Maybe Baby Harley-Davidson Evo Chopper
This is a tough looking bike with class and a touch of attitude thrown into the mix.
JOHN is based on the beautiful Gold Coast, Queensland. John is a master at creating ‘old school’ choppers with a unique look. His bikes always have an aggressive stance with smooth flowing lines and the basic accessories to keep inline with the true chopper feel. John’s bikes are true choppers; they are Harleys that have been chopped, not custom-made motorcycles that have mis-inherited the name ‘chopper’. Although, in saying that, Maybe Baby has an Ultima hard-tail frame that John modified to his liking. The paint work John laid down on this bike is yet another example of his original ideas.
The fuel tank he fabricated with its dished-in sides sets the bike up to be something that could be mistaken for a machine from the ’70s. When I was actually taking the riding photos, John and Maybe Baby rode past an ‘old Queenslander’ style house which made me think I had gone back in time. It was a real ‘blast from the past’. Talk about a feeling of Déjà vu!
The engine that powers Maybe Baby has been in John’s possession for 20 years. It’s a Harley-Davidson Evo donk and was used to power one of his drag bikes among other tasks over time. The drag bike used to pull 11.25 secs over the quarter which is no mean feat. The mods John did to get it to boogie started with the heads, decking them along with the flow treatment. The flywheels were lightened as well to help with acceleration. He runs an EV47 cam along with the 10.5:1 KB pistons which, as you can imagine, gives this light bike a real shove along with a slight twist of the grip.
The engine breathes through a 42 mm Mikuni, and the Supertrapp exhaust mufflers sound shit hot!
The rear wheel is off a GPZ1100 with a 200 tyre fitted. The front wheel is a 21-inch and hangs off a Deuce front-end which combines extremely well to the style of this bike giving it the appearance of having way over front tubes.
If you find yourself on the Gold Coast, drop in and have a chat with John. He is always willing to share his knowledge about building a bike that looks cool and goes hard all day. Who knows, you might even find him working on his next project bike!
John’s Custom Motorcycle and Paint, 10/34 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin, on the Gold Coast; 07-5525-0977.
Words & Pics by Rod Cole
