Alvaro Michel’s Evo-powered chopper by Yolo County Choppers here just looks fun to ride to me. Sporting forward controls and apes with a set of trumpet mufflers pointing skyward, it hits the mark as a chop job with some bobber vibe to it. Yet it also doesn’t have the extreme dimensions that keep vertically challenged folk like yours truly from being able to reach the controls comfortably. Seriously, do you want to see something hilarious? Watch me try to ride a really long bike with high apes on the freeway. One of us will laugh their ass off. I loves me the long choppers, but they don’t love me back.

At Azul’s beating heart is an 80ci 1998 Evolution V-twin that’s largely stock. An Arlen Ness airbox and Paughco pipes make up the breathing equation, giving the bike some style in the process.

The chassis that motor calls home, however, is anything but a stock H-D skeleton. Raked 30 degrees, it’s a rigid wishbone frame joined to a Paughco springer fork with spoke wheels front and rear; the whole shebang forms a rolling chassis that’s a great foundation for a bike like this.

Per chopper standard operating procedure sheet metal was mostly kept to a minimum. There’s just enough of the stuff to hold fluids and keep the rear tire from rooster-tailing mud all over your back. Not that Alvaro goes dirt riding on a bike he spent so much time painting in House of Kolor Oriental Blue Candy, but rain happens sometimes, no matter how cool your motorcycle happens to be.

Alvaro Michel put a lot of love into this rigid. Damn right he’s smiling about it!

Michael Lichter Photography

Bare essentials, well done. That’s what makes the best chops.

Michael Lichter Photography

Craig Judd’s sweet striping can be found beautifying this whole bike.

Michael Lichter Photography

Elswick Machine created the wishbone frame, which houses a 2-inch drop seat.

Michael Lichter Photography

Trumpets like these are a quick way to bring ’70s chopper gravitas to a bike.

Michael Lichter Photography

Azul’s springer fork straddles a 21-inch spoke wheel shod in Avon tread.

Michael Lichter Photography

Those LED front turn signals are tiny!

Michael Lichter Photography

Let’s take a closer gander at Craig Judd’s pinstriping on the tank.

Michael Lichter Photography