Hi Peter and all,
This bike raises a really serious issue: safety of 100-year-old motorcycles.
Our club is running the Australian National Veteran Rally (for pre 1919 motorcycles) later in the year, and we're currently finalising our risk management strategy. There are lots of things that organisers can do to to try to minimize risk to people riding in a rally, as well as the general public around the rally. Risk is assessed by looking at the likelihood of an incident occurring (say unlikely, quite possible, or probable) and combining this with the consequences (say minor, major, or disastrous).
The rally committee has recently gone through the process of identifying all the likely problems that might occur at the rally, assessing the associated risk, and putting in place all the measures needed to minimize the risks. Some might think this is a pile of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo - so be it - but we are taking it seriously. We don't want people leaving the rally in an ambulance, and we will do what we need to to avoid it.
One of the major risks we've identified is one that is hard for us to deal with: unsafe motorcycles.
We've decided to do the following: We're asking riders to be responsible for the safety of their own machines. This is a good start, and probably works OK for competent people who restore their own motorcycles. Most can identify bad rust, a dangerous crack, bad wear and so on, and deal with it appropriately.
But what of people like Peter who buy a "restored" motorcycle? How do we know that there is metal (and not Bondo) under the paint? How do we know that the fork stem is not about to snap off where it has been rubbing after ten years of riding with no balls in the bearings? It's a very serious issue.
Our approach is that all organising committee members will keep an eye on the bikes on the rally, and if they see something worrying on a machine they will report it to the chairman of the committee, who will then decide on what to do - up to disqualifying a bike from the rally.
In the case of Peter's bike (if it were 1914), I'd hope it would be spotted early, and I have no hesitation in saying that it would be disqualified from the rally, for the safety of both the rider, the other riders, and the public. Think about it: the likelihood of the frame failing is possible-probable and the consequences are potentially fatal. It's an unacceptable risk.
Peter I'm not directing this at you, but instead it is a plea that we try to keep our hobby as safe as possible for everyone. If your frame tube is rusty, machine it out of the lugs and replace it with a piece of high quality tube, pinned and brazed in place. If your lugs are rusty, replace them. If you're uncertain, ask the most experienced people you can find for their advice, then follow it.
Peter: do us a favour and don't ride the bike. Cut up the frame and throw it away - or give it back to the person you bought it from. Let's face it, it's a death trap. If the frame looks like this, what is under the paint on the front fork?
Be safe everyone!
Cheers
Leon