With Phil Aynsley
Gilera debuted its new Bialbero (DOHC) single cylinder engine in 350cc form fitted in the 1985 Dakota trail bike. This was followed, two years later, by a 492cc version as used in the Nuovo Saturno road bike.
![PA Gilera B PA Gilera B](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer.jpg)
Gilera officially returned to racing (after a break of some 30 years) in July 1989 with a modified version of the Nuovo Saturno ridden by Alan Cathcart at Monza in the Sound of Singles class, later to become the Super Mono series.
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-1.jpg)
He won and this encouraged Gilera’s new Technical director Federico Martini (ex Bimota co-founder) to design a dedicated race version.
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-2.jpg)
During 1990-1991 a batch of 50 (with one additional bike later being built from spare parts) Saturno Piuma (Feather) Corsa machines were constructed in the Gilera race department.
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-3.jpg)
The capacity was increased to 569cc (with a few 620cc bikes made available to factory supported riders) and a completely new alloy twin spar frame was employed.
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-4.jpg)
A 41.5mm Dell’Orto carburettor was fitted, with larger valves, a higher compression ratio, competition camshafts and close-ratio five speed gearbox were used.
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-5.jpg)
Only 16 of these bikes are believed to have survived, boasting 58hp at 8500rpm and a dry weight of 121kg. The top speed was 215km/h.
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-6.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-7.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-8.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-9.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-10.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-11.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-12.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-13.jpg)
![PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM PA Gilera Saturno Piuma Corsa SM](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/gilera-saturno-piuma-corsa-569cc-single-cylinder-racer-14.jpg)
Source: MCNews.com.au