♥Solo♥ Menu

made in Germany

soloSelect which section:

Odyssey (Solo) Models   Parts Manual 

Solo Engines      Bing-Solo Carb Parts

 

 

 


History

Odyssey   made in Germany by Solo Kleinmotoren   Solo engine

Odyssey was a USA-only brand, sold by The Odyssey Company, Mill Pond Center, Cos Cob CT 06807, and made in Germany by SOLO Kleinmotoren GmbH, Sindelfingen 6. Kleinmotoren means small motors. Solo made mostly agricultural motors, chain saws, sprayers, etc. Here is a English translation link to German Wikipedia de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solo_Kleinmotoren, where they explain the name Solo. “Solo” is from the revolutionary backpack portable sprayer for pesticides in 1951. It could be used independently by a single person for the first time, whereas in the past pesticide sprayers required a heavy stationary motor pump and several assistants to handle the long hose. Here is a brief history of Solo from http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Solo:

In a small workshop, the brothers Hans and Heinz Emmerich began the development of the first small two-stroke engine. At that time, the “lightest” industrial engines weighed as much as 35 pounds. On June 20, 1948, the same day as the Germany Currency Reform took place, the first KMS 30 (KMS = KleinMotoren Stuttgart) engine was born. Intended as a power source for portable machines, the KMS 30 weighed only 14.3 pounds yet produced 1.2 HP, which was an incredible feat for that time. From 1948 to 1971, Solo manufactured various pieces of agricultural equipment as well some scooters and other vehicles. In 1971 they introduced the Solo moped.

 

 

Solo Regular (1-speed) Transmission, no pulley screws

Odyssey Regular (1-speed) Trans.
A. has no pulley screws
B. disk clutch with start lever

Odyssey 2-Speed Transmission
A. has 12 pulley screws

Solo 2-speed first speed clutch

Odyssey 2-speed Transmission
B. has a 3-shoe auto clutch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to identify a 1 or 2 speed: There are two types of belt-drive transmissions, 1 speed and 2 speed. The one-speed (ein-gang) “regular” transmission has a solid rear pulley, with no screws around the edge. The two-speed (zwei-gang) transmission has a rear pulley with planetary gears and a second speed auto clutch inside, with 12 screws around the edge. The presence or absence of pulley screws is the best way to tell a 1-speed from a 2-speed, from a few yards away. If the clutch cover is off, the presence or absence of the manual starting clutch lever is another way to tell. 1-speeds have it but 2-speeds do not. See the Solo Motor section for more about the differences between the transmission versions, as well as the speed versions.

 

Solo Odyssey motor

Solo motor with case reed induction

Odyssey Zweigang Solomatic

Zweigang Solomatic

The amazing Solomatic Zweigang rear pulley changes speeds in a step, with planetary gears and an auto clutch inside the pulley, in an oil bath. That is way different from a much simpler variable V-belt pulley that gets wider or narrower continuously, according to centrifugal weights. So the Solomatic is a “true” 2-speed, not a CVT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


German Speed Versions: In Germany, there are three kinds of mopeds:German flag

1. Mofas are 25 km/h (16 mph), no licence required, minimum age 15, no passengers.

         “Mofa” is short for motorisertes fahrrad (motorized bicycle).

2. Mopeds are 40 km/h (26 mph),  drivers license required (any class), minimum age 16. 

3. Mokicks are kick-start mopeds with no pedals