Wild Bill Gelbke
William "Wild Bill" Gelbke | |
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Born | William A. Gelbke October 7, 1936 aerospace engineer Motorcycle designer |
William "Wild Bill" Gelbke (1936-1978, born in
Gelbke worked for McDonnell Douglas and other US Government contractors during the 1960s, most notably on guidance systems for surface to air missiles, however he quit when he was disallowed from viewing the complete plans for the missiles themselves.[3] He then opened his Chicago-area motorcycle shops and began designing and building Roadog and, subsequently, the Auto Four.
In 1978, Gelbke owned a
Official reports and witness statements contradict the above account of what took place.
Gelbke introduced several firsts to motorcycle design with Roadog, including dual headlights, automatic transmission with reverse gear, anti-dive leading-link "Earles" type front fork, hydraulic stands, and front and rear disc brakes.[4]
See also
References
- ^ Walneck, Buzz (April 2008). "Special Feature: Gelbke Auto-Four". Walnecks' Classic Cycle Trader. pp. 45–49. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
- ^ Mueller, Jim (July 8, 2001). "It ain't nothin' but a Roadog". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Constantine, Craig (January 2003). "Roadog Revealed". Cycle World. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
- ^ "Roadog". Museum Archives. Museum of Science and Industry. Archived from the original on February 24, 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2016.