Velosolex.... I'm so tempted

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gary r

Guru
Location
Camberley
very rare,especially in the UK.could be ridden in France by 14yr olds ( i think) no licence needed
 

battered

Guru
Want one. I watched them racing in France, they have 6hr endurance races. They tune them and the biggest issue is cooling, so you can get water cooled cyclinders. Now that's cool.
 
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bobg

bobg

Über Member
so its just the 3 of us then...
Its spiritual, the pedals are in your head.
Bet you need tax and insurance and mot and a helmet in the UK...

 
We had one when I was a kid. Great fun, pretty quick on the flat, mad clutch - you pull the engine back until the drive belt tightens.

My folks gave it away to the kid down the road, who wrecked it in seconds. Thanks Dad.
 

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
We rented some in France for a holiday back in the early 1980's. Brilliant machines, with a helpful rear wind you could do over 25 mph on them, and if you switched off the lights and got yourself as aerodynamic as possible you could get another 5mph.

However they are only really suitable for open French type roads with long lines of Plane trees. I would not dare take one on a London commute.

I heard that they have restarted production of them.
 

XmisterIS

Purveyor of fine nonsense
Great little machine! Mind you, "Velosolex" reminds me of this particular excerpt from Burgess' A Clockwork Orange:

"The Korova milkbar sold milk-plus, milk plus vellocet or synthemesc or drencrom. Moloko Vellocet is what we were drinking. This would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of the old ultra-violence."

:wacko:
 

yello

Guest
battered said:
watched them racing in France, they have 6hr endurance races.

There's a 24 hour race as well! Every year at a place around 30km from me. It's just been on and attracted 100+ entries in 4 or 5 categories.

If anyone does want one, seriously, then pm me. I know of one for sale at the moment and can probably track others down. Figure on around €300, depending on type, age, condition, etc etc etc. Have a look at www.leboncoin.fr for an idea.
 
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bobg

bobg

Über Member
Thanks Yello, thats very good of you I'll pm you when I've checked on licencing requirements over here and done a bit of research aboutyear/models and availability of spares etc. I recall a trip to to France in the early 60's and seeing nuns in full billowing habit riding these very slowly in the rain with umbrellas up. God knows how. The surreal image has never left me.
 
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