What's in the Barn

[csj]

I've seen this picture for some years, by the black and white, and the construction,
I would'a thought that this had been built back at the turn of the previous century.

No, it was built in the sixties. It was on a show last night called What's in the Barn.
It was running. The show host got to take it for a run.

I thought it was cool.





The builder (pictured/passed away) is William Gelbke, also known as 'Wild Bill'.

You can read a bit about him here;
http://www.omraoffroad.com/archives/Roadog.htm

[Valkorado]

Very cool rat build.  If our bikes are considered fat ladies, that is one obese b!tch!

[Jack B]

That bike is on display at Doc'c H.D. West of Green Bay.
And it is for sale.
Wild Bill was also an outlaw.

[jammer]

Was up there last summer to Doc's HD. Shawano Count Wi.  Wild Bill  G. built more than one bike.  He was a real guy with a vision & real history.   

[Big Al of Tennessee]

"You have to be an Olympic weightlifter to move the bars while standing still; once moving, you have to be an Olympic weightlifter to move the bars".
CURRENT OWNER is a Harley Shop.

He mad more than one of these,,He was an ELECTRICAL engineer.




Gelbke   shot dead by Cops, during a domestic abuse call in 1978.

[Jack B]

I heard that he made 2 Road Hogs

[crow]

I sat on that motorcycle once.  Buzz Walneck owned it at the time.  He is the publisher of cycle traider.  Bill Gelbke wanted to build a bike that could be run continuously at 100mph.   He could do a u turn on that bike on Cicero Ave in Chicago.   It was powered by a Chevrolet iron duke.  He also built a line of motorcycles called the Gelbke auto four, powered by a British engine.  Only four, I think, still exist.  A truly fascinating man!!!

[Molasses]

Was up there last summer to Doc's HD. Shawano Count Wi.  Wild Bill  G. built more than one bike.  He was a real guy with a vision & real history.   

Well, I'll be...
I drive or ride (depending on what the trip's for) past that place almost every time I go visit the In-Laws and I've stayed at their lake cabin on the north side of Lake Shawano just a handful of minutes from that place for days at a time with nothing much to do (well, at least until I joined the two gun clubs in the area; now I'm at one range or the other much of the time I'm there). 
All this time I figured that outfit was just another Harley boutique and not worth a stop.    Me=

[Valkorado]

Was reading more about ol' Wild Bill and came across another of his brilliant creations, the grasshopper.  Is it the Valkyrie's missing link?



Wild Bill was sure thinking outside of the box using a flat six from a 64 Chevy Corvair.  While the grasshopper looks easier to muscle around than the roaddog, I'm glad Joe Boyd came along decades later with a much improved ride!