MADE FOR JAPAN

After finishing my previous project, I was idly looking for the next challenge when I happened to see a 1988 Gilera Nuovo Saturno 350 single. It was a Japanese import for sale at West Coast Imports, who quite often have some unusual machines; Japanese home-market bikes not available in Europe. A short discussion and an exchange of funds followed, and the Gilera was despatched via courier. I bought it to rebuild it, so the condition didn’t worry me too much.

The Gilera 350 Saturno was made in Italy but intended only for Japan, so it piqued my interest. I have more than a passing interest in Italian bikes and have owned and / or rebuilt many Italian machines; Ducati, Morini, Moto Guzzi, MiVal, Bianchi, Belgarda, Gilera, MV Agusta, Aermacchi, Lambretta, Vespa and more. The Nuovo Saturnos are rare: there were only 1200 bikes made as 350 and 500 variants (it could be more, as information is sparse). All the 350s originally found their way to Japan and some sources suggest that just 50 Saturnos were imported into