Solifer-Suzuki was the name under which the Finnish maker Solifer sold a small range of mopeds linked to the Japanese firm Suzuki. The name covered both machines of Solifer’s own design and Suzuki-built models imported to Finland.
Solifer-Suzuki at a glance
| Maker | Solifer (S and S1); Suzuki (PV and R) |
|---|---|
| Seller | Solifer, Finland |
| Class | moped |
| Solifer-built models | Solifer-Suzuki S, Suzuki S1 |
| Suzuki-built models | Solifer-Suzuki PV, Suzuki-Solifer R |
| Solifer moped production | 1958–1984 |
| Total Solifer mopeds | about 175,000 |
| Exported | over 20,000 |
Based on one detailed source: the section on Solifer-Suzuki mopeds in the Finnish Wikipedia article on Solifer.
History of the Solifer-Suzuki
Two names, two makers
The Solifer-Suzuki range included four models: the Solifer-Suzuki S, the Suzuki S1, the Solifer-Suzuki PV and the Suzuki-Solifer R. Despite their names, the Solifer-Suzuki S and the Suzuki S1 were designed and manufactured by Solifer itself. The Solifer-Suzuki PV and the Suzuki-Solifer R, on the other hand, were made by Suzuki and imported to Finland by Solifer. The naming therefore says more about the commercial arrangement between the two companies than about who built a particular machine.
Solifer and Suzuki
The Suzuki connection was present at Solifer from an early date: when the Solifer Export moped was announced in 1960, its name was made public by Aarne Silander, the importer of Suzuki motorcycles and mopeds. Solifer itself began making mopeds in 1956, and from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s it was, alongside Tunturi, one of the significant moped manufacturers in Finland. Around 175,000 Solifer mopeds were built between 1958 and 1984, of which more than 20,000 were exported. Solifer mopeds were distributed by AB Bensow Oy.
A small part of the range
The Solifer-Suzuki models form a small group within a much larger Solifer moped range that also included the SM, the Export, the Capri, the Speed, the Automat and others. In the 2000s the company’s mopeds and scooters were made in China and imported under the Solifer brand.
Design and features
- Mixed origin: the range combined Solifer-designed machines with Suzuki-built imports.
- Solifer’s own design: the Solifer-Suzuki S and Suzuki S1 were designed and made by Solifer.
- Suzuki imports: the PV and R were manufactured by Suzuki and brought to Finland by Solifer.
- Commercial name: the Solifer-Suzuki badge reflected a distribution arrangement between the two firms.
Solifer-Suzuki versions
- Solifer-Suzuki S: designed and manufactured by Solifer.
- Suzuki S1: also designed and manufactured by Solifer despite the Suzuki name.
- Solifer-Suzuki PV: made by Suzuki, imported by Solifer.
- Suzuki-Solifer R: made by Suzuki, imported by Solifer.
Other Solifer mopeds of the period are the Solifer SM and the Solifer Export; more are listed in the Solifer collection.
Sources
- Solifer, Finnish Wikipedia: Solifer-Suzuki models, company history
- Solifer, English Wikipedia: company history, moped production
