From the Shop
Tips, upgrades, builds, and stories straight from the Creative Cycles workshop.
About the Builder
These are the stories behind the bikes and the man who built them — Doug Keim. Doug is an IMBBA Hall of Fame inductee, two-time invitation-only Artistry in Iron Las Vegas competitor, and 1st Place winner of the Hard Rock Casino National Build-Off. Doug started Creative Cycles in south central New Jersey in 1977 — not as a volume business, but as a craft. In 2013 he relocated to a smaller, more hands-on shop in Umatilla, Florida, where Creative Cycles operates today. Every bike that leaves Creative Cycles, whether it came in for a routine service or was commissioned as a ground-up custom build, reflects the same standard: no shortcuts, no kit solutions, no profit-driven corners cut. His work has appeared in Easyriders, Hot Bike, American Iron Magazine, Chopper Build Magazine, Road Iron Magazine, Street Chopper, Barnett's Motorcycle Showcase, Rides Magazine, V-Twin Magazine, and numerous overseas publications worldwide, and has been commissioned by celebrities including Pharrell Williams and Funk Master Flex. The credentials matter — but what keeps riders coming back decade after decade is simpler than that: the work is done right, the assessment is honest, and Doug treats every machine as if it were his own.
Featured Post
Race King is coming along very nicely. Lots of amazing parts, some super nice hand-crafted one-off pieces, and some simply amazing paint. Stay tuned.
Race King is coming along very nicely.
Lots of amazing parts, some super nice hand-crafted one-off pieces, and some simply amazing paint. The Creative Cycles shop in Umatilla, Florida is alive with the kind of purposeful energy that only a build of this caliber can generate.
Visit us on Facebook and Instagram for even more updates and images of the progress on this stunning machine, along with other projects we have going on in the shop.
Stay tuned.
June 2, 2026
She's been dubbed the "Race King" — and she's already turning heads before a single part has been bolted on. Doug Keim's next project is a street-legal performance bagger transformation built from an HD Road King foundation. Big horsepower, big driveline, lightweight wheels, carbon fiber, billet, and hand-made parts throughout. Stay tuned.
June 1, 2026
From bare steel to show-stopper: the story behind The Rising, Doug Keim's hand-crafted entry in a nationally televised build-off competition — and the People's Choice Award winning motorcycle.
May 15, 2026
Red and white tribal pinstripes, a Saddlemen diamond-stitched seat, Legend 110 suspension — the Matrix HD Dyna is a masterclass in making every detail count.
April 20, 2026
A look behind the scenes of one of the most distinctive celebrity custom builds to come out of Creative Cycles — the Pharrell Williams Americana HD Softail.
March 10, 2026
Two Artistry in Iron Las Vegas builds. One shop. One builder. The Darkness Within is Doug Keim's second invitation to one of the most exclusive custom motorcycle competitions in the world — fewer than 20 builders invited worldwide.
February 14, 2026
The build that put Creative Cycles on the national map. Agnes was Doug Keim's first Artistry in Iron Las Vegas entry — a one-off, hand-crafted Creative Cycles original that earned an invitation to one of the most exclusive custom motorcycle competitions in the world.
January 20, 2026
The name says it all. The Scalpel 2.0 is a Custom HD Road Glide built with surgical precision — every cut deliberate, every detail intentional, every system performing at its peak.
December 5, 2025
When the owner said orange, Doug Keim didn't reach for a paint chip — he built a concept around the color. The Orange Tang HD Road King is what happens when a bold vision meets five decades of craft.
October 18, 2025
Not every build is subtle. The Doo-Wop BIG Pimpin' Trike was built to be seen — candy red over a stretched chopper frame, 100-spoke chrome wheels, and a spider-web sissy bar that rises like a sculpture.
September 2, 2025
Yellow and orange flame graphics over a hand-formed pro street body. The Smooth Pro Street is a portrait of Doug Keim alongside one of his most visually striking custom builds.
July 4, 2025
The Roll-X is not a conversion — it's a ground-up hand-crafted trike built by Doug Keim with the same precision he brings to every two-wheeled build. Engineering and artistry in equal measure.
May 20, 2025
The first of two custom Harley-Davidson builds commissioned by Pharrell Williams. The Cosmic Racer HD Softail is a study in speed-inspired design — built for a Grammy winner with an eye for the extraordinary.
March 15, 2025
The Battle Axe doesn't ask for your attention — it takes it. A hand-crafted Harley build that channels raw aggression through the lens of Doug Keim's precision craftsmanship.
January 10, 2025
Four builders. Four bikes. A year-long national tour. Doug Keim went up against Roland Sands, Johnny "Chop" Vasko, and Jesse Rooke — and won. The Hard Rock Casino Tour Bike is the build that proved it.
April 19, 2019
Addressing the concerns with the factory Harley-Davidson rear axle adjuster on a bagger model. If your bagger is showing signs of axle adjuster wear, this is a fix you need to know about.
April 19, 2019
7-speed anyone? Whether you're replacing your existing 7-speed transmission or upgrading from a 6-speed, we've got you covered. Get in touch to start the conversation about your next transmission step.
April 19, 2019
Have a Harley-Davidson bagger with a "batwing" fairing that rattles and feels loose? It most likely has broken fairing supports — a very common issue. We have the fix.
December 21, 2018
Because quality matters so very much to us on everything we do. We spend the money on good tools and take the time to check and double-check our work. Every time.
August 14, 2018
Have a 6-speed Harley-Davidson? We have "The Fix" for the ongoing problems with the Motor Company's primary chain tensioner and compensator. Making Harleys great since 1977.
August 14, 2018
A look back at the Harley-Davidson Softail built for Pharrell Williams — one of the most distinctive custom builds to come out of the Creative Cycles shop.
April 26, 2018
Want $50 off a real Harley-Davidson full service? Tag three friends on our Instagram post, share it to your page, and you've got it. Then give us a call to schedule.
March 4, 2018
Another Barnett Clutch and pressure plate conversion installed. Running a special on clutch, compensator eliminator, and chain tensioner installations. Call the shop to arrange.
December 27, 2017
A custom bagger came in with very little visible tail lighting. We came up with a clean LED upgrade to make the bike significantly more visible — and a lot sharper looking.
Ready to Get Started?