Free Kustom Cycles' 1990 Evo

1 Milwaukee comes to Barcelona

The bike you see here was born in Milwaukee in 1990 but was moved to Spain when it was 11 years old. A mechanic for the US Olympic Sailing team brought it over the pond for the Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week—a man and his Harley must not be separated. Back in 2001, it was a very different bike from the one in the picture above. It had a hot-rod-inspired flame job and fat back tire so popular on choppers of the early '90s. It also had a much more timeless springer front fork setup. A year later, that same mechanic decided it had come to the time that he and his bike finally part ways. It just didn't make financial sense to ship it back home with him when we returned to the US. However, his loss was Marcos Vazquez's gain.

>>Join the conversation about Free Custom Cycles' Evo right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

2. From Spain With Spring

You see, Marcos was looking for a bike with a springer front end. He bought this rigid-framed, Evo-engined chopper from the American and bid him farewell. Marcos rode it the way he bought it for a few years, including some longer tours that spanned Spain. After 4 years he felt it was time for a change. His life was changing too and just as he started on the update he found out him and his wife Monica were expecting. The bike would have to wait.

>>Join the conversation about Free Custom Cycles' Evo right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

3. Evo of the Evo

Flash forward seven years and it was time for Marcos to dig back into his Harley. Time changes things and seven years changed Marcos' mind about the springer his bike was wearing. He still loved the classic look but was leaning more toward a custom take on it. Like many of us, Marcos spends some time on eBay and it was there that he first got the idea for a girder front end. On the way back from a Mooneyes Hot Rod show Marcos came across the girder he was looking for, rescuing it from its impending installation on a small-displacement mini bike!

>>Join the conversation about Free Custom Cycles' Evo right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

4. Time Keeps Speeding By

Not many projects get finished without a deadline, and this bike is no exception. Marcos was invited to the Art & Wheels show in Switzerland in May of this year. That gave him a short four months to get everything finished in time. He enlisted the help of friends and family and they all burned the midnight oil to try to get his long, low and classic creation done in time for the show.

>>Join the conversation about Free Custom Cycles' Evo right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

5. Ready to Ride

We're pleased to report that they did, in fact, finish it in time. Marcos was quick to add, “You know that in these cases, we always use every second to get the bike done... Last minute issues come up, things can get complicated, but with the help of friends and family it all gets done.” We're glad it all worked out and now Marcos and Monica can ride two-up on the custom-fabbed and hand-tooled seat, though the youngest Vazquez will have to wait at home.

>>Join the conversation about Free Custom Cycles' Evo right here in the Harley-Davidson Forum!

6. Specs

Specifications

• Make and Model: 1990 Harley-Davidson
• Fabrication: Free Kustom Cycles
• Engine: 80 cubic Inch Evolution
• Cases, Cylinders, Heads, Rocker Boxes: H-D
• Camshafts: Crane
• Carburetor: S&S Super E Shorty
• Air Cleaner, Gauges: Mooneyes
• Transmission and gears: H-D
• Rake: 42 degrees
• Stretch: Factory
• Tires: 21" front, 16" rear
• Handlebars/Grips/Controls: H-D Sportster Ironhead XL1000/Seven Sins Choppers/Wannabe Choppers
• Paint and Graphics: Kilian Ramirez Pic-Astudio
• Seat: Ivan Bartolacci