Motorcycling in France

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   12/06/2007, 7:52
Jura is not online. Last active: 14/11/2008 19:14:25 Jura

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Funny looking motorbike
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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-)]


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   12/06/2007, 8:01
Bob T is not online. Last active: 27/11/2008 10:24:06 Bob T



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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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.

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   12/06/2007, 8:29
Mme poivre is not online. Last active: 26/11/2008 17:32:39 Mme poivre



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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hi

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 hillsSmile [:)]

J


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   12/06/2007, 8:51
f1steveuk is not online. Last active: 27/11/2008 18:59:50 f1steveuk



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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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!)

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   12/06/2007, 10:16
Clair is not online. Last active: 27/11/2008 15:19:40 Clair



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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Could it have been a Vélosolex? The old ones are still around...

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   12/06/2007, 21:20
socket is not online. Last active: 18/12/2007 09:21:06 socket



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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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! [:-))]


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   13/06/2007, 15:23
Dog is not online. Last active: 27/06/2007 22:01:38 Dog



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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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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   14/06/2007, 15:58
Pierre ZFP is not online. Last active: 26/11/2008 14:25:05 Pierre ZFP



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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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It didn't look like this did it?


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   14/06/2007, 16:21
jc is not online. Last active: 07/08/2007 05:11:09 jc

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Re: Funny looking motorbike
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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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France Forum » Leisure and Pas... » Motorcycling in... » Re: Funny looking motorbike

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