video: Solifer Automaatti
Video by Jaakko Mäkelä on YouTube.
Sources
- Solifer SM, Finnish Wikipedia: SMA version, automatic engine, carburettor, ratios
- Solifer Export, Finnish Wikipedia: Export Automat of 1979
- Solifer, Finnish Wikipedia: model list, company history
