A decade back Born-Free entered the world of custom motorcycling, offering Southern California a big bike show that didn’t feel like what many big bike shows had become: exhibitions of high-dollar trailer queens pampered like so many perfumed purse dogs. If you haven’t been to one, think of it as the Orange County version of Ventura’s David Mann ChopperFest but with warmer weather. It’s a visual feast of DIY chopped iron covering the historic range of Harley-Davidson V-twinnery, including 1920s machines, Knuckles, Pans, Sportsters…and, of course, Shovelheads.

Which brings us here. We already gave you a gander at a gaggle of Panhead-powered machines from previous Born-Free shows. Today we’re reflecting on five Shovelheads that have graced the pages of Hot Bike and/or Street Chopper since we started our own involvement with this awesome event. It’s been our honor and privilege to feature Born-Free customs over the last 10 years, both in print and online, and we look forward to continuing that tradition this year and for years to come. For now, though, we’ve got these Shovels of various stripes to tide you over until Born-Free 10 invades Orange County June 23 and 24, 2018.