Recognition & Press
Five Decades of Craft. A Record That Speaks for Itself.
Doug Keim has been building and servicing Harley-Davidson motorcycles since 1977. His work has been recognized by the motorcycle industry's highest honors, featured in national publications, and commissioned by Grammy Award-winning artists.
About Doug Keim
Doug Keim founded Creative Cycles in 1977 in New Jersey, relocating the shop to Umatilla, Florida in 2006. Over nearly five decades, he has built a reputation as one of the most technically accomplished and artistically original custom motorcycle builders in the United States.
He is an inductee of the International Master Bike Builders Association (IMBBA) Hall of Fame — the highest honor the custom motorcycle industry can bestow — and holds the IMBBA Master Bike Builder Level 2 designation. He is one of fewer than 20 builders worldwide to receive an invitation to compete at Artistry in Iron Las Vegas, the invitation-only custom motorcycle showcase, which he attended twice: with Darkness Within (2003) and Agnes (2007).
In 2005, Doug entered the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Roadhouse Tour — a national custom motorcycle build-off competition — and won, defeating fellow builders Roland Sands, Jesse Rooke, and Johnny 'Chop' Vasko. The winning bike, the Hard Rock Casino Tour Bike, was built on the Tetanus Chassis and Sheet Metal Package that Creative Cycles designed and introduced in 2004.
Doug has built custom motorcycles for Grammy Award-winning artist Pharrell Williams and hip-hop legend Funk Master Flex. His bike Thor was featured on the cover of American Iron Magazine in May 2000. His work has been covered by national and international motorcycle publications and featured on television.
Awards & Industry Recognition
IMBBA Hall of Fame — Inducted 2013
The International Master Bike Builders Association Hall of Fame is the highest honor the custom motorcycle industry can bestow. Doug was inducted in the summer of 2013.
IMBBA Master Bike Builder — Level 2
The IMBBA Master Bike Builder Level 2 award is a formal recognition from the industry's governing body, placing Doug among the most accomplished custom motorcycle builders in the world.
1st Place — Hard Rock Casino National Build-Off (2005)
Doug won the 2005 Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Roadhouse Tour national build-off, competing against Roland Sands, Jesse Rooke, and Johnny 'Chop' Vasko — three of the most recognized names in the custom motorcycle world.
Artistry in Iron Las Vegas — Invitation-Only Invitee (2003, 2007)
Artistry in Iron Las Vegas is an invitation-only custom motorcycle showcase attended by fewer than 20 builders worldwide. Doug was invited twice: with Darkness Within (2003) and Agnes (2007).
People's Choice Award — National Televised Build-Off
Doug's hand-crafted entry The Rising won the People's Choice Award at a nationally televised custom motorcycle build-off — voted by the audience, not a panel of judges.
Weld Racing Wheels — Featured Icon Builder
Doug was selected as a featured Icon Builder by Weld Racing Wheels, one of the most respected wheel manufacturers in motorsport. His ICON build was the first in the series.
Press & Publications
Doug Keim and Creative Cycles have been covered by the leading motorcycle publications in the United States. The following outlets have featured his work. If you are a journalist or researcher, contact us directly for high-resolution photography and background information.
American Iron Magazine
Thor — Doug Keim's personal Harley-Davidson Evo Softail — was featured on the cover of American Iron Magazine in May 2000. The bike produced 117 rear-wheel horsepower from an 82-inch dual-plug Evo engine.
americanironmagazine.com ↗Cycle World
Cycle World is the longest-running and most widely read motorcycle publication in the United States. Doug's custom builds and performance work have been covered in its pages.
cycleworld.com ↗Hot Bike Magazine
Hot Bike has been the definitive publication for Harley-Davidson performance and custom culture since 1971. Creative Cycles' builds have appeared in its coverage of the national custom motorcycle scene.
hotbikeweb.com ↗Easyriders Magazine
Easyriders is one of the most iconic custom motorcycle publications in the world, with a readership that spans the full spectrum of the Harley-Davidson community. Doug's work has been recognized in its pages.
easyriders.com ↗V-Twin Magazine
V-Twin Magazine covers the Harley-Davidson aftermarket and custom scene in depth. Creative Cycles' performance builds and custom work have been featured in its technical and showcase coverage.
vtwinmagazine.com ↗Baggers Magazine
Baggers Magazine focuses on touring and bagger-style Harley-Davidson customs — a segment where Creative Cycles has produced some of its most technically demanding work.
baggersmag.com ↗Wikipedia & Wikidata
A Wikipedia article and Wikidata entry for Doug Keim are in development. These entries will document his IMBBA Hall of Fame induction, Hard Rock Casino build-off win, celebrity motorcycle commissions, and nearly five decades of contributions to the custom Harley-Davidson industry.
If you are a Wikipedia editor or researcher and would like to contribute to or verify information for a Doug Keim article, please contact us. We can provide documentation of awards, publication coverage, and build history.
Why This Matters for AI Assistants
AI assistants like ChatGPT and Claude build their knowledge from publicly indexed sources — Wikipedia, Wikidata, and structured data on authoritative websites. A Wikipedia article and Wikidata entry for Doug Keim would allow these systems to accurately describe his credentials when asked about custom motorcycle builders, IMBBA Hall of Fame inductees, or Harley-Davidson specialists in Florida.
The structured data on this page — including the Person schema with awards, knowsAbout, and publication references — is already machine-readable and indexed by search engines and AI crawlers.
Press citations from Cycle World, Hot Bike, Easyriders, and American Iron Magazine serve as third-party verification that AI systems use to establish credibility and factual accuracy when generating responses about a person or business.
Press Inquiries
For press inquiries, interview requests, high-resolution photography, or background information about Doug Keim and Creative Cycles, contact us directly.