Re: Funny looking motorbike

Motorcycling in France

Funny looking motorbike

Jura 12/06/2007, 7:52

Yesterday I saw an elderly man in the village riding along on what looked to be one of those motor scooters, but he was also pedalling! It had a motor. What was this machine called?. Never seen one before so Im curious... Confused [8-)]

Re: Funny looking motorbike

Bob T 12/06/2007, 8:01
There were many 50cc bikes that had pedals. In Germany they were restricted to 25 kmh and could be ridden by a 15 year old. In the UK mopeds has to have pedals at one time too.

Bob T 24
http://bikesindordogne.blogspot.com/

Re: Funny looking motorbike

Mme poivre 12/06/2007, 8:29

back in the days when i was 16 i had a puch three speed with the gears ont he handle bar that had pedals, you needed them to help you get up big hills Smile [:)]

Re: Funny looking motorbike

f1steveuk 12/06/2007, 8:51
Sounds like a Velo-bicycle little engine either on the handle bars or on the rack behind the saddle, usually driving the wheel via a rubber friction wheel. My first "bike" was a NSU Quickly (I believe that is called a oxymoron, a bit like "goverment intelligence"). Three gears on a twist grip by the clutch lever. It hand pedals, but like most mopeds, you couldn't use these when the engine had started (nor really when it it hadn't!)

"Some scoundrel has taken the cork for my lunch"
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Re: Funny looking motorbike

Clair 12/06/2007, 10:16
Could it have been a Vélosolex? The old ones are still around...

Clair
Real Virtual French Person

Re: Funny looking motorbike

socket 12/06/2007, 21:20

Wen wrote " Yesterday I saw an elderly man in the village riding along on what looked to be one of those motor scooters , but he was also pedalling " ----------may I ask , did he have a large double glazed window tied to his handlebars ?-------- He did , well in that case you should have said " hello " 'cos that would have been Bugbear !! Woot! [:-))]

Re: Funny looking motorbike

Dog 13/06/2007, 15:23
Probably a Mobylette - or a Velosolex if the engine was above the front wheel. If you are old enough to remember the Raleigh Wisp it was a rebadged Mobylette. They are great bikes and use little fuel - they are very reliable as they have no gearbox and variable oiless transmission. I got 50,000 miles out of one in my youth.

To start the engine you pedal either on the stand or as you move and on the move to increase accelaration. If the engine runs out of fuel you can disconnect the engine and use pedal power alone - not quick as only one lowish gear.

I got some pics of some old Mobylettes in Perigueux today.

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Re: Funny looking motorbike

Pierre ZFP 14/06/2007, 15:58

It didn't look like this did it?

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Re: Funny looking motorbike

jc 14/06/2007, 16:21
Velosolex(or copies) are still available new.I had a Raleigh moped-not called a Wisp-but it was a re-badged Mobylette.

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