From the Shop
Tips, upgrades, builds, and stories straight from the Creative Cycles workshop.
Featured Post
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.
Every great build starts with a bare frame and a vision. The Race King is no different.
The starting point is a Harley-Davidson Road King — a proven platform with the bones to support something truly special. But this isn't a Road King anymore. The transformation has already begun, and what's taking shape in the Creative Cycles shop in Umatilla, Florida is something the bagger world hasn't seen before.
She's been dubbed the **Race King** — and the name says everything you need to know about where this build is headed.
The Race King will be a performance bagger/street-legal race bagger styled machine. Not a show bike that can't be ridden. Not a trailer queen. A real, street-legal, high-performance machine that happens to look like nothing else on the road.
The build spec reads like a performance builder's wish list:
- **Big horsepower** — serious engine work to back up the race-inspired styling - **Big driveline** — upgraded drivetrain components to handle the power - **Lightweight wheels and brakes** — shedding unsprung weight for real-world performance - **Upgraded suspension front and rear** — dialed in for both handling and stance - **Lots of billet** — precision-machined components throughout - **Carbon fiber** — lightweight, aggressive, purposeful - **Hand-made parts and pieces** — one-off fabrication that can't be bought off a shelf
The photos you see here show the Race King in her earliest stage — stripped to the frame, ready for the transformation to begin. This is where every great Creative Cycles build starts. Bare steel. A clear vision. And nearly five decades of craftsmanship behind the hands doing the work.
The Race King is a work in progress, and we'll be documenting the build right here as it comes together. Follow along on the News page and on our social channels for updates as this machine takes shape.
This one is going to be a true head turner. You have our word on that.
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.
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