Not as cool as it seems
). While I was refixing the broken bolts holding the alternator (?) side back on I whipped off the cylinder and filed the ports and a bit off the top. Top speed well in excess of 45 kph maybe 55-60 kph, no speedos back in those days. And to go really fast you had to push the lever on the motor with your foot to force more traction on the tyre... i saw a couple on velosolexes in france recently, putting around isle de oleron, they are beautifully retro, i dont mind having to wear a helmet, i just wish one didnt have to have insyurance or road registration with them (I'm not saying on eshouldnt have it, ican appreciate its a motorcycle, i simply wish one were free, as a bird, to use it like a bicycle)Austria is pretty soggy too (and lots of snow). Having used an original Vélosolex for quite a few years in soggy Nantes: yes you do have drive slip.
But having said that when there is enough water for it to slip it only does so on bumpy sections of road and you don't want to be going fast in those conditions. The Vélosolex tyres were very also hard compound to stop being chewed up by the drive, compounds have greatly improved since then. The contact area was slick.
I had an accident (hit and run) with mine and stripped the motor down and modified it slightly (I was in my 20's
Do they still make the Velocex? I loved the idea of them, that's what ebikes are really in spirit, they've got in them the memory somehow of these incredible French countryside runabouts.
Velosolex were always classified as motorcycles in the UK, meaning a full m/c licence and all the accompanying motor vehicle stuff.
As John has indicated they have gone electric. The company was sold and bought several times, the last 2 strokes were made somewhere in eastern Europe. Of course the 2 stroke Solex is a champion of air polution, the simple engine designed in the early 1900's needs leaded petrol so as well as mixing in oil you need to use an additive replacing lead.
