The Velosolex 3800, introduced in 1966 at 373 francs, is the Solex most people remember. It was the most common and the most produced version of the moped, stayed in the catalogue until French production ended in 1988, and was the first to be offered in colours other than black.
Velosolex 3800 at a glance
| Maker | Solex, Courbevoie (France) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1966–1988 |
| Price at launch | 373 francs |
| Engine | 49.9 cc two-stroke single |
| Power | 0.795 hp |
| Weight | 28.5 kg |
| Fuel tank | 1.5 litres (German sources: 1.4 litres, about 100 km) |
| Top speed | 25–35 km/h, depending on the country |
| Frame | square-section tube, as on the 3300 |
| Brakes | front rim brake and rear drum |
| Colours | black at first; Luxe versions in blue, white and red |
| Ownership | Motobécane from 1974, Yamaha/MBK from 1983 |
The 3800 is the one Solex model with a Wikipedia article of its own, in French; this page uses it together with the model history in the English and German articles on the marque. The two tank figures come from different Wikipedias and are both given.
History of the Velosolex 3800
The version that defined the Solex
The 3800 arrived in 1966 as the replacement for the 3300 and inherited its square-section frame, its rear drum brake and its 49 cc engine with roller drive. It went on to become the most common and most sold Solex of all: the model stayed in the catalogue for twenty-two years, through the sale of the marque to Motobécane in 1974 and of Motobécane to Yamaha in 1983, when the last examples appeared under the MBK name. Production in France ended on 9 November 1988.
Colour comes to the Solex
For most of its life the Solex was black, motor included. The Luxe and Super Luxe versions of the 3800 changed that, introducing colour to the frame along with larger wheels and blackwall tyres. The colour range was blue, white and red; coloured 3800s were built from 1968 until 1971, after which the model returned to plainer finishes. The rest of the trim changed in small steps: a plastic fuel tank replaced the steel one in 1967, the handlebar grips turned grey in 1969, and the sticker on the air filter cover disappeared in 1972.
The twist grip of 1968
The most useful change came in May 1968, when a rotating twist grip with a cam replaced the old deceleration lever, allowing the rider to slow down without braking. Until then the Solex had been controlled by levers alone, with no ignition key and no throttle as such: the engine was started by pedalling with the decompression lever held and stopped by decompressing the cylinder. The 3800 kept that arrangement to the end, which is part of why it feels so unlike a modern moped.
Numbers
The French Wikipedia article gives the 3800 a dry weight of 28.5 kg, a 49.9 cc engine of 0.795 hp and a 1.5-litre tank; the German article quotes a 1.4-litre tank holding enough two-stroke mixture for about 100 km, and a top speed of 30 to 35 km/h unrestricted, against a range of 25 to 35 km/h depending on the country. Fuel consumption was around 1.4 litres per 100 km. The 3800 also fixed the Solex in popular culture, from Jacques Tati’s Mon Oncle to Robert Redford’s ride to work in Three Days of the Condor.
Design and features
- Most produced: the longest-running and most common Solex, built from 1966 to 1988.
- Luxe colour schemes: blue, white and red versions of a machine that had always been black.
- Twist grip from 1968: slowing down no longer meant reaching for a lever.
- Proven chassis: square-section frame, rear drum brake and roller drive from the 3300.
Velosolex 3800 versions
- 3800 (1966–1988): the standard black model.
- 3800 Luxe and Super Luxe: coloured frames, larger wheels and blackwall tyres, built from 1968 to 1971.
- Late MBK-built cars: the final examples, after Motobécane passed to Yamaha in 1983.
- Black’n Roll S4800 (2005): a modernised 3800 assembled by Mopex from Chinese parts, sold outside the Solex brand.
The 3800 replaced the Velosolex 3300 and kept its frame; the roller drive was abandoned altogether in the Velosolex 6000. More mopeds are in the Velosolex collection.
Video: SOLEX montage moteur solex 3800
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- VéloSoleX, English Wikipedia: 1966 model, Luxe versions, twist grip, production
- VéloSoleX 3800, French Wikipedia: price, production years, colours, specifications
- VéloSoleX, French Wikipedia: roller drive, decompression, engine layout
- Vélosolex, German Wikipedia: weight, tank, consumption, top speed, headlamp
