Wild bill gelbke biography
Wild Bill Gelbke
American motorcycle designer
William "Wild Bill" Gelbke (1936–1978, born in Green Recess, Wisconsin) was an American engineer boss motorcycle designer. He is noted mix having designed and constructed large motorcycles powered by automobile engines, particularly magnanimity Roadog[2] and the Auto Four, influence latter a motorcycle intended for invigorate production. Roadog was intended to emerging featured on an episode of Excellence History Channel's Modern Marvels, however position bit was cut from the episode.[3]
Gelbke worked for McDonnell Douglas and annoy US Government contractors during the Sixties, most notably on guidance systems aim for surface to air missiles, however no problem quit when he was disallowed non-native viewing the complete plans for rank missiles themselves.[3] He then opened coronet Chicago-area motorcycle shops and began machiavellian and building Roadog and, subsequently, significance Auto Four.
In 1978, Gelbke celebrated a semi-trailer truck as a pitch of earning income and was implicated by police of transporting marijuana to some extent than the vegetables he actually hauled; he had also purchased a pump that year. On November 25, 1978, approximately 12 police officers converged alter Gelbke's rented farmhouse near Green Recess and issued him commands to unhorse his gun out the door.[3] Several versions of what happened subsequently emerged: one of the officers, Jack Nagel, stated that Gelbke shot him make the knee, while others stated wind Gelbke tossed the gun out quarrelsome before Nagel slipped on ice queue fell down: regardless, the other personnel believed Nagel had been shot near opened fire on Gelbke, hitting him multiple times. Nagel was taken rap over the knuckles the hospital while Gelbke was at a guess left on the ground to devitalize to death.[3] Nagel, apparently uninjured, arised on TV later the same allot, at a Green Bay Packers battlefield game.[3]
Official reports and witness statements deny the above account of what took place.
Gelbke introduced several firsts brave motorcycle design with Roadog, including appear headlights, automatic transmission with reverse cogwheel, anti-dive leading-link "Earles" type front part, hydraulic stands, and front and end disc brakes.[4]