1st rebuild EVER!

[Villers]

Well its been in the garage since just after christmas and its given me a few headaches. Its a Gilera DNA 50 that I picked up for my niece for £180 off a bloke at work, who had paid far more than that for it a few months earlier.

The poor wee thing had a few problems and hadnt had a very easy life. It was running at the time of purchase but was acting very strangely. In the first week of getting it home I had all the battered plastics off it and set about sorting the daft little problems it had. I never saw it as a project or even anything of any interest to anyone. The plan was to get it rough and ready and then send it out on the road to be enjoyed but things have taken a bit of a turn tonight, although I'll come to that later.

Problems....

Brake switches didnt work on either lever
Bike would Idle but would stick at high revs
Seat catch/tank catches slightly iffy
1 non-functioning indicator
Messy/scratched/damaged fairings that had been rattle canned blue (reg said it was originally red)
Stupid horrible grips
Messy paint on the frame, flaking paint on the forks and the headlight bracket
Big scuff on the seat
Missing number plate bracket.
Cracked rear light

Good bits...

Ran a bit
tyres/brakes/fork seals spot on

Now the good bits certainly dont outweigh the bad but Im fairly confident I can sort most of that myself. Ive sorted out the idle (the little engine runs fantastic now!), the seat catches, the switches, the rear light and the number plate bracket. Its developed an electrical problem but I should be able to sort that. Altogether including a new centrestand spring(s) its cost about 30 quid so far. All this fits in with the plan for it to look rough but be mechanically sound and I wasnt going to take any pride in how it looked until the most recent development. I took the plastics to my nieces stepdad to 'sort out'. I'd asked him to get them back to red as best he could since he has his own body repair place and he said he would 'see what he could do'. Then tonight these turn up.....
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c186/villersCBR/plastics1.jpg
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c186/villersCBR/plastics2.jpg
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c186/villersCBR/plastics3.jpg
https://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c186/villersCBR/plastics4.jpg

He's fixed the lugs and plastic welded all of the cracked snapped off bits, looks like he's put a lot of work into them and Im gutted I dont have any before pics to compare them with because these things were seriously bolloxed! He hasnt went over the top, they arent perfect but he's went a lot further than I ever wanted him to!

So now the goalposts have moved. As far as Im concerned these plastics are now too good to go on the bike and Im worried Im going to look like a right lazy shit (I have been thus far tbh!) when the big unveiling happens. So Ive decided to up my game somewhat. Im going to do...

Cleaning up the tatty looking frame
Getting rid of all rust/flaky paint and turning lots of bits black
Cleaning up the exhaust
New bolts
New grips
And whatever else I find that i can realistically sort out!

I'm going to go out and take some photos of what the poor sod looks like right now and post them up here. Im not imagining anyone is going to take the slightest bit of interest but this is going to be my motivation point and Im going to use this thread as my inspiration to get on with it. Im new to mechanics and very impatient so if it ends up resembling anything like a useable bike in reasonable nick I'll be chuffed to beans! So here we go....

Project DNA here I come!
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[salty21]

a project is a project, whatever it is. You still seem to get the same feeling, regardless of value or cool points.
It's all about the sense of acheivment you get after IMO.

I'll be watching this thread
____________________
04 NSR 125(sold) ---- 03 CBR 600rr(sold) ----90 pan euro ST1100 '' ----02 CG 125
94 CB400 Super Four ---- 2000 VTR SP1 (sold) ---- 08 ninja p8f(sold, meh) ----05 CBR600rr

[alun111]

I'll be watching too.

Plastics look good. Get the man a crate!
____________________
Summer: '00 Honda CB600F Hornet
Winter: '93 Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit VP Variable Valve
Past Bikes: Lifan LF100-5 Lifan LF125-A Honda C70

[steveh]

i hope you have plenty of room..

once you do one, youl be forever doing them!
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Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[Tim..]

[TUG]

Thats not a DNA is it? Oh you unlucky fuck! hahaha
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[pepperami]

lots of photos, and lots of detail in lay-mans easy-speak please
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Villers]

Oh yes it is a DNA! Ive spent the last few hours in despair if Im honest! Nothing but disappointment left right and centre. After an agonising re-appraisal of the situation Ive narrowed down my list of chores unfortunately. Mostly due to previously unfound abuse from former owners! The fact its pouring down and theres not a lot of room isnt helping one bit.

Anyway Ive sorted the electrical problem and re-fitted the nose cone/headlight. God knows where the fly screen has gone though, it was there a few weeks ago. I'll get the preliminary photos up tomorrow but I need to source some parts and the odd screw etc. I need..

Some universal indicators for the back
Mirrors
Hopefully not but possibly a new screen
Grips

Trouble is Ive just found out its also required for sometime not long after the forthcoming weekend. Im a bit gutted I cant give it the full treatment but I will get it back in a decent looking piece that runs and will pass the (gulp) MOT!

It may not be the American Chopper does fiddy CC's special I envisaged at tea time but it should be ok!
____________________
RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[steveh]

As above, do the job properly and dont cut corners, and when you stand back and look at the end result and think "that bike is absolutley spot on, and i did it all" the feeling is VERY addictive.

good luck, keep us posted.
____________________
Current : 06 Zx10r, 07 Wr450f SM, 74 850 norton commando, 63 bsa b40, 1962 Triton 650, 67 Triumph Tr6r, 1955 Triton 750, 1978 TY250E.

[Villers]

If it was my my own and not just for transport I would have it COMPLETELY in pieces right now, unfortunately its on a shoestring budget for my young neice, luckily we got it sprayed for free and Ive bought her some parts etc. If I sell the Hayabusa I could be tempted by a little project of my own!

Anyway, Ive just spent an hour sorting out her new ipod for her, she gets enough as it is
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[twotakt]

[StevenF]

[TUG]

Setting it up and getting it running propperly will be a bitch if you haven't got the stock airbox in mint condition same with the filter and stock exhaust (de-restricted obviously). My DNA 50 was as fast as my current speedfight 100, if it would of been lighter and such i bet it could of hit 55mph+ onwards with ease.
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Haz ER-5, innit!