RAYMOND NIESEN
Classic & Sports Car|May 2023
From V12 Ferraris down to 49cc mopeds, this enthusiast's passion has no bounds
MARIO LAGUNA
RAYMOND NIESEN

Could a humble VéloSoleX moped really have any appeal to the owner of a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Dino 208, a pair of 365GT 2+2s (a black 1968 car and a yellow '69) and a 328GTB? Very much so for serial Maranello collector Raymond Niesen, whose passion for the asthmatic two-wheelers has led him to build the largest VéloSoleX set in the world.

"When I was a teenager, we used to spend our family summer vacations in France," explains Raymond. At the time, VéloSoleXes were popular with French workers and among youngsters whose families could afford more than a bicycle. "My 14-year-old cousins and their friends enjoyed the delights of the VéloSolex," says Raymond. "These motorpropelled bicycles were a perfect demonstration of the power of freedom. I promised myself one as soon as I could afford it."


 

This story is from the May 2023 edition of Classic & Sports Car.

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This story is from the May 2023 edition of Classic & Sports Car.

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